There has never been a better time to explore a career in marketing and for those with experience there is expected to be a surge in demand for marketing managers.
Marketing manager jobs are projected to steadily grow over the next few years: there will be 10% more roles needing skilled professionals in 2021 than there is at present.
Furthermore, the demand for these roles is already evident with more than a quarter of current vacancies directly created by a skills shortage.
Most marketing jobs are based in London but you don't have to read to the capital to be manage a team. There are opportunities in growing creative hubs in the South East like in Brighton as well as in the North West and Manchester.
In terms of salary, marketing managers can command annual pay of between £50,000 and £80,000 depending on the size of the company, industry they are in and demands placed on marketing operations.
Marketing manager definition.
A marketing manager plans the best way to promote the products or services of an organisation.
Marketing managers oversee a team of marketing executives who implement the strategies that they develop. They will also work closely with sales teams and need to liaise with customer service and product or service development teams.
They will select strategies and tactics that make the most effective use of their available budget. This could involve organising exhibitions, direct mail, online marketing, advertising, sponsorship, email marketing and many other techniques.
The marketing manager is responsible for justifying the marketing spend to senior management and for reporting on the return on investment that has been achieved.
Marketing manager qualifications.
There are no shortcuts to becoming a marketing manager. You must first gain experience in a more junior marketing role. You can begin to get this experience as an intern before finding employment as a marketing assistant.
From here, after at least a couple of years as a marketing executive, you should have gained the understanding, knowledge and skills to apply for a role as a manager of a small team.
Although you do not necessarily need a marketing degree, professional qualifications awarded by bodies such as the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) or the IDM (Institute of Direct Marketing) help to demonstrate a clear commitment to a career in marketing.
How to be successful in marketing.
A successful marketing manager will need to be both creative and analytical. They will need to constantly seek new ways to promote the organisation whilst also continually analysing the effectiveness of each marketing campaign.
For a ‘creative’ role much of what informs a marketing manager’s decisions are cold, hard figures. These include market analysis data, sales figures and return on investment reviews of campaigns.
Over your time in marketing, you are likely to have built up an extensive network of professional contacts which can help you keep up to date with industry innovations and discover prospective candidates for your team.
Presentation skills are critical. You must justify your spend to senior managers and ensure other departments support marketing initiatives. You will also need to communicate the core values and objectives of the organisation to agencies and other partners.
Is a career in marketing management for you?
There is a strong demand for marketing managers, and it is one that is set to grow. Marketing management offers you a lot of creative freedom and allows you the power to plan, fund and execute your ideas.
At the same time, it is a role that requires a person with an analytical mind who can both lead a team and work very closely with other departments and external agencies.
