Marketing manager

Responsible for:
As a marketing manager, it would be your job to plan the best ways of promoting your employer's product, service or message to as many people as possible. You would use various marketing strategies (such as media advertising, direct mail, websites and promotional events) to communicate with customers.

Average salary:
Salaries are usually between £25,000 and £40,000 a year, although senior managers and marketing directors can earn £50,000 a year or more.

Typical working hours:
Your standard working hours would be 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, although you may need to work 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, attend conferences, events and exhibitions.

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

• General requirements:
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Creative thinking
• Good organisational and planning skills
• Ability to lead and motivate a team
• Drive, motivation and initiative
• Able to work under pressure and to deadlines
• Confidence to 'sell' your ideas
• Attention to detail
• Good business sense and budget awareness

Career prospects:
You could be employed by a marketing agency or consultancy, or you could work for an in-house marketing department. With experience, you could be promoted to brand or account director, then marketing director and also transfer to business development with clients.