Ad Sales Lead, Central
Job Overview
Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!
At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems.
Job Description
You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds - while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun. Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!
) learners around the world. Read our blog to learn more. About the role... Join us to build Duolingo Ads, Duolingo’s direct ad business. Most learners use our free, ad-supported app, so high-quality ads are core to our mission.
This is a high-ownership, early-stage opportunity to help define the trajectory of ads on Duolingo for hundreds of millions of learners. You will...
Own the Central region’s direct ads strategy and revenue outcomes, including named-account prioritization, pipeline development, forecasting, and quarterly execution.
Key Responsibilities
- Join us to build Duolingo Ads, Duolingo’s direct ad business.
- Most learners use our free, ad-supported app, so high-quality ads are core to our mission.
- We’re hiring an Ad Sales Lead in Chicago to open and lead the Central region.
- This is a senior individual-contributor role for a seller who can both win business and help shape how we scale: you’ll set regional strategy, build a high-quality pipeline across priority verticals, cultivate senior relationships with brands and agencies, and close high-impact deals that delight learners and drive revenue.
- You’ll partner closely with sales leadership and the cross-functional ads team to influence pricing, packaging, market prioritization, and the broader go-to-market motion as Duolingo Ads grows.
- You will...
- Build and grow senior relationships across brands and agencies, opening new logos and expanding strategic accounts into long-term, high-value partnerships.
- Lead complex, high-impact deals end-to-end, from prospecting and positioning through negotiation, close, renewal, and expansion.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Partner closely with Account Management, Ad Ops, Product, Design, and Engineering to move deals forward, shape feasible programs, and improve the advertiser and learner experience.
- 8+ years of experience in direct digital ad sales, with a strong track record of building senior client relationships and closing meaningful new business.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with a clear, persuasive style and comfort operating in ambiguity.
- Experience building a direct ads business from 0→1 or scaling a newer ads product within a publisher or platform environment.
- Experience shaping go-to-market strategy, sales process, or regional coverage models beyond your own book of business.
- The offered salary is dependent upon several factors, including work experience, skills, and internal peer comparisons.
- Accommodations: We will do everything we can within reason to make sure that your interview takes place in an environment that fairly and accurately assesses your skills.
Benefits and Perks
- Translate Duolingo’s unique strengths, including premium attention, native formats, character IP, and brand equity, into clear commercial narratives tailored to advertiser objectives.
- For this role, base salary is supplemented by equity compensation.
- Salary Range: $140,000-$210,000 USD Benefits: Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here .
USA Jobs Today role summary
Role Summary
Ad Sales Lead, Central at Duolingo is a remote United States position and is listed as Full Time.
Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available.
Review the employer's original description and official application page before applying; USA Jobs Today organizes source-supported details for readability without changing stated requirements.
Application Checklist
- Review the stated qualifications, including: Partner closely with Account Management, Ad Ops, Product, Design, and Engineering to move deals forward, shape feasible programs, and improve the advertiser and learner experience. + years of experience in direct digital ad sales, with a strong track record of building senior client relationships and closing meaningful new business.
- Confirm that the official application page still lists the role as open.
- Verify the work location and any United States eligibility or work-authorization requirements.
- Tailor your resume to the responsibilities and qualifications stated by Duolingo.
- Apply only through the official link shown on this page and never pay USA Jobs Today to submit an application.
Original job information is provided by the hiring organization or listed source. USA Jobs Today organizes source-supported details for readability without inventing salary, benefits, qualifications, sponsorship, or remote eligibility.
Work Location and Schedule
This role is listed as Remote USA with location information shown as Remote USA. The employment type is Full Time.
About the Company
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