How to Hire a Head of Growth: Skills, Platforms, and Evaluation Strategies

As a recruiter, you're tasked with discovering the next strategic leader who can drive your company's growth. The Head of Growth is a pivotal role that calls for a unique blend of analytical prowess, creativity, and strategic insight. Often, businesses struggle to pinpoint the right candidate due to a lack of understanding about the multifaceted nature of this role and the balance between marketing, product management, and data-driven decision-making it requires.

This article provides you with a comprehensive guide on hiring a Head of Growth, including the skills and qualifications to seek, the nuances of crafting a compelling job description, and insights into screening resumes effectively. Also, explore useful resources like screening tests and platforms to find the most suitable candidates for your company by visiting our Head of Growth Interview Questions page.

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Skills and qualifications to look for in a Head of Growth

Hiring a Head of Growth can be tricky because the right candidate for one company may not be the right fit for another. It's important to be clear about what skills are required versus what would be nice to have. Misjudging these can lead to hiring someone who may not meet your company's specific needs.

To aid in your search, here are the required and preferred skills and qualifications to consider for the role of Head of Growth:

How to write a Head of Growth job description?

Once you have a candidate profile ready, the next step is to capture that information in the job description to attract the right candidates. A well-crafted job description not only outlines the role but also engages potential talent effectively.

• Highlight key responsibilities and impact: Clearly define the Head of Growth's responsibilities, such as driving user acquisition and revenue growth. This shows candidates the strategic importance of their role and how they can contribute to the company’s success.

• Balance technical skills with soft skills: While it’s important to mention skills like data analysis and marketing automation tools, don’t forget to include soft skills like leadership and adaptability. This balance helps attract candidates who are not just technically proficient but also great team players.

• Showcase unique selling points: Share what makes your company and this role special. Whether it’s innovative projects, room for career advancement, or a collaborative culture, these details can make your job description stand out in a crowded market.

Top Platforms to Hire a Head of Growth

Now that you have a clear job description for the Head of Growth position, it's time to explore platforms where you can list your vacancy. Utilizing various job listing sites can help you source a diverse pool of candidates with the right skills and experience.

LinkedIn Jobs

Ideal for posting full-time Head of Growth positions. Offers extensive reach and targeting options for professional networks.

Indeed

Widely used job board suitable for posting various Head of Growth roles. Offers good visibility and applicant tracking features.

AngelList Talent

Excellent for startup companies looking to hire Head of Growth. Attracts candidates interested in high-growth environments.

You can start with well-known platforms such as LinkedIn Jobs and Indeed, both being suitable for full-time roles and offering great visibility. Additionally, AngelList Talent is tailored for startups, making it an excellent choice if you're looking for candidates eager to thrive in high-growth environments. As you continue your search, consider specialized job boards like Growth Marketing Jobs or platforms that cater to remote work, such as FlexJobs, to find the right talent for your Head of Growth role.

How to screen Head of Growth resumes?

In a world filled with countless resumes, resume screening helps you quickly narrow down the candidates who truly fit the Head of Growth role. This process saves time by allowing you to focus on those who match your criteria, ensuring a more effective hiring experience.

Manually screening resumes requires a keen eye for specific keywords. Look for primary keywords such as "user acquisition," "retention strategies," and "data-driven marketing." These terms align with the skills and qualifications you need, helping you shortlist the most promising candidates.

For a modern approach, consider using AI tools to screen resumes. By inputting the desired keywords, these tools can efficiently filter candidates based on your specifications. Tools like ChatGPT can make this process smoother, allowing you to focus on interviewing the top candidates.

Below is a sample prompt to use with AI for resume screening:

TASK: Screen resumes for Head of Growth role

INPUT: Resumes

OUTPUT: For each resume, provide the following information:
- Email id
- Name
- Matching keywords
- Score (out of 10 based on keywords matched)
- Recommendation (whether to shortlist this candidate or not)
- Shortlist (Yes, No or Maybe)

RULES:
- If unsure about a candidate's fit, mark as Maybe instead of No
- Keep recommendations concise.

KEYWORDS DATA:
- Growth Marketing (User Acquisition, Retention)
- Data Analysis (Google Analytics, SQL)
- Leadership (Team Management, Strategic Planning)

For more insights, explore helpful articles on interview questions and required skills for the Head of Growth role.

Recommended Skills Tests to Assess Heads of Growth

When it comes to hiring a Head of Growth, skills tests are a smart way to gauge a candidate's abilities beyond what their resume can demonstrate. These assessments ensure that candidates possess the necessary skills to drive growth and innovation in your organization. Here are our top recommendations for skills tests to assess Heads of Growth:

Growth Marketing Test: This test evaluates a candidate's knowledge and skills in growth strategies, including viral marketing, growth hacking, and user acquisition. It's essential for identifying candidates who can effectively scale your business.

Data Analysis Test: Growth leaders need to be data-driven. This test measures a candidate's ability to interpret complex data sets, make data-informed decisions, and optimize growth strategies. It's a must for anyone in a growth-focused role.

