Affiliate Marketing Manager

Employment Type: Freelance

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Affiliate Marketing Manager to lead and grow an affiliate marketing channel for a fast-paced consumer beauty and personal care brand. This high-ownership freelance role will oversee strategy, performance optimization, partner development, and agency collaboration while working closely with teams across public relations, influencer marketing, social commerce, and e-commerce.

The ideal candidate combines strategic channel leadership with strong operational discipline. You will translate performance data into actionable recommendations, manage a complex partner ecosystem, and create clear workflows that help cross-functional teams execute against shared growth objectives.

This is a temporary, part-time engagement of approximately 30 hours per week with an anticipated six-month duration. Candidates located in the Pacific time zone are preferred, particularly those able to collaborate in person periodically in Southern California.

Responsibilities

Affiliate Channel Strategy & Performance

• Own affiliate channel strategy, optimization, and day-to-day performance management.
• Develop plans to grow revenue through high-performing publishers, content partners, loyalty platforms, and creator-led affiliate programs.
• Maintain a comprehensive affiliate calendar aligned with product launches, promotions, editorial opportunities, and broader marketing initiatives.
• Evaluate partner performance, growth potential, efficiency, and long-term strategic value.
• Conduct regular performance reviews to identify opportunities, risks, conversion barriers, and actionable growth levers.
• Optimize commission structures, incentives, and partner investments to improve return on spend.
• Prepare concise channel reporting and strategic recommendations for leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Agency & Partner Management

• Serve as the primary strategic contact for the affiliate agency and external platform partners.
• Guide agency priorities, monitor execution, and ensure activity is aligned with channel goals and promotional calendars.
• Use performance insights to support negotiations for premium placements, editorial coverage, commission tiers, and partner incentives.
• Design and evaluate controlled tests, including commission increases, limited-time bonuses, category incentives, and placement opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen search visibility and editorial presence through affiliate content partners.
• Build productive relationships with key publishers, platforms, and creator-affiliate networks.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Create shared processes and communication rhythms across PR, influencer marketing, social commerce, e-commerce, and affiliate partners.
• Act as a central point of coordination, helping teams stay aligned on priorities, launch timing, promotions, and partner activation.
• Translate affiliate performance data into clear, relevant guidance for cross-functional stakeholders.
• Proactively identify dependencies, gaps, and execution risks, then drive solutions with the appropriate teams.
• Ensure affiliate initiatives complement broader brand, content, and commerce strategies.

Job Requirements

• Five or more years of affiliate marketing experience, including ownership of an affiliate channel or program from strategy through execution.
• Demonstrated success driving measurable revenue growth through affiliate partnerships.
• Strong understanding of affiliate networks, commission structures, publisher economics, attribution, and platform dynamics.
• Experience managing or collaborating closely with affiliate agencies and external partners.
• Familiarity with affiliate and creator-commerce platforms such as Impact, ShareASale, LTK, ShopMy, or comparable solutions.
• Experience with social commerce and creator-led affiliate ecosystems is preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn channel data into clear recommendations and stakeholder communications.
• Exceptional organization and project-management skills, with comfort managing detailed calendars and interconnected workflows.
• Experience in beauty, personal care, retail, e-commerce, or direct-to-consumer brands is preferred.

Skills & Tools

• Affiliate platforms and networks, including Impact or comparable tools
• Creator-affiliate platforms such as LTK and ShopMy
• Social commerce platforms, including TikTok Shop
• Web analytics and e-commerce reporting tools, such as Google Analytics and Shopify
• Performance reporting, partner analysis, and campaign optimization