A head of marketing in his 60s, white with grey hair and beard, looks confident and professional, with closed arms and a navy sweater.

Hire a Head of Marketing

The Head of Marketing combines strategy, creativity, and data to drive growth. They focus on cross-team collaboration and experimentation to optimise performance and ensure sustainable success across product, data, and marketing efforts.

What does a Head of Marketing do?

A Head of Marketing is responsible for developing and delivering an organisation’s overall marketing strategy. They oversee marketing channels, manage budgets, lead teams, and ensure marketing activity supports wider commercial objectives.

Heads of Marketing commonly work on:

  • Marketing strategy
  • Brand development
  • Lead generation
  • Demand generation
  • Marketing budgets
  • Team leadership

They often work closely with Sales Directors, CEOs, Product teams, Digital Marketing Managers, and external agencies to deliver measurable business growth.

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Searching for a Head of Marketing role?

Looking for strategic leadership to drive your marketing growth?

Key Traits to Look for in a Strong Head of Marketing

When hiring a Head of Marketing, seek a leader with a balance of strategic vision and creative execution. They should have a proven track record in driving brand growth, optimising customer acquisition, and creating impactful campaigns. Look for candidates who can lead cross-functional teams, utilise data-driven insights, and align marketing strategies with business objectives. Their ability to innovate while executing campaigns will be crucial for achieving long-term success and brand sustainability.

A Head of Marketing must be able to set a clear direction for the company’s marketing efforts, aligning strategies with overarching business goals. They should forecast industry trends, identify opportunities for growth, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Beyond managing teams, they need to inspire, mentor, and foster a collaborative culture. They should guide teams through challenges, encourage creativity, and empower individuals to execute ideas efficiently.

Strong analytical skills are crucial. A Head of Marketing should interpret data to measure campaign effectiveness, assess customer behaviour, and drive marketing decisions. Data should inform every strategy and help optimise ongoing and future efforts.

Creativity is key to creating compelling campaigns and memorable branding. The Head of Marketing should have a flair for innovation, pushing boundaries and exploring new ways to engage customers while staying on-brand and true to the company’s values.

A successful Head of Marketing always prioritises the customer. They must understand market needs, create tailored content, and devise strategies that deliver real value, leading to customer retention and satisfaction.

Effective project management skills ensure that marketing initiatives are executed on time, within budget, and meet company expectations. A Head of Marketing should be able to oversee multiple campaigns, coordinate teams, and manage resources efficiently, ensuring seamless execution.

Hiring a Head of Marketing? Ask for…

Emma Berwick, Adria Solutions

Ask Emma Berwick Adria Solutions
Brand Positioning Customer Acquisition Content Marketing Strategy Lead Generation ROI SEO/SEM Marketing Automation Cross-functional Collaboration Customer Journey Mapping KPI SEE LIVE JOBS

Businesses typically hire a Head of Marketing when marketing becomes a major driver of growth and requires strategic leadership.

You may need to hire a Head of Marketing if you are:

  • Growing your marketing team
  • Expanding into new markets
  • Launching new products or services
  • Increasing marketing investment
  • Building brand awareness
  • Looking to generate more qualified leads

Many organisations also hire Heads of Marketing during rapid growth, mergers, rebrands, or digital transformation programmes.

Strong Heads of Marketing combine strategic leadership with commercial awareness and hands-on marketing expertise. The best candidates understand how every marketing channel contributes to measurable business growth.

A strong hire will typically have:

  • Marketing strategy experience
  • Team leadership skills
  • Lead generation expertise
  • Budget management
  • Digital marketing knowledge
  • Commercial decision-making
  • Stakeholder management

The strongest candidates are often those who can demonstrate how marketing has directly influenced revenue, customer acquisition, and business growth.

Finding the Right Marketing Leader

Finding the right Head of Marketing can be challenging. This role requires a unique combination of strategic insight, creativity, and data-driven decision-making. A strong candidate must excel in developing compelling marketing strategies, optimising customer journeys, and leading cross-functional teams to achieve growth goals. At Adria Solutions, we simplify this process by connecting you with proven marketing leaders who blend strategic thinking with hands-on execution—helping you hire the right talent with confidence and efficiency.


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Head of Marketing salary expectations

Head of Marketing salaries continue to increase as businesses invest in growth, brand development, and customer acquisition. In the UK, most permanent salaries range from £80,000 to £140,000+, while interim and contract professionals typically command £700 to £1,300+ per day.

Higher salaries are often associated with candidates who have experience leading multi-channel marketing teams, developing demand generation strategies, and delivering significant revenue growth.

LevelUK Salary RangeContract Day Rate
Mid-sized organisations£80,000 – £110,000£700 – £900
Enterprise / High-growth organisations£110,000 – £140,000+£900 – £1,300+

Accelerate Your Search for a Head of Marketing

We help overcome your marketing recruitment difficulties with targeted, efficient strategies designed to find you the right people for the job.

Repeated Business
Faster Sourcing
Reduced Hiring Times
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Specialist recruitment

We focus on hard-to-find marketing skills, connecting you with candidates who have the expertise needed.

Employer branding

We reinforce your employer branding to help you attract marketing talent that matches up with your culture.

Talent pool development

We’re proactive in building talent pools to keep your hiring pipeline full and ready for the future.

Pre-screened candidates

We pre-screen candidates to reduce CV volume, making sure you only interview those matching your requirements.

Tailored solutions

We create recruitment strategies tailored to your business needs, with options from permanent to contract placements.

On-going support

We provide continuous support and clear communication from the first conversation to after your new hire’s onboarding.

FAQs

Got questions? Find quick answers to the most common queries here.

A Head of Marketing develops marketing strategy, leads marketing teams, manages budgets, and oversees campaigns that increase brand awareness, generate leads, and support business growth.

A Head of Marketing typically leads the day-to-day marketing function and strategy, while a Marketing Director often has broader executive responsibility for commercial strategy, multiple departments, or global marketing operations.

Heads of Marketing are commonly hired across technology, SaaS, ecommerce, recruitment, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and B2B organisations.

Strong Heads of Marketing typically have expertise in marketing strategy, leadership, digital marketing, demand generation, budgeting, analytics, stakeholder management, and commercial decision-making.

Businesses should look for candidates with a proven track record of building successful marketing strategies, leading high-performing teams, generating qualified leads, managing budgets, and delivering measurable business growth.

Qualifying marketing talent – so you don’t have to