Jobs in marketing

Looking to break into marketing? Explore traditional and emerging roles, salary expectations, and the skills to help you earn a competitive income  

Advertising account executive

Acting as the bridge between advertising agencies and their clients, advertising account executives play a pivotal role in the success of campaigns. Strong communication skills are essential for understanding client needs, articulating campaign objectives, and negotiating effectively. 

While a degree is not mandatory, having a relevant degree in marketing, communications, or a related field can significantly boost your employability in this competitive role. Internships or entry-level positions provide valuable hands-on experience and demonstrate your commitment to the profession. 

Advertising account executives typically start with salaries ranging from £19,000 to £24,000 per year. With experience and a proven track record of success, salaries can reach upwards of £40,000.

Explore the role of an advertising account executive.

Advertising account planner

Planning and creating advertising campaigns takes creativity, communication skills, and the ability to analyse and act on data. A large part of your job as an advertising account executive will be liaising with clients to understand their needs and develop effective campaigns. 

Graduates from all disciplines are welcome to apply for this role, but candidates with degrees that require applied research skills and a wide knowledge, such as psychology and economics, may be looked upon favourably. 

Salaries for advertising account executives start between £18,000 and £22,000 and can rise to between £30,000 and £45,000 with a few years of experience.

Gain an insight into the role of an advertising account planner.

Advertising art director

Crucial to developing and executing effective advertising campaigns, advertising art directors collaborate with copywriters and account executives to create visually appealing campaigns that resonate with target audiences. 

This role is open to all graduates, but degrees in advertising, art, or related fields are beneficial. Art directors must have a strong understanding of visual design principles and the ability to think creatively and strategically. 

Starting salaries typically range from £20,000 to £25,000, but experience and successful campaigns can lead to salaries up to £45,000.

Take a look at the advertising art director job profile.

Advertising copywriter

Copywriters play a vital role in advertising, developing persuasive and engaging text for a variety of campaigns, including TV commercials, print ads, and digital content. They work closely with other teams, such as art directors and account executives, to create campaigns that resonate with target audiences and achieve the client's desired outcomes. 

While a degree in journalism or a related field can be helpful, employers are primarily interested in your writing skills and creativity. To strengthen your application, you can gain work experience in the advertising industry or choose a degree with a vocational element, such as advertising or marketing. 

Starting salaries for junior copywriters are around £20,000 to £25,000, with the potential of reaching up to £50,000 with a few years' experience.

To find out more about salary expectations, see advertising copywriter.

Affiliate marketer 

As sales professionals who promote other people's products or services in exchange for a commission on each sale or lead generated, affiliate marketers are independent salespeople who build relationships with businesses and market their products to potential customers. 

Affiliate marketers use tracking tools to monitor their performance and identify the most effective strategies. They analyse metrics such as clicks, conversions, and earnings to optimise their campaigns. 

According to Glassdoor, the average affiliate marketer salary is £38,040 per year. However, salaries can vary widely based on years of experience and expertise.

Explore our tips on freelancing and self-employment.

AI marketing strategist

Using AI (artificial intelligence) technologies to optimise marketing strategies, AI marketing strategists combine marketing principles with AI tools to create innovative, data-driven approaches that drive business growth. 

A degree in marketing, computer science, data science, or a related field provides a strong foundation. An MBA with a marketing focus or a specialised degree in data science or artificial intelligence can also enhance your career prospects and skillset. 

AI marketing strategists typically require a higher level of experience and expertise, meaning it isn't an entry-level role. For example, Glassdoor reports that the average salary for an AI marketing role in the UK is £62,695 per year. 

Explore the top big data courses or discover the best MBA programmes in the UK. 

Chief marketing officer

Chief marketing officers (CMOs) are senior executives who lead and manage an organisation's marketing efforts. They set clear, measurable marketing goals, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or boosting sales. This requires several years of marketing experience, preferably in mid-to-senior positions, to demonstrate a strong understanding of marketing principles, strategies, and tactics. 

CMOs typically command high salaries due to their extensive experience in the field. CMOs in the UK earn an average salary of £115,643 per year, with a total estimated pay package of £156,166. London offers the highest average salary for CMOs in the UK, at £137,431 per year.

Discover the essential skills for a successful management career. 

