Hiring guide
Head of Growth: what they do, what to pay, and how to hire one
A head of growth owns how a company gets and keeps customers. They set the growth goal, own the budget, build and lead the team, and report to the founder or CEO. They decide which channels get money and which tests run, and they answer for the number.
What a head of growth does
- Sets the yearly growth goal and the plan to hit it.
- Owns the growth budget across channels.
- Hires and leads marketers, strategists, and agencies.
- Reports to the CEO every week on the number.
Skills and tools
- Leadership
- Hiring, coaching, agency management
- Finance
- Budgets, payback, forecasting
- Channels
- Paid, lifecycle, product-led growth
Head of Growth salary
| Level | Pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Posted base (live jobs) | $175K to $243K; median $214K | LandEarly, 110 open roles, Nov 2026 |
| Glassdoor base | $152K to $284K | Glassdoor 2026; total pay median $414K |
| DTC or agency | $150K to $200K | EverestX 2026 guide |
US base pay, Nov 2026. Venture-backed software pays the top band plus equity. DTC brands and agencies pay closer to $150K to $200K.
What a great head of growth looks like
Hire for this bar. A cheaper hire who misses it costs more in lost months than the pay you save.
Has owned a growth number and a budget of $1M+ a year.
Has hired and led a team of at least three.
Can show a full-funnel model the CEO trusts.
Cuts spend fast when a channel stops paying back.
Head of Growth job description template
Copy this, then fill in the parts in brackets. Keep the pay range in the post. Strong people skip posts without one.
Job title: Head of Growth About the role We are hiring a Head of Growth to own how we get and keep customers. What you will do - Set the growth goal and plan. - Own a $[X]M budget. - Build and lead the team. What you need - [7+] years in growth. - Led a team and a budget. - Proof of growth you drove. Pay $[min] to $[max] base, plus [bonus or equity]. US market range for this level (Glassdoor base): $152K to $284K.
Head of Growth interview questions
What would you do in your first 90 days?
A strong answer: Learns the numbers, finds the biggest leak, and ships one early win.
How do you split budget across channels?
A strong answer: Uses payback by channel and keeps a test budget.
Work test ideas for a head of growth
An interview shows how someone talks. A short, paid work test shows how they work. Use one of these ideas to start.
- Board memo: give a year of made-up data. Ask for the growth plan and budget for next year.
- Team plan: ask who they would hire first and why.
- Agency review: hand them two agency reports and ask which to keep.
SuperHired builds a custom Work Simulation for each client. It uses your real accounts, your tools, and your standards, so you see the work before you make an offer.
Head of Growth FAQ
What does a head of growth do?
A head of growth owns customer growth, the budget, and the team, and reports to the CEO.
How much does a head of growth make?
Posted base pay for live US jobs runs $175K to $243K; median $214K. The source is LandEarly, November 2026.
When should I hire a head of growth?
Hire one when you have a channel that works and you need someone to scale it and build a team.
For founders
Need a head of growth who meets this bar?
We find people who clear the standards on this page and prove it in a paid Work Simulation before you meet them. You get a short list, not a pile of resumes.
For candidates
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