Head of Marketing job description.
The head of marketing sets and executes the organization's marketing strategy, overseeing brand, demand generation, content, and campaign performance. They lead the marketing team, manage budget allocation, and align marketing initiatives with company growth and revenue goals.
The Head of Marketing job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Head of Marketing Reports to: CEO or Chief Marketing Officer
The head of marketing sets and executes the organization's marketing strategy, overseeing brand, demand generation, content, and campaign performance. They lead the marketing team, manage budget allocation, and align marketing initiatives with company growth and revenue goals.
- Develop and lead the organization's overall marketing strategy
- Own the marketing budget and allocate resources across channels
- Lead, hire, and develop a team of marketing professionals
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
CEO or Chief Marketing Officer
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Develop and lead the organization's overall marketing strategy
- Own the marketing budget and allocate resources across channels
- Lead, hire, and develop a team of marketing professionals
- Oversee brand positioning, messaging, and creative direction
- Set and track KPIs for demand generation, retention, and brand growth
- Partner with sales and product teams to align go-to-market plans
- Report marketing performance and ROI to executive leadership
- Monitor market trends, competitors, and customer insights
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or related field
- 7+ years of progressive marketing experience, including team leadership
- Proven track record building and scaling marketing functions
- Strong analytical skills and comfort with marketing performance data
- MBA or equivalent advanced degree
- Experience in the company's specific industry or market segment
- Experience marketing at a high-growth or venture-backed company
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Head of Marketing job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Head of Marketing job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The executive band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (CEO or Chief Marketing Officer) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- How does head of marketing differ from CMO?
- Head of marketing is often used at smaller or mid-sized companies as the top marketing role, functioning similarly to a CMO but sometimes with a narrower scope or without an executive title.
- How much team leadership experience should candidates have?
- Most employers expect at least several years managing marketing teams or functions before stepping into this top marketing leadership role.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Marketing Director
A Marketing Director sets and executes the organization's marketing strategy across brand, demand generation, and communications.
Chief Marketing Officer
A Chief Marketing Officer sets and leads the organization's overall marketing vision, brand strategy, and growth agenda.
Marketing Manager
A Marketing Manager owns the marketing programme for a product line, segment, or geography.
This Head of Marketing job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.