About this role.
Duolingo is hiring a senior sales leader to launch and scale its West Coast direct advertising business. The role owns regional revenue, pipeline forecasting, go-to-market strategy, senior brand and agency relationships, and complex deal execution. As a player-coach, this leader will personally close strategic business while hiring, coaching, and establishing scalable operating practices for a sales team. Success requires deep digital ad sales expertise, particularly in premium mobile or consumer-app environments, plus fluency in ad tech, video, native formats, and data-driven commercial strategy.
Role DNA
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Job Complexity
5/5Pace & Pressure
5/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
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Core skills
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Sample interview questions
I would start by segmenting priority agency holding companies, strategic brands, and high-fit verticals such as entertainment, gaming, streaming, and technology. I would define account tiers, coverage expectations, pipeline stages, and activity cadences, then establish a forecast model tied to realistic sales-cycle assumptions. In parallel, I would package Duolingo's audience, native formats, and measurement story into clear commercial narratives for each segment.
I begin by identifying the economic buyer, agency influencers, activation team, and measurement stakeholders, then align their objectives into a shared success plan. I use discovery and performance data to connect product capabilities to the advertiser's outcomes, resolve delivery or measurement concerns early, and maintain a documented mutual close plan. After launch, I stay involved with account management and operations to ensure delivery supports renewal and expansion.
I treat user experience as a core commercial constraint rather than an obstacle to selling. I work closely with product, ad operations, and account management to establish acceptable ad formats, frequency expectations, quality standards, and measurement criteria before making commitments. This approach creates sustainable revenue because advertisers receive reliable outcomes and users retain trust in the product.
I would track revenue attainment, weighted pipeline coverage, pipeline creation, stage conversion, sales-cycle duration, forecast accuracy, average deal size, renewal rate, and expansion revenue. I would also use qualitative deal reviews to assess account strategy, stakeholder coverage, value articulation, and next-step discipline. The metrics should create accountability without encouraging short-term deals that compromise delivery quality or long-term retention.
I would inspect the funnel to determine whether the issue is qualification, discovery, positioning, stakeholder access, proposal quality, or closing discipline. We would review live opportunities together, sharpen the ideal-customer profile and value narrative, and establish specific behavioral changes for upcoming calls and follow-ups. I would measure progress through conversion milestones and provide direct feedback while preserving ownership of the seller's book of business.
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. 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 great ads are core to our mission. We’re hiring a Head of West Coast Sales to open and scale our West Coast region. You will set regional strategy, build and lead a high‑performing team, and own revenue outcomes across priority verticals and agency holding companies. As a player/coach, you’ll cultivate senior‑level relationships, shape pricing and packaging with leadership, and close high‑impact deals that both delight learners and drive revenue while leading a team of sellers. This is a high‑ownership, early‑stage opportunity to help define how ads show up for hundreds of millions of learners while building a repeatable, data‑driven go‑to‑market.
🧠 You will…
- Own West Coast revenue targets and forecasting; build a healthy, predictable pipeline across named accounts and agency groups, and deliver against quarterly goals.
- Develop and execute the regional go‑to‑market strategy, including territory design, vertical focus, pricing/packaging inputs, and coverage plans as we scale.
- Hire, coach, and lead a small team of sellers over time; establish operating rhythms, deal reviews, and CRM hygiene standards that improve forecast accuracy and execution.
- Build and deepen senior relationships at brands and agencies; open new logos and expand strategic accounts with clear commercial narratives that map Duolingo’s unique strengths (design, IP, native formats) to client objectives.
- Lead complex deals end‑to‑end—from prospecting and positioning through negotiation, close, renewal, and expansion—partnering tightly with Account Management and Ad Ops for flawless delivery.
- Share actionable market feedback with sales and product leadership to inform pricing, packaging, measurement, and ad experiences while protecting the learner experience.
- Operate with speed and rigor in a startup‑like environment, building repeatable sales motions, outreach cadences, and team practices that scale from 0→1 and 1→N.
✅ You have…
- 8+ years of direct digital ad sales experience with a consistent track record of hunting, closing, and renewing in premium mobile or consumer app environments.
- Success selling video and native/custom formats and structuring innovative agreements with top‑tier advertisers and agencies.
- Proven ability to engage senior decision makers while rolling up your sleeves to build collateral, troubleshoot issues, and drive revenue personally.
- Strong understanding of ad tech and mobile app ecosystems, with skill using data to assess performance and inform pricing and packaging.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, and comfort operating with ambiguity at high velocity.
⭐ Exceptional candidates will have…
- Established relationships across West Coast brand and agency decision makers.
- Experience introducing or scaling a new ads product from 0→1 within a publisher or platform environment.
- Experience shaping regional GTM, sales process, or coverage models beyond an individual book of business.
- Familiarity partnering with Account Management and Ad Ops on native/custom programs and live‑campaign storytelling to drive renewals.
- Vertical expertise in Entertainment, Gaming, Streaming, or Tech that accelerates early traction.
The offered salary is dependent upon several factors, including work experience, skills, and internal peer comparisons. The posted range is subject to change in the future. For this role, base salary is supplemented by equity compensation. We encourage you to talk with your recruiter for more information related to compensation for this role!
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.
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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. If you need assistance or accommodation, please contact accommodations@duolingo.com.
Equal Employment Opportunity: Duolingo is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.
Fraud Warning: Unfortunately, there is a rise in scammers pretending to be real Duolingo employees. Duolingo and our employees will never ask for your Social Security number, bank details, or passport info, and we’ll never ask you to deposit a check, purchase equipment, or exchange money during the interview process. Real Duolingo employees always use an email that ends in @duolingo.com or @recruiting.duolingo.com. Stay alert and double-check these details before sharing any information.
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