Marketing Manager

Job Description:

Marketing managers plan how to promote products, services or brands and oversee all marketing activity.

Job Category:
Marketing & Advertising

What you will do:

In your day-to-day tasks you could:

  • create marketing and social media strategies and guidelines
  • manage a team of marketing executives
  • plan and manage the launch of new products and services
  • set budgets, targets and timelines
  • oversee and approve campaign content and communications
  • work with in-house or outside agencies to produce successful campaigns
  • organise and attend events to meet new and existing clients
  • report on the effectiveness of campaigns

Skills:

You’ll need:

  • maths knowledge
  • business management skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

As well as:

  • the ability to sell products and services
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to use your initiative (drive)
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • leadership skills
  • customer service skills
  • creativity skills
Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You could get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

University
Marketing roles are open to graduates of all subjects. Some higher national diploma or degree subjects may be particularly relevant, like:

  • marketing
  • business management
  • digital marketing
  • advertising
  • psychology

With a degree you could join a company graduate marketing management scheme.

Depending on your degree, you may be able to fast-track through professional marketing qualifications. You can find out more from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Apprenticeship
You could take your first steps into marketing through a marketing assistant or marketing executive advanced apprenticeship. If you already have experience or level 3 qualifications, you could do a marketing manager higher or degree apprenticeship.

Work
You could start as a marketing executive and complete a qualification while you’re working. You could also come to this role after working as a digital marketing manager or communications manager.

With experience, you could take qualifications to help you move into management. In the UK, these are offered by professional bodies, like:

  • The Chartered Institute of Marketing
  • the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
  • the Institute of Data and Marketing

Direct Application
You could apply directly for management jobs if you’ve got experience in a related area like:

  • sales management
  • advertising
  • communications
  • public relations

Working Hours and Environment:

You could work in an office or at a client’s business.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience, you could become a regional manager or marketing director. You could also become a brand or account director.

Another option is to work as a freelance marketing consultant.