How to hire a marketing manager

How to hire a marketing manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step marketing manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a marketing manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new marketing manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a marketing manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your marketing manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a marketing manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a marketing manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a marketing manager that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of marketing managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Marketing Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Marketing Manager	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.	$34-73
   Manager, Field Marketing	A field marketing manager oversees a company's field marketing operations, aiming to improve brand awareness and reach sales goals. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around devising marketing strategies, participating in organizing campaigns and trade shows, setting objectives for the team, and monitoring the progress of marketing programs, ensuring they are functioning effectively and efficiently... Show more	$32-61
   Business Development And Marketing Manager	The business development and marketing manager is in charge of overseeing a company's marketing programs and projects. They primarily manage and coordinate teams, set goals and guidelines, organize budgets and timelines, conceptualize plans, and develop strategies to optimize operations... Show more	$24-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Digital Marketing
   • Marketing Campaigns
   • Project Management
   • Integrated Marketing
   • Email Marketing
   • CRM
   • Customer Service
   • Market Research
   • B2B Marketing
   • PowerPoint
   • Email Campaigns
   • ROI
   • Facebook
   • Strong Project Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize SalesForce database to update contacts and prospect new leads.
   • Manage account process from RFP to full execution of campaign in its entirety.
   • Manage agency partners to develop target print media, sampling programs, POS, merchandising.
   • Manage redesign of four bank websites and implementation of new content management system (CMS . )
   • Utilize SalesForce daily to update and follow up on the sales team's leads and clients.
   • Manage various day-to-day projects for small e-commerce startup including constructing wine storage shelves and fulfilling club shipments.

   More marketing manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your marketing manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A marketing manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, marketing managers' average salary in alabama is 39% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level marketing managers earn 54% less than senior-level marketing managers.
   • Certifications. A marketing manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a marketing manager's salary.

   Average marketing manager salary

   $104,550yearly

   $50.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level marketing manager salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average marketing manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$121,407	$58
   2	Washington	$108,673	$52
   3	New Jersey	$106,652	$51
   4	New York	$105,624	$51
   5	Massachusetts	$97,407	$47
   6	Minnesota	$96,559	$46
   7	Virginia	$96,210	$46
   8	District of Columbia	$95,697	$46
   9	Nevada	$94,801	$46
   10	Maryland	$93,929	$45
   11	Pennsylvania	$92,525	$44
   12	Ohio	$92,504	$44
   13	Arizona	$91,222	$44
   14	Indiana	$90,753	$44
   15	North Carolina	$90,279	$43
   16	Illinois	$88,976	$43
   17	Texas	$88,510	$43
   18	Missouri	$83,995	$40
   19	Kentucky	$83,206	$40
   20	Georgia	$80,074	$39

   Average marketing manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$167,489	$80.52	185
   2	Lyft	$162,133	$77.95	3
   3	Google	$160,197	$77.02	49
   4	Airbnb	$159,739	$76.80	6
   5	SeedInvest	$158,359	$76.13
   6	NVIDIA	$157,406	$75.68	17
   7	Flexport	$157,313	$75.63	4
   8	Kimco Realty	$155,792	$74.90	1
   9	Apple	$155,691	$74.85	17
   10	Credit Karma	$153,660	$73.88	4
   11	Stitch Fix	$153,459	$73.78	9
   12	DoorDash	$153,061	$73.59	87
   13	ViacomCBS	$152,481	$73.31
   14	Brookfield Properties	$152,246	$73.20	7
   15	Boston Consulting Group	$152,027	$73.09	4
   16	ZS	$151,849	$73.00	1
   17	Gilt	$151,838	$73.00
   18	Grubhub	$150,989	$72.59	7
   19	Wealthfront	$150,843	$72.52	1
   20	The Walt Disney Company	$150,450	$72.33	21

4. Writing a marketing manager job description

   A marketing manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a marketing manager job description:

   Marketing manager job description example

   DescriptionHouse of Sport by ***’s Sporting Goods is more than just a store, it’s a destination, an experience, a place where athletes can experiment and play. A house devoted to sport where our community can gather and be inspired. We are fundamentally changing retail by elevating these experiences, delivering first in class service, obsessing over our athletes, inspiring our teammates, and challenging retail norms. The
   
