Hire a brand marketer
Brand marketing managers shape how a company looks, sounds and is remembered, and run the campaigns that build that memory. Here's when you need one and how to hire well.
When to hire a brand marketing manager
- Your marketing works but looks and sounds different everywhere
- You're entering a crowded market where awareness matters
- You're planning a rebrand or a big campaign
What it costs
Base salaries on full-time brand and communications posts on HeyMarketers run $181k to $253k (median $228k, from 20 posts with published pay in the last 12 months). By level: mid level and manager $206k, director, head of and lead $248k.
- Job post
- Free
- AI Talent Agent
- $399 per role
- Concierge recruiting
- $6,000 flat
Recruiting agencies typically charge 20–25% of first-year salary. On a $228k hire that's $46k–$57k.
How competitive it is
101 brand and communications roles are open on HeyMarketers right now, 46% of them remote. Companies hiring include OpenAI, Anthropic, Fivetran, Airbnb, Chime Financial, Inc. Good candidates have options, so move quickly and publish your pay range.
Tools other employers ask for: Generative AI (25%), Asana (10%), Clay (4%), Figma (3%), Adobe Creative Suite (3%).
What to look for
- Campaigns with a clear idea and a way they measured it
- The briefs behind their work, not just the final creative
- Experience managing agencies and budgets
- Restraint and a clear point of view
Red flags
- Says brand can't be measured
- Wants to start with a new logo
- Portfolio of nice work with no business context
Questions to ask
How would you describe our brand today, and what would you change?
Listen for: Research and a point of view, not a redesign pitch.
How do you write a creative brief?
Listen for: A single clear idea, audience and measure of success.
How do you measure brand?
Listen for: Several signals including brand search, surveys and halo effects.
Tell me about creative feedback you gave that improved the work.
Listen for: Specific, strategic feedback rather than taste.
See all brand marketing manager interview questions · Job description template
The first 90 days
- An audit of every touchpoint and a short brand platform
- Guidelines and templates the team can use
- A first campaign plan with success measures
Full-time, fractional or freelance?
Full-time at consumer companies and larger B2B teams. Earlier, a fractional brand lead plus an agency often makes more sense.
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a brand marketer?
On full-time brand and communications job posts on HeyMarketers, base salaries run $181k to $253k, with a median of $228k. Hiring through HeyMarketers: posting a job is free, the AI Talent Agent is $399 per role, and Concierge recruiting is a flat $6,000 per full-time hire, compared with the 20–25% of first-year salary agencies typically charge.
Should I hire a full-time or fractional brand marketing manager?
Full-time at consumer companies and larger B2B teams. Earlier, a fractional brand lead plus an agency often makes more sense.
How long does it take to hire?
With Concierge you get a shortlist of three screened candidates within 10 business days. Job posts and the AI Talent Agent depend on the role and how quickly you review candidates.
Are you a brand marketing manager yourself? Read the career guide.