Duolingo’s $342,000 social media salary reflects ‘strategic weight of social’

Speaking on the Link in Bio podcast last week, Parvez acknowledged her “identity crisis” in that she has become the brand voice of Duolingo: “Am I Duo? Am I not Duo? Am I Zaria?” With one person so entwined with a brand’s tone of voice, finding a replacement could be tricky.

• Meet the real Zaria Parvez: The social media manager who became the brand

Despite Parvez’s transformational strategy, Katherine Chan, Duolingo’s senior director of brand marketing, insists the company isn’t seeking a like-for-like replacement for Parvez. “We’re not looking for a carbon copy; we’re looking for someone who can bring a fresh perspective while building on what’s made our brand so distinctive,” she tells The Drum.

While Duolingo’s social “vision” will remain the same (which Chan defines as: “making culturally relevant content that makes learning feel joyful and shareable”), she acknowledges that social moves fast and that the brand needs to evolve. The new hire is expected to pioneer a new approach and “shape where Duolingo goes next.”

At Duolingo, social media is not treated as a siloed department. “It is deeply integrated into our marketing team structure,” explains Chan. Idea development, content creation and community management sit within the brand marketing team and the studio team then acts like an in-house creative agency. “That means social content is developed alongside major campaigns. The work is strategic, cross-functional and fully aligned with broader marketing objectives.”

It is a step change from Parvez’s early years in the role, where she had to “defend her work” to the CEO and explain to the rest of the business why they should care about marketing and what she was doing with the owl.

From grad job to six six-figure salary

Parvez was initially hired out of college and rose through the ranks over her five years. However, her replacement is expected to have between seven and 10 years of social media experience at a major brand and at least two to three years of management experience. The salary range, while a positive signal to the social sector, could also exclude some talent.

While this role is senior and “reflects the strategic weight of social at Duolingo,” Chan is also aware that there are no “hard-and-fast rules” when it comes to job requirements. “We’re open to candidates with a range of backgrounds and experience levels, especially if they bring strong ideas, sharp instincts and a unique point of view,” she says.

Just as with Parvez, the company has recently elevated a new graduate and an intern within the brand team. “We currently have two Gen Z brand marketing team members on the team who bring incredible perspective and creativity,” Chan explains.

Fresh start after the killing of Duo

Parvez’s last big social stunt, the killing of the owl, pulled in 1.7bn impressions in two weeks, cementing her legacy. Parvez said that the stunt was a driving factor in her departure after five years. “In February, when we killed Duo and it just blew up, I thought this is the culmination of the strategy, this is everything. After that, I needed to challenge myself and move on,” Parvez told podcaster Rachel Karten.

The dead Duo moment was Duolingo’s single biggest social media win. The response to the stunt has done a lot internally to strengthen the “belief in social as a strategic engine,” Chan says, reminding the business that what starts on TikTok can “ripple outward” to the press and pop culture.

Although Chan was unable to share how many candidates have applied so far, she says the response to the posting is a reminder of how “visible and inspiring” the company’s social media presence has become. “I know this role is a dream job for a lot of creative marketers. We’re proud that the work Duolingo has done in the social space resonates so widely and draws in such strong talent,” Chan adds.