Marketing Manager
Lead marketing strategies, campaigns and teams to build brands, reach customers and drive business growth.
What They Do
Marketing Managers plan and lead strategies that connect organisations with customers. They identify target markets, develop campaigns, manage brands and coordinate marketing activity across digital, advertising, content, social media and other channels.
Their work can involve analysing customer behaviour, setting marketing budgets, overseeing agencies and creative teams, measuring campaign performance and working with sales, product and senior management teams.
Marketing roles exist across almost every major industry. JSA identifies professional services, financial services, retail, wholesale, manufacturing and education among significant employers of Marketing Specialists.
Who This Career Suits
This career suits people who combine creativity with commercial thinking. Marketing Managers need to understand what attracts customers while also using data and business objectives to decide where marketing resources should be invested.
It can particularly suit confident communicators who enjoy developing ideas, managing multiple projects and collaborating with different people. Leadership, adaptability and the ability to make decisions using incomplete information become increasingly important as people progress into management.
Key Skills
Communication, Creativity, Leadership, Strategic Thinking, Data Analysis, Commercial Awareness, Project Management, Digital Marketing
Work Environment
Office, Hybrid, Remote, Corporate, Team-Based
Education & Training
A bachelor's degree in marketing, business, commerce, communications or a related discipline is a common pathway. JSA classifies Marketing Specialist as Skill Level 1, equivalent to bachelor-degree level, while recognising that skills can also be developed through experience and informal or on-the-job learning. Jobs and Skills Australia
Marketing is also accessible through vocational qualifications and industry training, particularly in digital marketing, social media, content, analytics and communications. Practical campaign experience can be particularly valuable when progressing toward management.
Career Changer Pathway
Marketing can provide several pathways for career changers. People with backgrounds in sales, account management, communications, design, customer service, product management or business may already possess useful customer and commercial knowledge.
A career changer can develop skills in areas such as digital marketing, analytics, content and campaign management before moving into a Marketing Coordinator or Marketing Specialist position. Management positions generally come after building substantial practical marketing and leadership experience.
Early Career
Early-career marketing professionals often work as Marketing Coordinators, Assistants or Specialists. Responsibilities can include preparing content, coordinating campaigns, updating websites and social channels, conducting market research and analysing campaign performance.
This stage provides exposure to different marketing channels and helps develop practical campaign-management skills.
Mid Career
Experienced marketers may manage major campaigns, agencies, budgets or particular areas such as digital marketing, brand, product, content or customer acquisition.
They increasingly contribute to marketing strategy and may supervise coordinators or specialists.
Senior / Veteran Career
Senior Marketing Managers can lead entire marketing functions, manage substantial budgets and teams and contribute directly to organisational strategy.
Progression can include positions such as Head of Marketing, Marketing Director, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand Director or independent marketing consultant.
Salary Guide
Early Career
75000
Mid Career
110000
Senior / Veteran
150000
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Salary data source:
Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS
Salary data source URL:
Date :
2 October 2026 at 12:00:00 am
Career Outlook
Marketing remains a sizeable professional field across the Australian economy. JSA's current OSCA profile identifies approximately 49,100 Marketing Specialists, with professional, scientific and technical services the largest employing industry. Jobs and Skills Australia
The occupation increasingly combines traditional marketing skills with digital platforms, analytics, customer data, automation and content. Career opportunities therefore span specialist areas including digital marketing, brand management, market research, product marketing and marketing analytics.
JSA's transition to OSCA is still underway, and updated OSCA employment projections are scheduled to be incorporated into the occupation profiles, so we shouldn't claim a precise current growth forecast that isn't yet published for this occupation. Jobs and Skills Australia
Job Outlook :
Outlook Source :
Moderate
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