Brand manager job description

Brand managers work to ensure that a brand remains recognisable, current, and exciting to customers, and their job is to control and manage all the ways that brand is exposed to the public.

They ensure that the brand upholds a positive reputation, and that branding is consistent across all advertising and marketing campaigns.

In summary, brand managers ensure that the effectiveness and integrity of the brand they work for is the best it can possibly be.

This detailed guide includes a full brand manager job description and everything else you need to know about brand managers, including salaries, skills, qualifications, typical employers and more.

 

Guide contents

• Brand manager job description
• How much do brand managers earn?
• What does a brand manager do?
• Requirements, skills and qualifications
• Who employs brand managers?
• Which junior jobs progress to brand manager roles?

 

CV templates 

 

Brand manager job description

 

How much do brand managers earn?

Established brand managers are well paid with an average salary of £37,500.

 

Brand manager salaries in the UK

• Low: £32,500
• Average: £37,000
• High: £47,500

Source: Total Jobs

 

Brand manager salaries will vary hugely depending on;

• Company marketing channels – a company using a variety of marketing channels such as social media, TV, pay-per-click and digital are likely to offer a higher salary than a company who only uses a single marketing channel
• The size of the existing brand – the opportunity to manage an established, market leading brand offers a higher earning potential when compared to managing a small or new brand
• General salary factors – such as the number of years of experience, the size of the employer and the employer’s location

For example, an established brand manager working for a large, well-known beauty brand who advertise across several marketing channels will typically earn more than a brand manager working for a small fishing company who only advertise through the local newspaper.

Bear in mind that these are average figures taken from job advert samples, and they do not include extra benefits such as bonuses, overtime, and non-financial benefits such as healthcare.

 

What does a brand manager do?

Although brand manager job descriptions can vary, here are the typical tasks and responsibilities that brand managers will carry out;

• Develop brand strategy – Develop a brand marketing plan that includes specific, long-term goals which conclude in the development of a successful brand
• Develop brand guidelines – Develop and implement a set of rules that must be adhered to whenever anyone is representing the brand, including information such as logos, typography, and colour palettes
• Communications management – Lead the development of all consumer communications in relation to the brand, ensuring they remain in line with brand guidelines
• Market research – Analyse the brands existing position within the market and make recommendations for improvements, alongside analysing customer trends
• Campaign management – Oversee and advise on marketing campaigns to ensure they are successful and communicate the desired brand message, ensuring brand guidelines are met
• Set and manage KPIs – Design and oversee a variety of measures (key performance indicators) to evaluate and monitor each campaign’s success, and highlight areas which may require additional attention
• Reporting – Measure and report on the success of brand campaigns, as well as reporting on consumer trends and competitor figures
• Budgetary management – Manage the financial budget for brand related spending
• People management – Develop and coach assistant brand managers and junior marketing staff to improve and develop their skills
• Reputation management – Protect the overall reputation of the brand including managing and rectifying issues such as PR disasters or social media mistakes

 

CV templates 

 

What do brand managers need?

Brand managers need a range of skills, experience, knowledge, and creativity to carry out the job effectively.

As brand management can be industry specific, the industry, type of campaign and former success of the brand can all impact on the individual requirements for a brand manager role.

 

Experience

Brand manager jobs will usually require the candidate to have had several years previous marketing experience and a good understanding of branding.

Senior brand manager jobs will normally require candidates to have 2+ years previous experience as a brand manager, ideally within a specific industry (e.g. clothing, restaurants etc.)