A/B Testing Test: Understanding A/B testing is vital for any Head of Growth. This test helps assess a candidate's capability to design, execute, and analyze experiments to identify winning strategies.

Business Development Test: As growth often involves expanding into new markets, this test checks a candidate's ability to develop and implement business strategies that generate new opportunities and partnerships.

Customer Success Online Test: Ensuring customer satisfaction is key to sustainable growth. This test gauges a candidate's ability to manage customer relationships, improve retention rates, and drive customer loyalty.

Case Study Assignments to Evaluate Head of Growth Candidates

Case study assignments can be valuable tools for assessing Head of Growth candidates. However, they come with drawbacks such as lengthy completion times, lower candidate participation rates, and the risk of losing top talent due to time constraints. Despite these challenges, well-designed case studies can provide insights into a candidate's strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Growth Strategy Analysis: This case study asks candidates to analyze a company's current growth metrics and develop a comprehensive strategy to improve key performance indicators. It tests their ability to interpret data, identify growth opportunities, and create actionable plans. This assignment is particularly useful for evaluating a candidate's skills required for a Head of Growth.

Customer Acquisition Challenge: Candidates are presented with a scenario where they need to devise a plan to acquire new customers for a specific product or service. This case study assesses their creativity in marketing strategies, understanding of various acquisition channels, and ability to allocate resources effectively.

Product-Led Growth Initiative: This assignment focuses on developing a strategy to drive growth through product improvements and feature additions. It evaluates a candidate's product sense, ability to align product development with business goals, and understanding of user experience's impact on growth metrics.

How to structure interview stage for hiring Heads of Growth?

After candidates pass the skills tests, they should proceed to the technical interview phase, where their hard skills are evaluated. Skills tests effectively filter out unsuitable candidates, but they don't always identify the best fit for the role. This next stage allows recruiters to assess candidates' strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, which are crucial for a Head of Growth.

Consider asking the following questions to gain insights into candidates' capabilities: How do you develop a growth strategy that aligns with company goals? This reveals their strategic mindset. What is your experience with data analysis and how have you used it to drive growth? This tests their analytical skills. Describe a time when you identified a new market opportunity. What approach did you take? This assesses their innovation and market understanding. How do you prioritize growth experiments? Here, you learn about their decision-making process. Can you discuss a successful growth campaign you've led? This showcases their practical experience and successes. For more detailed insights, refer to the interview questions for Head of Growth to further evaluate candidates' suitability.

What's the difference between a Head of Growth and a Chief Marketing Officer?

Many people confuse the roles of Head of Growth and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) due to their overlapping responsibilities in driving business success. However, these positions have distinct focuses and operate in different contexts within an organization.

A Head of Growth typically concentrates on user acquisition and retention, working with a smaller, cross-functional team. They are highly data-driven, focusing on growth KPIs, customer acquisition costs (CAC), and lifetime value (LTV). This role often involves rapid experimentation and A/B testing, making it common in startups and scale-ups.

In contrast, a CMO is responsible for the overall marketing strategy and usually manages larger, diverse marketing departments. They focus on broader metrics like brand awareness, market share, and ROI. CMOs are more involved in long-term campaign planning and often report to the board and stakeholders in established companies.

While both roles require strong leadership and strategic thinking, a Head of Growth tends to be more technically inclined, with skills in product analytics and growth hacking. A CMO, on the other hand, typically has a wider range of marketing expertise and is more focused on building and maintaining the company's brand image.

What are the ranks of Head of Growth?

The Head of Growth role often gets mixed up with other marketing and business development positions. However, it's a unique position with its own hierarchy and career progression. Let's break down the typical ranks in the growth leadership track:

1. Growth Marketing Manager: This entry-level growth leadership role focuses on implementing and optimizing growth strategies. They work closely with marketing and product teams to drive user acquisition and retention.

2. Senior Growth Manager: With more experience, a Senior Growth Manager takes on more strategic responsibilities. They often lead small teams and have a broader impact on the company's growth initiatives.

3. Head of Growth: This mid to senior-level position oversees the entire growth function. They develop and execute comprehensive growth strategies, manage cross-functional teams, and report directly to top executives.

4. VP of Growth: As a more senior executive, the VP of Growth has a company-wide influence. They shape the overall growth vision, manage larger teams, and often sit on the leadership team.

5. Chief Growth Officer (CGO): The highest-ranking growth position, a CGO is part of the C-suite. They're responsible for driving the company's overall growth strategy and often oversee marketing, sales, and product development.

When hiring for these positions, it's crucial to assess candidates' skills thoroughly. Consider using role-specific tests to evaluate their growth expertise and strategic thinking abilities.

Hire the Best Head of Growth for Your Company

We've covered the key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities of a Head of Growth. We've also discussed how to write an effective job description, screen resumes, and conduct interviews to find the right candidate for this critical role.

If there's one key takeaway, it's the importance of using accurate job descriptions and skills assessments to make your hiring process more effective. Consider using a growth marketing test to evaluate candidates' expertise in this area. By combining these strategies, you'll be well-equipped to find a Head of Growth who can drive your company's success.

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