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Marketing executives aim to maximise profits through developing sales strategies that match customer requirements and by promoting products, services or ideas.Marketing executives develop and oversee marketing campaigns to promote products and services. The role of a marketing executive can encompass creative, analytical, digital, commercial and administrative responsibilities. The details of the role will vary depending on the type and size of employer, as well as the industry. Executives are likely to work closely with other employees in areas such as advertising, market research, production, sales and distribution.

Key responsibilities

Marketing executives oversee many aspects of a campaign throughout the entire lifespan of a product, service or idea. As such executives are likely to have a great deal of responsibility early on and will be required to manage their time and duties themselves. These responsibilities can include:

• overseeing and developing marketing campaigns

• conducting research and analysing data to identify and define audiences

• devising and presenting ideas and strategies

• promotional activities

• compiling and distributing financial and statistical information

• writing and proofreading creative copy

• maintaining websites and looking at data analytics

• organising events and product exhibitions

• updating databases and using a customer relationship management (CRM) system

• coordinating internal marketing and an organisation’s culture

• monitoring performance

• managing campaigns on social media.

Depending on the size and type of employer, a marketing executive may or may not be an entry-level or graduate role. Graduates are likely to join a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) as an executive. At larger organisations, executives may work closely with more junior marketing assistants and marketing coordinators. The majority of marketing-specific graduate schemes will also hire graduates into an executive role.

Digital and online marketing

The role will typically also involve a great deal of digital and online marketing work, as employers will typically operate a website and social media accounts. As such, executives may need to look at analytics and come up with appropriate courses of action, produce written and multimedia content and manage pay-per-click (PPC) and programmatic advertising. As such having a familiarity with and knowledge of digital and online marketing methods is beneficial.

Qualifications and training required

There are routes into marketing for both university graduates and school leavers.

Typically marketing opportunities are open to graduates from any degree discipline. However, a degree or postgraduate qualification in a subject such as marketing, economics, business, statistics or sociology may be beneficial or preferred by employers. Some jobs, particularly those in industrial marketing, require a scientific or technical background.

Employers will also be looking for experience from part-time work or extracurricular activities that demonstrate customer interaction and communication skills.

Key skills for marketing executives

• Good teamwork skills

• Communication skills and networking ability

• Adaptability

• Strong attention to detail

• Good organisation and planning skills

• Creativity and writing skills

• Commercial awareness

• Numerical skills

• IT skills

Typical employers of marketing executives

• Companies

• Manufacturers

• Retailers

• Industries

• Governments and local authorities

• Charities

There are many industries in which organisations will need to promote their products or services to an audiences. These can be in either the public or private sectors, or for charities. Marketing executives can work at dedicated marketing agencies, where work will be done for external clients, or at in-house marketing departments within larger organisations.