Chief Marketing Officer Job Description

What is a Chief Marketing Officer?

A Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for overseeing the planning, development and execution of an organization's marketing and advertising initiatives. They play a vital role in a company’s growth and have important responsibilities that range from creative influence to business strategy. Reporting directly to the chief executive officer, the Chief Marketing Officer’s primary responsibility is to generate revenue by increasing sales through successful marketing for the entire organization, using market research, pricing, product marketing, marketing communications, advertising and public relations.

In many cases, this role is expanded to include sales management, new business development, product development, distribution channel management and customer service. A Chief Marketing Officer also ensures the organization's message is distributed across channels and to targeted audiences in order to meet sales objectives. Today, this means seeking out new ways to deliver messaging, such as mobile platforms, video and social media.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• An advanced degree in marketing or business (MBA) is preferred
• Most CMOs have approximately 10 years of well-rounded marketing or business development experience in positions of increasing responsibility- with a focus on marketing expansion
• Three to five years of experience in a leadership role

Chief Marketing Officer Essential Skills

• Superb analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a team
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexibility
• Passionate customer advocacy
• Thorough knowledge of marketing principles, brand, product and service management
• Deep understanding of changing market dynamics
• Extensive knowledge in a variety of disciplines such as production, information technology, legal and finance
• Entrepreneurial spirit

Chief Marketing Officer Roles & Responsibilities

• Oversee a company’s overall advertising and sales strategy
• Drive revenue by increasing sales through marketing activities
• Develop the structure of the business’s marketing department
• Negotiate advertising contacts
• Approve marketing campaign ideas
• Coordinate marketing efforts with the company’s financial and branding goals

Day-to-Day Duties

• Plan, direct and coordinate marketing budgets in accordance with organizational goals
• Plan campaigns with coupons, giveaways or contests to bring attention to and create interest in one of the organization’s products or services
• Undertake market research studies and analyze the results in order to better understand the market and customer tastes
• Use research to identify likely customers for a product or service and then develop a pricing strategy that will induce them to purchase the product or service
• Market research, pricing, product marketing, marketing communications, advertising and public relations.

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