Performance Media Buyer for DTC Cashback Startup — Activation-Focused (Google + Meta)

We're a cashback platform built exclusively for pet owners. Shoppers earn real cash back across 100+ pet brands and retailers by shopping through our site or browser extension. We recently launched and are running our first structured paid acquisition test. We're looking for an experienced media buyer to set up and run a lean validation campaign across Google Search and Meta. This is a test-and-learn engagement, not a scale-everything mandate. What matters most: Our key metric is not installs or signups. It's activation, the percentage of acquired users who make their first cashback-eligible purchase. We need someone who optimizes toward that purchase event and tracks cost-per-activated-user by channel and creative angle, not just clicks or signups. Scope of work: Set up and structure Google Search and Meta campaigns under our accounts Implement conversion tracking for our activation event (first cashback purchase) Run and optimize campaigns toward activated users at the lowest workable cost Test a few creative angles (we'll provide UGC video and statics) Weekly reporting on cost-per-activated-user, by channel and angle, with clear next actions Budget: Modest monthly ad spend to start (we'll share specifics with shortlisted candidates). We're validating economics before scaling, so discipline with spend matters more than volume. You're a fit if you: Have run paid acquisition for DTC, ecommerce, or consumer app brands (please share relevant examples) Understand optimizing toward post-signup purchase events, not just top-of-funnel actions Are comfortable with a lean, experiment-driven approach and honest reporting Can start with a small scoped setup task before any ongoing engagement Please include 2–3 sentences on a similar campaign you've run and the result (specifically how you measured and improved a down-funnel conversion metric). Generic proposals will not be considered.