Creative director

Overseeing multiple campaigns, as a creative director, you'll guide the marketing team strategically. You'll need a strong grasp of the big picture and be able to juggle priorities. 

Typically, candidates have several years of advertising experience and a humanities degree. This background equips them with strong communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. 

Salaries range from £20,000 to £28,000 for entry-level positions, increasing to £40,000 to £60,000 with experience.

See more about being a creative director.

Digital copywriter

Web copywriters craft persuasive and informative text that appears on websites and other digital platforms. Their goal is to convince visitors to take a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or downloading a white paper. 

In this role, you could be employed by a company, or work freelance. While a specific degree is not required, having a portfolio that demonstrates your writing skills and creativity will be essential for landing a job. 

Starting salaries for junior copywriters range between £22,000 and £30,000 a year. However, in three or four years, you could be earning up to £40,000.

Take a look at skills you'll need to become a digital copywriter.

Digital marketer

Crafting and implementing comprehensive online campaigns to promote products and services, digital marketing specialists utilise a variety of channels, including search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media, and email marketing.  

By tracking campaign performance with data analytics, they identify areas for improvement and optimise their strategies for maximum impact. 

Typical entry-level salaries for positions such as digital marketing assistant range from £22,000 to £25,000, while digital marketing officers or executives with a few years' experience can expect to earn between £22,000 and £28,000. Senior digital marketing managers can earn up to £48,000. 

Find out more about being a digital marketer. 

Market researcher

Specialising in conducting quantitative and qualitative research to understand target audiences and inform business decisions, market researchers use a variety of research methods, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and social media analysis. Market researchers also use data analytics to interpret and present their findings. 

Effective communication and analytical skills are essential for market researchers. A relevant degree in mathematics or statistics is also typically required. 

Market researchers typically earn between £20,000 and £25,000 per year for entry-level positions. With some experience, salaries can reach up to £35,000.

Learn more about being a market researcher. 

Marketing executive

Executives play a crucial role in helping businesses connect with customers and promote their products and services. They work collaboratively within large teams to develop and execute marketing campaigns, liaising with numerous departments daily. Strong communication skills are essential for success in this role.  

The role is open to all graduates, but a degree and relevant experience will enhance your application. If you have limited experience, you can start as a marketing assistant or apprentice.  

Marketing assistants typically earn between £18,000 and £22,000 annually. Marketing executives can earn between £20,000 and £30,000 per year, with the potential to earn up to £45,000 after five years of experience.

Discover more about the role of a marketing executive.

Media buyer

As the strategic minds behind advertising campaigns, media buyers are select the ideal media channels - TV, radio, print, or digital - to reach clients' target audiences. These professionals craft and execute media plans, negotiate rates with media owners, and track campaign effectiveness to ensure maximum impact. 

You will start on a salary of between £18,000 and £25,000 with the potential to reach £26,000 to £35,000 in a few years.

See what skills it takes to be a media buyer. 

Media planner

In this role, you'll work closely with clients to understand their specific objectives, whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or building customer loyalty. In some cases, media planners also handle the buying process, negotiating rates with media vendors and ensuring the best deals for their clients. 

A relevant degree in advertising, business, or statistics, combined with strong data analysis and spreadsheet skills, is essential for this role. 

Entry-level media planners typically command salaries between £15,000 and £22,000. With experience, this can rise to £40,000 or more.

Check out the media planner job profile.

PPC specialist

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a digital marketing strategy where advertisers pay each time an ad is clicked. PPC ads typically appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), making them highly visible and effective for reaching potential customers. 

As a PPC specialist, your job is to create and manage PPC campaigns. This involves keyword research, bid setting, ad copy creation, campaign performance tracking, and optimisation. 

PPC specialists earn salaries of £18,000 to £25,000 upon entry into the profession. This could increase to £45,000 after five years of experience. 

Discover what it takes to be a PPC specialist.

Product manager

Responsible for overseeing a product's journey from inception to launch and beyond, product managers conduct market research, gather customer feedback, and develop strategic initiatives to enhance the product. A strong business acumen and creative thinking are essential for success. 

A strong business acumen and creative thinking are essential for success. 

