JobsSpotHero

Digital Marketing Specialist II (SEM)

SpotHero · Chicago, IL · Marketing

Posted Aug 27, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you found an underperforming campaign and figured out what was actually wrong with it.

real diagnostic experience versus surface-level reporting habits

Tell me about an A/B test you ran on ad copy or bidding strategy that didn't go the way you expected.

whether they design tests rigorously and learn from failure instead of just reporting wins

Tell me about a time you had to push back on a manager or teammate's approach to a campaign because the data suggested something different.

comfort advocating for a data-backed position with people who control the budget

What's a time you had to manage a substantial ad budget where a mistake would have been costly, and how did you keep it in check?

trustworthiness with money and attention to detail under real stakes

Tell me about a time you had to explain a campaign performance drop to people outside the marketing team, like Sales or Finance.

cross-functional communication skill, since the role explicitly requires working with those teams

Technical

Walk me through how you'd structure a new Google Ads campaign from scratch for a product like SpotHero, from account structure down to keyword match types.

whether the candidate actually knows SEM account architecture and best practices, not just buzzwords

How do you decide when a keyword needs to be paused, moved to a different ad group, or added as a negative?

depth of hands-on keyword hygiene experience versus theoretical knowledge

What's your process for building a weekly optimization plan from raw campaign performance data?

whether they have a repeatable analytical workflow versus ad hoc tweaking

How comfortable are you with pivot tables and building your own reports in Excel, and can you give an example of an analysis you built from scratch?

concrete proof of the stated analytical skill rather than a checkbox answer

Have you worked with CTV, mobile app install campaigns, or pulled data using SQL? Tell me about that experience.

whether the nice-to-have skills are real or aspirational

Situational

Say you're managing budget pacing across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Apple Search Ads, and you notice one channel is burning through budget three times faster than expected halfway through the month. What do you do?

how they triage budget problems and prioritize under time pressure

If a stakeholder from Finance asked you to justify why SEM spend increased but conversions stayed flat, how would you walk them through the numbers?

ability to translate campaign data into a story non-marketers can follow

Imagine a newer team member on SEM Specialist I keeps making the same tracking error in campaign builds. How would you handle that?

how they mentor and correct others without being condescending or letting mistakes slide

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by SpotHero.