 

Brand manager skills

Alongside the wide range of skills and experience listed above, brand managers need a range of hard and soft skills to succeed in the position. These skills include:

• Communication: Written and verbal communication, including good listening skills, the ability to present information clearly, and negotiating at various levels
• Project management: Planning and delivering new brand campaigns from start to finish
• Budgetary management: Manage and allocate a financial budget
• Data analysis: Experience with and an understanding of market research, particularly consumer and competitor trends
• Leadership: Managing and directing a team of marketing staff
• Organisation: Overseeing multiple campaigns to ensure their success
• Creativity: An ability to produce innovative and original ideas

And the more industry specific “hard skills” include:

• Marketing: A strong marketing background including experience of completing market research and the use of a variety of marketing channels such as pay-per-click, social media, email, and search engine optimisation
• Brand management: Using a variety of techniques to improve the overall reputation of a brand, with the aim of building loyal customers and in turn increasing sales
• Marketing communication: Using a variety of methods to deliver positive messages about the brand to the public, aiming to persuade them to make a purchase with the brand
• Market expertise: An up to date knowledge of the market their employer’s brand lies in

 

Brand manager qualifications

As with many marketing positions, there are no formal qualifications required to work as a brand manager, but there are several academic or vocational qualifications that can support candidates to attain a brand manager position and progress further within the field. Some of the more common qualifications are:

 

Bachelors or master’s degree

Although a degree in marketing or brand management isn’t considered essential for brand managers, they can be beneficial.

A graduate degree in a relevant subject offers the opportunity to develop a strong foundation of knowledge of the core concepts such as advertising, economics, marketing, and business. Relevant subjects include:

• Marketing
• Business management
• Business administration
• Journalism
• Public relations
• Commercial graphic design
• Media and communications
• Digital marketing

 

CIM qualifications

The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the leading body of qualifications in the field of marketing. Although the courses offered focus broadly on marketing, there are strong elements of brand management included. CIM qualifications are available from foundation to leadership level and provide students with a broad range of up-to-date practical and theoretical marketing knowledge.

 

Vocational marketing qualifications

There are several accredited vocational courses in the marketing field which can be used to fill knowledge gaps and improve on existing knowledge. Course providers include:

• Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM)
• Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM)
• Communication Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM)

 

What is expected of brand managers?

Typically, brand manager will be expected to commit the following;

• Full time hours – typically 35-40hrs per week, across 09:00-17:00
• Overtime – including evenings and weekends, particularly around major brand events
• Location – normally based at the employer’s office with some employer’s offering an element of home working

 

 

Brand manager benefits

Brand managers usually benefit from several job perks, including things like:

• Bonuses – based on brand performance
• Pension
• Private healthcare
• Flexible working opportunities

 

 

Who employs brand managers?

Brand managers are most often employed by large companies who are willing to invest significant amounts of money into their branding strategies. Typically this includes anything from large retailers like supermarkets and online clothing stores, to charities and travel booking websites.

Typical brand manager employers include companies within:

• Marketing and advertising agencies
• FMCG and manufacturing
• Pharmaceuticals and healthcare
• Retail
• IT
• Travel
• Charities
• Telecommunications
• Financial services
• Public services

 

Which junior jobs progress to brand manager roles?

Aside from trainee/graduate programs, there are several jobs which see employees naturally progress into brand manager roles. These include:

 

Marketing executive

Marketing executives are responsible for promoting a product or service through successfully planning and delivering targeted marketing campaigns, with the goal of increasing sales.

Marketing assistant

Marketing assistants support the marketing teams to deliver campaigns that maximise by providing admin and copywriting support

Assistant brand manager

Junior brand management role, responsible for developing and implementing effective brand-building strategies to meet sales and marketing objectives, help implement campaigns and report on results.

 

Which senior jobs do brand managers progress to?

Although brand management is a great career choice, it can also be a great steppingstone into more senior and higher paid jobs, such as:

 

Marketing manager

A marketing manager is the person within a company who oversees all marketing activities for a company or department, and is responsible for generating awareness and sales.

Senior marketing manager

A senior marketing manager is generally a middle-management position that oversees marketing planning, product development, and brand management.

Marketing director

Marketing directors are responsible for managing and directing marketing tasks on behalf of their company. They oversee all the marketing staff and specify the scope of all marketing requirements.

 

Brand manager job description – conclusion

For creative and driven individuals, a job as a brand manager would be a rewarding and engaging career.

There are employment opportunities across a wide variety of industries, allowing brand managers to select a role that is in line with their individual interests and ambitions.

Brand management offers a good average salary and is seen as quite a glamorous position, particularly when working for a large, well-known brand. There are also positive career progression opportunities.