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. 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. 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.
- 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.
- Translate Duolingo's unique strengths, including premium attention, native formats, character IP, and brand equity, into clear commercial narratives tailored to advertiser objectives.
- 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.
- Share actionable market feedback with sales and product leadership to inform pricing, packaging, measurement, and future ad formats.
- Help establish repeatable systems and standards for a growing ads business, including account planning, CRM hygiene, proposal quality, and pipeline rigor.
You have...- 8+ years of experience in direct digital ad sales, with a strong track record of building senior client relationships and closing meaningful new business.
- Success selling premium video and native/custom ad formats in digital, mobile, or consumer app environments.
- Proven ability to operate as a senior seller in an early-stage or evolving business, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
- Strong commercial judgment across pricing, packaging, negotiation, and account prioritization.
- Ability to influence senior decision makers at brands and agencies while working effectively with cross-functional partners internally.
- Strong understanding of ad tech and mobile app ecosystems, and comfort using data to assess campaign performance, shape proposals, and inform sales strategy.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with a clear, persuasive style and comfort operating in ambiguity.
☆ Exceptional candidates will have...- Established relationships with senior brand and agency leaders across the Central region.
- 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.
- Familiarity with managed-service and programmatic sales motions, including how they complement one another in a scaled ads business.
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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