<h3><strong>Who we are:&nbsp;</strong></h3> <p>At SpotHero, we work as a team to empower people to get everywhere, easier! We’re rapidly growing with the mission of bringing the parking industry into the future through technology. Drivers across the nation use the SpotHero mobile app and website to reserve convenient, affordable parking in advance, on-the-go or through their connected cars, and parking companies rely on us to help them reach new customers while optimizing their business. We connect the dots with cutting-edge technology, delivering value to both sides of this exciting, evolving marketplace. We’ve been quite busy, take a peek at some of our recent&nbsp;<a href="https://spothero.com/press/">announcements</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Digital Marketing Specialist II at SpotHero</strong></h3> <p>SpotHero is seeking a Digital Marketing Specialist II, to support the digital marketing team in planning, implementing, and optimizing digital marketing campaigns across multiple channels. Focused on user acquisition, collaborate with SpotHero’s broader marketing team on our acquisition marketing strategy and execute multi-channel, direct response digital campaigns that drive business growth.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>What you will get to do:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Own day-to-day execution and optimization of SEM campaigns with increasing autonomy across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Apple Search Ads.</li> <li>Independently launch, QA, and manage new campaigns, ad groups, and keyword builds using established frameworks and best practices.</li> <li>Analyze campaign performance and provide actionable insights that inform weekly optimization plans.</li> <li>Conduct keyword research, maintain keyword hygiene, and proactively identify new targeting or segmentation opportunities.</li> <li>Support development and execution of SEM testing roadmaps, including ad copy tests, bidding strategies, and audience experiments.</li> <li>Identify issues or inefficiencies in campaign structure, budget pacing, tracking, or performance, escalating when appropriate and proposing solutions.</li> <li>Provide and present reports and actionable insights with minimal guidance to inform campaign optimizations</li> <li>Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Sales, Finance, Analysts) to support measurement improvements and campaign initiatives.</li> <li>Document processes and contribute to workflow improvements that increase team efficiency and scalability.</li> <li>If applicable - serve as a resource to SEM Specialist I team members by sharing learnings, reviewing work, or helping troubleshoot execution tasks.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Who you are:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>You are Data-Driven - Your attention to detail is unparalleled. You are obsessed with campaign performance and driving results, but you also use data to uncover impactful customer and/or financial insights.</li> <li>You are Analytical - Your strong quantitative skills lend to creative and effective problem solving. You should be familiar with big data and how to make sense of it.</li> <li>You are Inquisitive - You are innovative, resourceful, and naturally curious. You ask the right questions and are constantly looking for ways to improve upon things.</li> <li>You are a Team Player - you work with multiple individuals to complete a task or achieve a goal. You bring people along with you and they trust you with substantial budgets.&nbsp;</li> <li>You are willing to evolve your point of view to align with changing business climate, technical methods, and team needs.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>What you bring:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 2+ years experience in digital marketing, paid search, and/or paid social media&nbsp;</li> <li>Familiarity with Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising/Bing Ads, Apple Search Ads, or similar platforms</li> <li>In-depth understanding of Paid Search campaign management and optimization practices</li> <li>Strong analytical skills: experience with reporting and data analysis, including pivot tables, Excel formulas, and data manipulation&nbsp;</li> <li>Proven experience in a data-driven marketing environment</li> <li>Demonstrated understanding of SEM best practices and tactics for driving growth</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>You may also have:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Experience with CTV and/or mobile app marketing</li> <li>Certifications for: Google Ads, Bing Ads/Microsoft Advertising, Apple Search Ads</li> <li>Technical skills related to Data/SQL</li> </ul> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><strong>Seeking Candidates in:&nbsp;</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Chicago, Illinois&nbsp;</li> </ul> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><strong>What we are offering:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Career game changer – A truly unique experience to work for a fast-growing company in a role with unlimited growth potential.</li> <li>Excellent benefits</li> <ul> <li>We cover a generous portion of Medical Premiums, 50% of Dental and Vision Premiums, company-sponsored Life Insurance, STD, and AD&amp;D coverage, a 401(k) with match and immediate vesting, and comprehensive leave policies to meet your needs in creating space for life.</li> </ul> <li>Flexible PTO policy and outstanding work/life balance – We value and support each individual team member.</li> <li>UberEats weekly lunch stipend for in-office days&nbsp;</li> <li>Udemy License and Personal Learning Budget – We support the professional and personal growth of our people by providing everyone with learning resources and development opportunities.&nbsp;</li> <li>Annual parking stipend – Duh. We help people park!</li> <li>The opportunity to collaborate with fun, innovative, and passionate people in a casual yet highly productive atmosphere.</li> <li>Our commitment to allyship has been a central driver of how we Respect Fellow Drivers. You’ll have the opportunity to be part of Employee Resource Groups, access allyship learning resources, and actively contribute to our ongoing effort of making SpotHero inclusive for all.</li> <li>Employee programs to grow and support our people such as Discovery Days for Product and Engineering, Gearing up for Aspiring Leaders, and Mentorship Program.&nbsp;</li> <li>Wellness program – a workplace that actively supports your physical and mental wellbeing through ongoing events, initiatives, resources, and thoughtful perks and benefits.&nbsp;</li> <li>A workplace recognized as&nbsp;<a href="https://1871.com/1871-news-and-content/1871-momentum-awards-winners-2023/">CityLights award winner&nbsp;</a>by 1871,&nbsp;<a href="https://builtin.com/awards/chicago/2026/best-midsize-places-to-work#spothero">2026 Best Places To Work&nbsp;</a>by BuiltIn,&nbsp;<a href="https://mostlovedworkplace.com/companies/spothero/">Most Loved Workplace Certified</a>&nbsp;by the Best Practice Institute, and recipient of multiple Comparably awards, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.comparably.com/companies/spothero">Best Company Culture, Best Company for Women, and Best Company for Diversity.</a></li> </ul> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3><strong>Compensation in Illinois</strong>:</h3> <ul> <li>Depending on your skillset and experience, you can expect your base salary to be between $62,560 - $78,200 as well as a discretionary bonus, and leading total rewards package.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>At SpotHero, we Respect Fellow Drivers by providing an inclusive interview experience for everyone, including people with disabilities. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates in need of individualized support during the hiring process. Please let our team know of your need when you apply or as you begin interviewing with our team.</p> <p>SpotHero is an equal opportunity employer. We know that a diverse workforce is the strongest workforce, and are committed to building and supporting an inclusive environment for all.Additionally, because we want to Remember to Signal, if you choose to provide us personal information in connection with a job application, please review our&nbsp;<a href="https://spothero.com/legal/applicant-privacy-notice" target="_blank">Applicant Privacy Notice&nbsp;</a>which provides details about what information we collect and process about you in order to consider your candidacy.</p> <p>PLEASE NOTE: This position is ineligible for visa sponsorship. To be considered for this role, you must be legally authorized to work in the US and not require sponsorship for employment now or in the future.</p>

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