Director, Performance Marketing Interview Experience at Grubhub

The Director, Performance Marketing position at Grubhub is designed for an experienced digital marketer with a strong track record in driving customer acquisition and retention through a variety of online channels. If you’re preparing for this role, here’s a detailed breakdown of the interview process based on my personal experience and insights from other candidates.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for the Director, Performance Marketing position at Grubhub is multi-faceted, focusing on both your technical expertise in digital marketing and your ability to lead teams and drive strategic marketing initiatives.

1. Initial Screening (Phone Interview with Recruiter)

Duration: 30-40 minutes.
The process began with a phone interview with a recruiter. This was mostly focused on my background, why I wanted to work at Grubhub, and my experience in performance marketing. The recruiter also provided an overview of the role, the company’s goals, and the team dynamics. They were very interested in how my past experiences aligned with Grubhub’s marketing objectives.

Key Topics:

• Why Grubhub?: “Why do you want to work for Grubhub, and what excites you about the performance marketing space in the food delivery industry?”
• Experience Review: “Can you walk me through a successful performance marketing campaign you led?”
• Technical Skills: “What digital marketing tools are you most comfortable with (Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, SEM, etc.)?“

2. Technical Interview (Performance Marketing Focus)

Duration: 60 minutes.
The next round was a technical interview with a senior member of the marketing team. This interview focused on my deep understanding of performance marketing channels like paid search, social media, affiliate marketing, and display advertising.

Key Topics and Example Questions:

• Campaign Management: “Tell me about a performance marketing campaign you ran that didn’t meet expectations. How did you adjust it?”
• Budget Management: “How do you manage large marketing budgets across different digital channels while ensuring a high ROI?”
• Testing & Optimization: “Explain how you approach A/B testing for digital campaigns. Can you provide an example where your tests significantly improved a campaign?”
• Analytics: “Which key performance indicators (KPIs) do you monitor in a performance marketing campaign, and how do you use that data to optimize future campaigns?”

The interviewer also asked about specific tools I have used to track and optimize campaigns, such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, and programmatic advertising tools. They were interested in how I make data-driven decisions and adjust strategy based on performance insights.

3. Strategic Interview (Cross-Functional Collaboration)

Duration: 45 minutes.
This round assessed how I would integrate performance marketing with broader business goals at Grubhub. It was a mix of situational questions and strategic planning exercises. The interviewer was looking for evidence of leadership and how I collaborate with other teams like Product, Data Analytics, and Creative.

Key Topics and Example Questions:

• Cross-Team Collaboration: “How have you worked with product or creative teams to develop a cohesive digital marketing strategy?”
• Growth Strategy: “Given Grubhub’s position in the competitive food delivery market, what digital channels would you prioritize for customer acquisition and retention?”
• Leadership: “How do you ensure alignment between your team’s efforts and the broader goals of the company? How do you motivate and guide your team?”
• Vendor Management: “Describe your experience working with external agencies or media partners. How do you ensure they deliver results?”

This stage also involved discussing how I would manage the performance marketing team, drive creative marketing ideas, and ensure that campaigns align with Grubhub’s overall goals.

4. Case Study/Presentation

One of the most critical parts of the interview was a case study presentation. I was asked to create a performance marketing strategy for Grubhub targeting a new customer segment, such as corporate clients or new geographic markets. The case study was designed to assess my ability to develop an end-to-end digital strategy, including audience targeting, media mix, and budget management.

Key Elements of the Case Study:

• Target Market Analysis: Understand the market segment and identify the best channels to reach these customers.
• Campaign Development: Create a campaign plan, including key messaging, creative strategy, and platform selection (paid search, display, social).
• Optimization Strategy: Explain how you would test, measure, and optimize the campaign for performance.
• ROI Forecasting: Provide a rough budget and explain how you would track and adjust for ROI.

This was a challenging yet rewarding part of the process. I had to clearly present my strategy, justify my decisions with data and logic, and address potential challenges.

5. Final Interview with Senior Leadership

The final stage was a conversation with the marketing leadership team. This was more of a cultural fit interview to see how well my leadership style and vision aligned with Grubhub’s values. The interview lasted about 45 minutes and involved both behavioral questions and high-level discussions about Grubhub’s marketing strategy.

Key Topics and Example Questions:

• Leadership Philosophy: “How would you describe your leadership style, and how do you ensure your team is constantly improving?”
• Industry Trends: “What do you think is the next big trend in performance marketing, and how would you leverage it at Grubhub?”
• Company Fit: “Grubhub places a high emphasis on innovation and collaboration. Can you provide an example of how you’ve driven innovation in your past roles?”
• Long-Term Vision: “Where do you see the performance marketing landscape going in the next 3-5 years, and how can Grubhub stay ahead of the curve?”

Key Competencies Grubhub is Looking For

• Digital Marketing Expertise: Strong understanding of paid search, paid social, display advertising, affiliate marketing, and other digital acquisition channels.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficiency in analytics and using data insights to drive campaign performance and ROI.
• Leadership and Team Management: Proven ability to lead high-performing teams, collaborate cross-functionally, and drive successful marketing initiatives.
• Financial Acumen: Experience in budget management and optimizing marketing spend to achieve KPIs and ROI.