Associate Director, Affiliate Marketing

Tombras, a 450+ person, full-service, national advertising agency with a digital mindset, is seeking an Associate Director, Affiliate Marketing.

You’ll be joining one of the top independent agencies in North America. Connecting Data & Creativity for Business Results® is working for our clients and creating a flywheel affect fueling both client and agency growth.  You’ll be a part of a highly creative agency that has been recognized by AdAge, Adweek, Communication Arts, Fast Company, Forbes and Fortune. Tombras was recently named 2025 AdAge Agency of the year and 2024 AdAge Independent Agency of the Year.

The Associate Director, Affiliate Marketing will play a key leadership role in shaping affiliate strategy and driving execution across a portfolio of national clients. This person will be responsible for delivering measurable business growth through smart partnership development, strong channel expertise, and data-driven optimization.

Reporting to the Director of Affiliate Marketing, this role will work closely with internal channel leads, analytics, legal, and client teams to scale affiliate programs, unlock new partnership opportunities, and ensure best-in-class execution. The ideal candidate is equal parts strategist, operator, and relationship builder, with a strong command of affiliate platforms, publisher development, and performance marketing.

Where you'll be working: Knoxville or Atlanta. Relocation assistance may be provided.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead affiliate strategy and day-to-day execution across a portfolio of client accounts, with a focus on driving revenue, efficiency, and long-term program growth
• Build and grow strategic relationships with affiliate networks, publishers, creators, technology partners, and key vendors
• Identify, recruit, and activate new affiliate partners across content, editorial, loyalty, influencer, coupon, sub-affiliate, and brand-to-brand channels
• Develop account growth plans, testing roadmaps, and partnership strategies designed to improve performance and unlock new scale
• Manage and mentor affiliate team members, helping elevate the quality of work, strategic thinking, and account leadership across the team
• Monitor campaign performance and analyze data to identify trends, optimization opportunities, and risks across KPIs such as revenue, ROAS, CPA, AOV, and new customer growth
• Lead ongoing budget allocation, commission strategy, promotional planning, and partner investment decisions based on performance and incrementality
• Confidently present affiliate strategies, performance updates, test results, and growth opportunities to clients and senior internal stakeholders
• Partner cross-functionally with paid media, analytics, creative, legal, and account teams to ensure affiliate programs are integrated into broader marketing strategies
• Oversee campaign launches and program maintenance, including tracking setup, pixel implementation, partner onboarding, creative updates, suppression lists, and technical troubleshooting
• Manage day-to-day communication with affiliate partners and clients, resolving issues quickly and ensuring seamless execution
• Stay current on affiliate, creator, and commerce trends to proactively bring new ideas, partnership models, and channel innovation to clients

What you bring:

• 4+ years of affiliate marketing experience, ideally within an agency, publisher, network, or performance-driven marketing environment
• Proven experience developing and scaling affiliate strategies that drive measurable business results
• Hands-on experience with affiliate platforms such as Impact, CJ, Rakuten, Awin, Partnerize, or similar
• Strong understanding of publisher models, affiliate economics, attribution, incrementality, and commission strategy
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret performance data, identify insights, and translate them into actionable recommendations
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and/or Google Sheets for reporting, forecasting, pacing, and performance analysis
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to speak confidently to both clients and internal leadership
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, balance strategic and tactical work, and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset and a strong