Hiring a Performance Marketing Manager for a UAE-Based Digital Marketing Agency

Zifcare helped a UAE-based e-commerce performance marketing agency hire an e-commerce performance marketer to help their clients based in the Middle East grow their business.

The role was closed within budget with a combination of fixed and variable pay to balance the needs of the business and the candidate.

⏰ Time to hire	1 month (approx.)
💰 Salary offered to hired candidate	INR 15 LPA (INR 12 LPA fixed + INR 3 LPA variable)
👥 Company team size	10 (at time of hiring)
👨 Candidate profiles shared	4
💻 Candidates interviewed	3

Client Overview

A leading UAE-based digital marketing agency specializing in performance marketing for e-commerce and D2C brands sought to hire a Performance Marketing Manager to manage international client accounts. The role required expertise in Google and Meta ads, experience with global markets, and the ability to scale campaigns efficiently.

Challenge

The agency needed a candidate who could:

✔ Manage multiple e-commerce client accounts

✔ Demonstrate expertise in Google & Meta Ads

✔ Adapt quickly to international market trends

✔ Work within a competitive budget

Finding a candidate with all these traits was challenging, so the hiring process focused on identifying high-potential candidates who could scale quickly.

Hiring Process

1. Defining the Ideal Candidate Profile

The agency’s leadership outlined key requirements:

• 3-5 years of performance marketing experience

• Hands-on experience with e-commerce brands (preferably international)

• Expertise in Google & Meta Ads

• Ability to manage multiple accounts and scale campaigns

  
  

2. Initial Shortlisting

The hiring team received a curated shortlist of 4 candidates with relevant backgrounds. Key highlights:

Candidate	Experience	Strengths
Candidate A	E-commerce specialist	Managed multiple client accounts, D2C brand experience
Candidate B	Worked with a global digital marketing agency	Handled 7-8 clients, strong Meta Ads skills
Candidate C	Experience with a US-based marketing agency	E-commerce expertise, Google/Meta Ads
Candidate D	5+ years in performance marketing	Google + Meta Ads, multi-account handling, TikTok ads exposure

3. Interview & Assessment Rounds

Round 1: Screening Call

• Focus: Technical expertise, past campaign performance, client management skills

• Outcome: 3 candidates moved forward (Candidate D, Candidate C, Candidate B)

Round 2: Practical Assignment

• Candidates were given a mock e-commerce campaign brief to assess:

  • Strategy formulation

  • Budget allocation

  • ROI forecasting

• Candidate D stood out with a data-driven, scalable approach.

Round 3: Final Discussion with Agency Leadership

• Focus: Cultural fit, growth mindset, long-term potential

• Candidate D demonstrated:

  • Strong analytical skills

  • Willingness to learn new platforms (TikTok/LinkedIn)

  • Experience handling multiple accounts efficiently

4. Offer & Onboarding

• Candidate D was selected due to their balanced expertise in Google/Meta Ads, agency experience, and ability to scale quickly.

• They joined the team as Performance Marketing Manager and successfully took over key client accounts within the first month.

Results & Impact

Why This Hiring Process Worked

✔ Structured evaluation – Balanced technical and cultural fit

✔ Real-world testing – Practical assignment filtered top performers

✔ Budget-conscious – Found the best talent within constraints

Conclusion

By implementing a rigorous, multi-stage hiring process, the agency secured a high-performing Performance Marketing Manager who aligned with their growth goals. This case study demonstrates how a strategic recruitment approach can deliver the right talent—even in a competitive market.