The Definitive Guide: How To Become A Brand Manager

What is a Brand Manager?

• Job Description

  So, what does a Brand Manager actually do? And are you cut out to begin a career in that industry as well?
  
  Brand Managers are responsible for leading a team that develops and implements brand strategies.
  
  We all live and breathe our favourite brands. You’ll be behind the scenes making sure that consumers are believing in and buying into the brand story that you are telling. You and your team will be responsible for the overall image of a product or service – so it’s important that you are creative and have lots of ideas that will set your brand apart from the rest, as well as being highly strategic.
  
  You’ll need to be able to convey your message in a way that no one else can, and be able to define and tell the story behind the brand. If this is screaming your name, then read on to find out if this is the career for you.

• Hours of Work

  Your office hours are likely to be Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week. You might have to attend events during evenings and weekends, with some overtime when deadlines are nearing. You may also have to travel to meet with agencies, which could be outside of your normal hours. Be prepared to be a little bit flexible.

• Main Responsibilities

  So, what will your main responsibilities be as a Brand Manager?
  
  Duties typically include:

  • Monitoring market trends
  • Overseeing marketing and advertising activities
  • Meeting with clients
  • Carrying out research
  • Managing a team
  • Writing and presenting reports to clients

Key Brand Manager Qualifications

Do you have the qualifications to get the job?

There are no specific entry requirements for this job but of course it is preferred to have a degree in marketing, communications, journalism or business.

Employers also value professional marketing qualifications so if you prefer to go down this route rather than to university then you can take a look at the following courses:

• CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) Professional Certificate in Marketing
• Digital Diploma in Professional Marketing
• IDM (Institute of Direct Marketing) Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing

You will usually be expected to have some knowledge of marketing, advertising, market research, consumer behavior and marketing analytics from previous experience working in marketing or from your studies.

How to become a Brand Manager

Now that you know what a Brand Manager does, how do you become one?

Unfortunately your qualifications won’t automatically fast track you to a managerial position. You will have to start as a marketing assistant or a similar role before gaining experience in the field and working your way up.

One thing that might help you to get your foot in the door is to do internships whilst studying. This will give you a competitive advantage against other candidates once you have completed your studies.

You could also look into graduate schemes. Some will offer management-training programs, which could enable you to get to the Brand Manager position quicker, or at least a little bit closer to that dream role.

How To Develop Your Brand Manager Career

So, imagine for a second that you’ve been a Brand Manager for some time – what next?

You might think that you’ve made it now that you have worked your way up and are doing what you love, but there’s always room for development. Here are some roles you could look into:

• Senior Management
• Brand Director
• Marketing Manager

So there you have it; everything you need to set out on the road to a Brand Manager career!

Career Opportunities

• You can find some of the best Brand Manager roles with brands such as Haven, Tesco, Zoological Society of London and many more.

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