Marketing manager

Marketing managers organise the market research, advertising, selling, distribution, pricing and aftersales service for a product or group of products. They write reports and make financial plans; they will almost always be involved in the long-term strategic planning of successful products or services.

Work activities

Companies that make products, or provide services, all need to decide how best to promote them in order to increase sales or awareness. Marketing managers design and produce marketing policies for these organisations and are involved in strategic planning for current and future products or services, as well as the company brand, image and reputation. They take overall responsibility for finding out about (and predicting) what customers want, and for identifying target markets for products or services. Markets could be members of the public, other businesses or government departments, for example. Marketing managers work to improve customer loyalty. In a small or medium sized organisation, a marketing manager will be involved in nearly all aspects of marketing. Larger companies usually employ more than one marketing manager, each with their own area of responsibility. They often start as an assistant brand manager with specific duties connected with the marketing of one range of goods.

They might, for example:

Organise market research to assess buying trends.
Oversee advertising campaigns.
Prepare sales estimates.
Supervise printing and packaging design.
Monitor sales performance.

Brand managers often liaise closely with the sales force, designers, production departments, financial managers, public relations executives and any outside agencies commissioned to do market research or advertising. They also analyse sales figures and prepare reports for senior management. Marketing managers aim to get the best return possible for the money they spend on marketing. Brand managers might spend some time in sales or market research; in this way, they gain a more complete idea of the whole marketing process. When reviewing the performance of a product, brand or service, or launching it for the first time, marketing managers must make many informed decisions about, for example: price range product name design style of any packaging, logos and websites consistency of advertising message and theme places and ways to sell it.

They must take into account the results of market research and information about customer preferences and competitors’ products. They will often be involved in decisions on the choice and mix of media for advertising, production schedules, method of distribution and training of sales and exhibition staff. For example, they might decide to use a mixture of social media, radio ads, digital marketing, event sponsorship and magazine advertising. The marketing manager must lead and motivate a team of colleagues, to meet realistic targets. Senior marketing managers supervise the work of marketing staff and take responsibility for the performance of their whole department. Many marketing managers travel to exhibitions and customer sites to promote their product or service, to gather information and build good relationships with both existing and potential new customers.

Personal qualities and skills

As a marketing manager, you will need:

Good interpersonal skills to lead and motivate a team.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
To be well organised and able to prioritise and delegate tasks.
The ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
Creativity.
Decisive thinking and problem-solving skills.
Tact, diplomacy, persistence, confidence and a persuasive manner.
IT skills.
Number skills to analyse statistical information and produce financial plans.
The ability to set and monitor budgets.
A driving licence is often required.

Pay and opportunities

Salary rates for marketing managers vary widely depending on the company they work for, and the range of their responsibilities. The pay rates given below are approximate. Marketing managers earn in the range of £30,000 - £65,000 per year. Earnings might be increased with bonuses and commission.

They usually work a basic 37-40-hour week, Monday to Friday. However, this can vary considerably. Late finishes and weekend work might be required, especially as promotional deadlines approach, resulting in more than a 40-hour week at times.

Employers include companies selling to the general public (such as food products and computer games, for example) and the business-to-business (B2B) market (selling goods and services to other companies), the service industry (including banks and electricity suppliers) and the government (promoting things like pensions or tax returns). Opportunities for marketing managers occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers and professional marketing journals and magazines, on job boards and employers’ websites, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

Entry to marketing jobs is very competitive. Many applicants have either a degree or HNC/HND in marketing or business studies (with marketing options). Foundation degrees are available in marketing and also business with marketing.

The following apprenticeships offer a great way into this career path:

Marketing executive (level 4 / higher)
Marketing manager (level 6 / higher)

Some marketing posts require qualifications that are industry-specific, for example, agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals or engineering. Many entrants to marketing management have worked in roles such as marketing or advertising executives, or brand planners. Some have a Chartered Institute of Marketing professional qualification.

Large companies might offer graduate training schemes. It might be possible to study for The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s (CIM) professional examinations, either before or once in employment.

Marketing managers could go on to become senior managers, directors or business owners, for example.

Qualifications

For entry to a degree course in marketing or business studies, the usual requirement is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in two to three other subjects.
English and maths at GCSE level.

To get onto a higher apprenticeship, you will need two relevant A-levels as well as GCSEs in English and maths.

Alternatives to A levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary so check prospectuses carefully. Some companies ask for qualifications which are specific to their particular industry/ business sector.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many entrants to marketing management have worked in roles such as marketing or advertising executives, or brand planners.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (for example, Access to Business) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

A number of centres, including Chartered Institute of Marketing accredited centres, offer relevant management and marketing qualifications by distance learning. There are degree and postgraduate courses in business and marketing available by distance learning.

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