The starting salary for a product manager varies, at entry level, you can earn between £25,000 and £40,000. At a senior level, this figure is closer to £60,000. 

Read more about being a product manager.

Public affairs consultant

Guiding clients to shape public policy and sway government decisions, public affairs consultants are the strategic minds behind the scenes. Their success hinges on a deep understanding of politics, government, and current affairs, as well as exceptional research and communication skills.  

While a degree in related fields can be beneficial, employers often prioritise relevant experience and personal qualities like strong research and communication abilities. 

You'll be earning between £18,000 and £25,000 upon graduating, but once you're established you can expect to earn up to £45,000. 

Learn about the role of a public affairs consultant.

Public relations officer

Managing an organisation or individual's public image and reputation, public relations (PR) officers build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders, like the media, customers, employees, and the public.  

Strong interpersonal and business skills are essential. A business qualification can be helpful, and a postgraduate degree may offer a competitive edge.  

PR officers typically start at £18,000 to £24,000, with salaries reaching £40,000 for senior roles. 

To find out more see the public relations officer job profile.

Sales promotion account executive

As the creative minds behind captivating marketing strategies that grab the attention of target audiences, a sales promotion executive's toolbox includes samples, coupons, competitions, and out-of-the-box thinking.  

A degree isn't always necessary, but industry knowledge, enthusiasm, initiative, and relevant qualifications are key. 

To start with you'll earn £18,000 to £24,000. Depending on your experience this could rise to £38,000.

Check out the sales promotion account executive profile.

SEO specialist

As a search engine optimisation (SEO) specialist, you will work to organically attract website visitors by learning and applying search engine algorithms to optimise content for high rankings. 

Many universities offer postgraduate SEO courses, but there are also many high-quality online courses available. You could also enter the field through a graduate scheme. 

At entry level, you can earn around £18,000, which increases to £28,000 at an agency. With experience, you can expect up to £36,000.

Discover more about what being an SEO specialist involves.

Social media manager

In this role, you'll be required to possess a comprehensive understanding of social media platforms and emerging trends. They are responsible for creating and sharing regular content on their company's social media accounts and analysing data and impressions to track the success of their campaigns.  

Employers place a high value on experience and personal qualities in social media specialists. While there is no formal education requirement, courses and apprenticeships can help individuals stand out from the competition. 

In assistant/junior roles you can expect a salary between £19,000 and £25,000, rising to £30,000 to £40,000 with experience. Freelance rates range from £15 to £25 per hour.

Learn more about the social media manager role.

Sustainability marketing manager

Playing a pivotal role in aligning a company's marketing strategies with its sustainability goals, sustainability marketers develop and implement marketing campaigns that promote eco-friendly products and services, craft narratives that highlight the brand's positive impact, and engage consumers who value sustainability. 

A combination of academic qualifications and practical experience is essential for a career in sustainability marketing. A degree in marketing, business, or environmental science provides a strong foundation, while certifications in sustainable marketing can further enhance your credibility. 

According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a sustainability marketer in the UK is £34,888 per year, and the average salary for a sustainability marketing manager is £45,846 per year

Discover how to get a job in sustainability. 

User generated content (UCG) creator

Crafting authentic content that resonates with viewers, ranging from reviews and testimonials to lifestyle shots showcasing products UGC creators foster trust between brands and their audience, as people are more likely to believe recommendations from real individuals than from traditional advertising. 

Creativity and a basic understanding of photo and video editing software (e.g., Canva, Adobe Premiere Pro) are essential for generating fresh ideas. 

As a UGC creator, your earnings are directly linked to your following's size and engagement. Brands and companies are willing to invest more in content creators with a larger audience and higher engagement rates.

Discover how to become a UGC creator. 

Web content manager

Responsible for maintaining an organisation's website, including its structure, usability, and content web content coordinators  require both strong IT skills and an eye for detail and excellent grammar. 

English-related degree subjects can prepare you well for copywriting roles. However, practical experience is often valued more than qualifications, so consider gaining some before applying. 

Web content manager salaries start between £20,000 and £25,000, but you could earn up to £40,000. 

Learn more about how you can become a web content manager.

Find out more

• See what the marketing, advertising and PR sector has to offer.
• Discover more about marketing graduate schemes.
• Learn about available marketing apprenticeships.