Senior Affiliate Manager

About Highwinds At Highwinds, we're not just navigating the lead generation landscape; we're charting its future. We are a team of innovators, data scientists, and digital strategists dedicated to connecting our clients with their next great customers through precision, technology, and a relentless drive for results. As a dynamic and growing competitor in the performance marketing space, we thrive on fresh ideas, bold strategies, and a collaborative spirit. The quality of our partnerships is paramount, and we are looking for a master relationship-builder to lead our affiliate channel. The Role The Senior Affiliate Manager is a critical driver of our supply-side strategy, responsible for the growth and optimization of our affiliate network. You are an expert negotiator and a strategic thinker who understands that true partnership is the key to scalable success. You will own the full lifecycle of our affiliate relationships—from recruitment and onboarding to performance optimization and compliance. Your mission is to build a robust and diverse network of high-quality affiliate partners who deliver consistent, high-intent traffic that fuels our clients' growth. Key Responsibilities Strategic Recruitment: Proactively identify, evaluate, and recruit new high-value affiliate partners and publishers across a variety of channels (email, search, social, display, native). Relationship Management: Cultivate and nurture strong, lasting relationships with our top affiliate partners. Act as their primary point of contact, providing strategic guidance, support, and a world-class partner experience. Performance Optimization: Continuously monitor affiliate performance, analyzing key metrics like Cost Per Lead (CPL), Conversion Rate (CVR), and lead quality. Provide partners with actionable, data-driven insights to help them scale their campaigns profitably. Negotiation & Terms: Lead negotiations for payout structures (CPL, CPA, Rev-Share), insertion orders, and other commercial terms. Ensure agreements are competitive and aligned with company goals. Compliance & Quality Control: Uphold the highest standards of quality. Work closely with our data and compliance teams to enforce program terms, monitor traffic sources, and mitigate fraud. Competitive Intelligence: Stay ahead of the curve by monitoring industry trends, new publisher technologies, and competitive affiliate programs to ensure Highwinds remains a top choice for partners. Reporting & Analysis: Prepare and deliver regular performance reports to leadership, showcasing the health of the affiliate channel and identifying key areas for growth. Qualifications & Experience 5+ years of direct experience in affiliate management, with a strong background in the lead generation or performance marketing industry, ideally in the subprime financial vertical. A proven track record of successfully recruiting, managing, and scaling a high-performing affiliate program that resulted in significant revenue growth. A strong existing network of publisher and affiliate contacts is highly desirable. Deep understanding of performance marketing metrics (CPL, CPA, EPC, ROI) and the nuances of various digital traffic sources. Exceptional negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills. You build trust and rapport with ease. Highly analytical and comfortable using data to make decisions and tell a story. Hands-on experience with major affiliate tracking platforms (e.g., Everflow, CAKE, HasOffers). Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field. Why Join Highwinds? Own a Key Channel: Your work directly impacts the core supply of our business. You will own and build a critical revenue-generating channel. Innovative Culture: Join a team that values curiosity, challenges the status quo, and celebrates every win. Career Growth: This senior role offers significant autonomy and the opportunity to build out a team as the channel grows. Competitive Compensation: We offer a competitive salary plus a generous performance-based commission/bonus structure.