How to become a marketing, sales and advertising director

Official title: Marketing, sales and advertising directors

Also called: Director, Head of sales, Brand director, Media director, Sales director, Appeal director, Export director, Account director, Appeals director, Managing director, Director of sales, Head of marketing

Marketing, sales and advertising directors plan, organise and direct advertising campaigns and market research and formulate and implement an organisation’s marketing, sales and social media policies.

Main tasks

• Liaises with client to discuss product/service to be marketed and develops the most appropriate strategy to deliver the objectives
• Discusses employer’s or clients’ requirements, plans and monitors surveys and analyses of customers’ reactions to products
• Defines target group for advertising campaigns and implements strategy through appropriate media planning work
• Conceives advertising campaigns to impart the desired product image in an effective and economical way
• Examines and analyses sales figures, advises on and monitors marketing campaigns and promotional activities
• Controls the recruitment and training of staff
• Stays abreast of changes in market trends and advertising rates
• Produces and/or assesses reports and recommendations concerning marketing, advertising and sales strategies

How to become one

Entry is generally via career progression from related occupations (e.g. marketing manager, advertising accounts manager, sales manager), although in practice most will hold a degree. Professional qualifications are also available and off and on-the-job training is possible. Entrants to professional qualifications from relevant bodies (such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing) require GCSEs/S grades, A levels/H grades, a BTEC/SQA award, a degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant experience.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £94,135 a year The middle half earn £65,527 to £134,962.
• About 280,600 people work in this job now, and about 307,500 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)

Related jobs

• Financial managers and directors
• Public relations and communications directors
• Purchasing managers and directors
• Charitable organisation managers and directors
• Human resource managers and directors
• Information technology directors

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Questions people ask

How do I become a marketing, sales and advertising director?

Entry is generally via career progression from related occupations (e.g. marketing manager, advertising accounts manager, sales manager), although in practice most will hold a degree. Professional qualifications are also available and off and on-the-job training is possible. Entrants to professional qualifications from relevant bodies (such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing) require GCSEs/S grades, A levels/H grades, a BTEC/SQA award, a degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant experience.

How much does a marketing, sales and advertising director earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £94,135 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £65,527 to £134,962.

Is a marketing, sales and advertising director a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 280,600 to about 307,500 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a marketing, sales and advertising director?

Usually. 72% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03