Marketing manager Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

You would use various marketing strategies (such as media advertising, direct mail, websites and promotional events) to communicate with customers. Your typical tasks would include:

• researching and analysing market trends
• identifying target markets and how best to reach them
• coming up with marketing strategies
• planning campaigns and managing budgets
• organising the production of posters, brochures and websites
• attending trade shows, conferences and sales meetings
• making sure that campaigns run to deadline and on budget
• monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of strategies and campaigns
• managing a team of marketing executives and assistants.

You would often specialise in certain types of product or market, such as fashion, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) or financial services. In some companies you might be known as a brand or account manager.

Hours

You would typically work standard office hours, Monday to Friday, sometimes longer at busy times such as the lead-up to a campaign launch. You may also need to attend networking events in the evenings.

You would be office-based, but may also travel to meet clients and attend conferences, exhibitions and product launches.

Income

• Management salaries are usually between £25,000 and £40,000 a year.
• Senior managers and marketing directors can earn £50,000 a year or more.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You will usually need solid experience as a marketing executive before you progress into management.

For jobs at management level, employers are likely to be more interested in your skills, track record and industry knowledge than your formal qualifications.

If an employer does ask for qualifications, they will generally prefer you to have a marketing or business-related degree, or a professional marketing qualification such as:

• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Professional Diploma in Marketing
• Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) Diploma in Direct and Interactive Marketing.

You could also move into marketing management if you have a strong background in a related area such as sales management or public relations.

Training and development

You will be expected to already have good marketing knowledge and management skills when you start work as a marketing manager. Your employer should also provide some training in their products and markets.

As an experienced marketing professional, you could work towards advanced qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, such as:

• The Professional Diploma in Marketing
• Chartered Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing.

If you are a Member or Fellow of the CIM and take a certain amount of further training and development each year, you can gain Chartered Marketer status. See the CIM website for more information on qualifications, training and membership.

If your job involves direct marketing, you could study for advanced qualifications from the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM), such as the Diplomas in Direct and Interactive Marketing or Digital Marketing. See the IDM website for more information.

The CIM and IDM also offer a range of short courses and workshops for marketing staff at all levels.

Skills and knowledge

As a marketing manager you should have:

• excellent spoken and written communication skills
• creative thinking
• good organisational and planning skills
• the ability to lead and motivate a team
• drive, motivation and initiative
• the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
• the confidence to 'sell' your ideas
• attention to detail
• good business sense and budget awareness.

Foreign language skills can be useful for international marketing jobs.

More information

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Moor Hall
Cookham
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 9QH
Tel: 01628 427120
www.cim.co.uk

Communication Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation Limited (CAM)
Tel: 01628 427120
www.camfoundation.com

Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM)
1 Park Road
Teddington
Middlesex
TW11 0AR
Tel: 020 8614 0277
www.theidm.com

Arts Marketing Association
Tel: 01223 578078
www.a-m-a.co.uk

Opportunities

You could be employed by a marketing agency or consultancy, or you could work for an in-house marketing department in all kinds of businesses or public sector organisations.

Jobs may be advertised in the local, national and industry press, on the CIM website (for CIM members only), and specialist recruitment agencies.

With experience, you could be promoted to brand or account director, then marketing director. You could also choose to become a freelance marketing consultant or set up your own consultancy.

You may find the following useful for job vacancies and further reading (links open in new windows):

• getin2marketing
• The Marketer
• Brand Republic
• Marketing Week
• Marketing Magazine
• simplymarketingjobs

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.