   Marketing Manager is proactive, detail-oriented, and motivated with a strength in storytelling through channels that support House of Sport brand pillars – community; service; experience; and product. Responsible for developing brand awareness through strategic relationships, this role will have an active part in event planning, execution, and evaluation of programs through the lens of marketing strategies in support of brand awareness, participation, and revenue goals. Uniquely branding ***’S Sporting Goods as the #1 authentic sports, Omni-channel retailer that serves and inspires athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through the relentless improvement of everything we do. This position is part of the Community Integration & Experience Team that supports our overall community goals in conjunction with DICKs Sporting Goods overall corporate goals and brand plan. If you’re ready for the most rewarding challenge of your career – we can’t wait to meet you
   GREAT PLACE TO SHOP:
   Plans, organizes, and controls marketing goals, highlighting important dates for the team and reoccurring events. As events approach, supports the leadership team using effective tools and processes to achieve key milestones. Determine seasonal and non-seasonal holistic marketing plans for retail concepts. Manage comprehensive marketing calendars across all categories for location and partner closely with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and accuracy. Strong navigation and development of promotional materials subject, but not limited to – monthly in-store calendars and digital screens, flyers.
   Starts each week by driving conversations and holding working sessions to develop a plan of attack for the previously aligned seasonal strategies to plan weekly tactics; Ensures execution and evaluation of all store level marketing activities, partnerships, and initiatives.
   Focuses on the strong connection between athlete satisfaction and teammate engagement in collaboration with leadership team; leverages insights to drive a culture that equally prioritizes the teammate experience and hassle-free shopping while planning developing brand awareness. Strong background in social media management, content creation, promotions and ad generation. Must be able to identify analytics to use in audience targeting and ad reach. Assist in the creation and copy of all event activations, on AnyRoad scheduling platform.
   GREAT PLACE TO INVEST:
   Collaborate with cross-functional teams from across the organization to test, launch, provide point of view on marketing efforts and support growth initiatives. Helps drive marketing campaigns,
   outlines marketing strategies and planning processes for the House of Sport location
   Support community partnerships, focused on building partnerships within the community and leveraging these partnerships to create experiences and events Evaluate internal store communications to influence optimal channels to reach teammates and athletes. Generate revenue opportunities through expertise/product trial strategies and events.
   Create, develop and lead campaigns for external audiences to support the Company's brand campaigns, special events, community marketing and PR, celebrity and entertainment relations, vendor activations communication and events. Product marketing –
   plan and execute new product launches, value proposition development for ‘focus funds’ – developing compelling communications and delivering these through the marketing mix (events, emails, communications, collateral, digital, PR) Partner with the ***’S Foundation to drive Sports Matter initiatives, creating a focus on the impact we’re making in youth sports. Evaluate donation and sponsorship requests while working in conjunction with Sponsorport program.
   GREAT PLACE TO WORK: Oversee the development of meaningful and purposeful experiences within House of Sport to elevate services, experience and proof of concept. Ability to work in an ever-changing environment that’s fast-paced and at times always evolving. Adhere to established policies and procedures related to safety, loss prevention and standard operating procedures, as well as to laws and guidelines of external governing entities
   COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Creates a store environment where
   everyone feels welcome and safe.
   Builds direct relationships with local leaders and partners with them to serve, give back, and create job opportunities within the community. Takes time to gain a
   deep understanding of both industry and competitor trends. Qualifications
   The experience we’re looking for: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Communications or related area 3-5 years of marketing, public relations, events, or social media experience Proven business leader mindset, routed in customer service Excellent communication, project management, operations and organizational skills Strong relationship building experience A passion for relentless improvement, embracing and driving positive change
   ***'S Sporting Goods is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to Inclusion and Diversity.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right marketing manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with marketing managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit marketing managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your marketing manager job on Zippia to find and attract quality marketing manager candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting marketing managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new marketing manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect marketing manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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