What does a media manager do?
Media managers oversee the department that works on the different communication needs of the company. They execute the communications strategies of the company. They are expected to be updated with the current trends on media platforms. They should also be very familiar with the company and are attuned to the company's brand and image so that they can create relevant communications campaigns. Media managers oversee content creation on different media platforms. They manage the research related to the content they are working on. They develop materials and ensure that these materials are engaging and relatable to the target audience.
Media manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real media manager resumes:
- Manage B2C media campaigns from inception to reporting.
- Evaluate, select and manage relationships with PPC technology vendors.
- Lead intranet and internet maintenance, content, development and marketing.
- Execute vendor fund campaigns to achieve KPIs base on each individual brand s needs and drive ecommerce sales.
- Utilize CRM software to maintain contacts, leads, ad sales, sales reports and advertisement run sheets.
- Manage search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising for several B2B and health care clients.
- Be the primary point of contact for all search-relate questions and requests relating to websites, SEO, and SEM accounts.
- Design and launch athletics Instagram page.
- Web design and updates using wordpress.
- Develop and institute KPIs to benchmark group s success.
- Script, record and mix audio for various videos and YouTube promos.
- Provide strategy and spend recommendations base upon performance and A/B testing results.
- Dissect weekly KPI report to track success or unsuccessful social media strategies.
- Post actively about food and restaurant topics on the TiRest twitter page.
- Campaign manager for the 2nd largest account in the company with a multi-million dollar SEM budget.
Media manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 19% of Media Managers are proficient in Digital Marketing, KPIs, and Media Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Problem-solving skills, and Speaking skills.
We break down the percentage of Media Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Digital Marketing, 19%
Produce and package public relations and digital marketing messages for mass-media production.
- KPIs, 5%
Developed and instituted KPIs to benchmark group s success.
- Media Planning, 4%
Streamlined communication process between Advertising Agency and Marketing Department, including coordination of media planning and creative approval.
- Media Management, 4%
Developed internal media Management Architecture and database of video content.
- PowerPoint, 4%
Produced internal and corporate communications using video and PowerPoint.
- Google Analytics, 3%
Google Analytics certified individual with detailed understanding of the various metrics used for traffic and performance analysis.
Common skills that a media manager uses to do their job include "digital marketing," "kpis," and "media planning." You can find details on the most important media manager responsibilities below.
Communication skills. Another common skill required for media manager responsibilities is "communication skills." This skill comes up in the duties of media managers all the time, as "managers must be able to communicate effectively with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff members during the advertising, promotions, and marketing process." An excerpt from a real media manager resume shows how this skill is central to what a media manager does: "direct integrated marketing communications (imc) for all local popular inc. business units, subsidiaries and channels. "
Organizational skills. Another skill commonly found on media manager job descriptions is "organizational skills." It can come up quite often in media manager duties, since "advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must manage their time and budget efficiently while directing and motivating staff members." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day media manager responsibilities: "direct editorial, graphic design, marketing, and public relations projects across organizational departments. "
The three companies that hire the most media managers are:
- Randstad North America, Inc.94 media managers jobs
- Accenture22 media managers jobs
- Amazon17 media managers jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable media manager resume templates
Build a professional media manager resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your media manager resume.
Compare different media managers
Media manager vs. Business development manager
A business development manager's duties include identifying business opportunities, developing effective models and strategies to improve business performance, searching for potential clients to generate income and attract partnerships. A business development manager must have extensive knowledge of the market trends and adjust strategies as needed to meet the needs of the client. Excellent communication, decision-making, critical thinking, and leadership skills are just some of the key factors that business development managers should possess to communicate and negotiate with the clients.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a media manager are more likely to require skills like "digital marketing," "kpis," "media planning," and "media management." On the other hand, a job as a business development manager requires skills like "customer service," "healthcare," "business relationships," and "customer relationships." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Business development managers really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $103,515. Comparatively, media managers tend to make the most money in the automotive industry with an average salary of $108,113.The education levels that business development managers earn slightly differ from media managers. In particular, business development managers are 5.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a media manager. Additionally, they're 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Media manager vs. Social media director
Social Media Directors are responsible for the promotion of an organization's brand, services, and products through social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. They are responsible for implementing a social media strategy, tracking social media presence, keeping abreast of social media trends, and adopting new social media channels. Other duties include measuring Twitter activity, analyzing traffic patterns, assessing Facebook comments, and inspecting reception levels of social media messages. They contribute to creating progress reports, providing feedback to management, and contributing to strategy improvements.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that media manager responsibilities requires skills like "facebook," "project management," "campaign performance," and "marketing campaigns." But a social media director might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "facebook insights," "social media marketing," "web content," and "content strategy."
On average, social media directors earn a lower salary than media managers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, social media directors earn the most pay in the internet industry with an average salary of $86,810. Whereas media managers have higher pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $108,113.In general, social media directors achieve similar levels of education than media managers. They're 1.4% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for media managers in the next 3-5 years?
Geoffrey Sauer Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Director, ISU English Undergraduate Studies; Director, ISU Studio for New Media, Iowa State University
Media manager vs. Marketing manager/project manager
A marketing manager/project manager oversees a company's marketing programs and projects, aiming to attract more customers and increase the brand value of a business, product, or service. They primarily perform market research and assessments to identify marketing trends and opportunities, gather and analyze data to generate business leads, study the consumer and competitors in the industry, and identify the weaknesses and strengths of existing marketing projects, utilizing information to enhance operations. Additionally, a marketing manager/project manager leads operations and empowers staff while implementing company policies and industry standards.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from media manager resumes include skills like "kpis," "campaign performance," "client facing," and "instagram," whereas a marketing manager/project manager is more likely to list skills in "email campaigns," "email marketing," "project scope," and "strong project management. "
Marketing manager/project managers earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $95,863. Media managers earn the highest pay from the automotive industry, with an average salary of $108,113.When it comes to education, marketing manager/project managers tend to earn higher degree levels compared to media managers. In fact, they're 6.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Media manager vs. Marketing and operations manager
A marketing and operations manager handles the marketing program and campaigns of an organization. Marketing and operations managers plan and create production process management, data and analytics, brand compliance, and technology infrastructure. They oversee both the marketing and positioning of the product or brand they sell. It is their duty to establish promotions with advertising managers. Skills they need to develop include good motivational skills, customer service, and relation awareness, strong negotiation skills, and exceptional communication skills.
Types of media manager
Updated January 8, 2025
