Marketing, sales and advertising directors: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 1132 · Managers, directors and senior officials

Marketing, sales and advertising directors

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.

How people enter it

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.

What the work involves

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

Also called

Account director (advertising) · Commercial director · Marketing director · Media director · Sales director

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	231,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	238,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	250,500.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	3,500.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	12,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	253,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	None	2026-03	6,300.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	29,400.00	2026-03
East Midlands	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	12,800.00	2026-03
London	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	62,000.00	2026-03
North East	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	4,600.00	2026-03
North West	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	21,300.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	3,500.00	2026-03
Scotland	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	12,200.00	2026-03
South East	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	49,400.00	2026-03
South West	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	21,300.00	2026-03
Wales	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	6,300.00	2026-03
West Midlands	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	16,500.00	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	1132 : Marketing, sales and advertising directors	None	14,500.00	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for marketing, sales and advertising directors vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 12 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Charitable organisation managers and directors · Financial managers and directors · Functional managers and directors n.e.c. · Human resource managers and directors · Information technology directors · Public relations and communications directors · Purchasing managers and directors