Marketing manager
Brand manager, account manager
Marketing managers plan how to promote products, services or brands and oversee all marketing activity.
Salary Range: £25,000 to £55,000
How to become a marketing manager
You could get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
University
You could do a higher national diploma or degree in:
- marketing
- business management
- digital marketing
- advertising
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
More information
- equivalent entry requirements
- student finance for fees and living costs
- university courses and entry requirements
Apprenticeship
You could do a marketing manager higher or degree apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More information
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.
When you’ve got experience, you could take qualifications offered by professional bodies, like The Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Institute of Data and Marketing, to help you move into management jobs.
Direct application
You could apply directly for management jobs if you’ve got experience in a related area like sales management, advertising, communications or public relations.
It would also be helpful for you to have experience of working in a large organisation.
More information
Professional and industry bodies
You could join The Chartered Institute of Marketing for professional development and training opportunities.
Further information
You can find out more about marketing careers from The Chartered Institute of Marketing and the The Institute of Data and Marketing.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You’ll need:
- the ability to sell products and services
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- leadership skills
- maths knowledge
- business management skills
- customer service skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
What you’ll do
Day-to-day tasks
Your day-to-day tasks could include:
- creating marketing and social media strategies and guidelines
- managing a team of marketing executives
- planning and managing the launch of new products and services
- setting budgets, targets and timelines
- overseeing and approving campaign content and communications
- working with in-house or outside agencies to produce successful campaigns
- organising and attending events to meet new and existing clients
- reporting on the effectiveness of campaigns
Working environment
You could work in an office or at a client’s business.
Career path and 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.