The career path to become a marketing supervisor may begin with a job in communications, advertising, or marketing. Entry-level marketing jobs that lead to marketing supervisor roles generally can be found in numerous departments throughout many organizations. Such departments include marketing analytics, creative management, marketing management, and program management. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, experience in the field, and good marketing skills typically are useful if you want to become a marketing supervisor.
Duration to reach the marketing supervisor and management level varies widely based on the company and the individual. People hoping to become a marketing supervisor may find great benefit in having a solid understanding of the fundamentals of marketing, as well as how to manage teams of people. There are many varied business functions that fall under the role of marketing supervisor. Often, the primary function is to direct marketing initiatives and lead the cross-functional roles involved in the execution of marketing programs.
Marketing supervisor roles can require a broad set of knowledge, as marketing tends to involve a range of skills. Some required skill sets generally include writing proficiency, an understanding of how creative materials are developed, and how to use, calculate, and apply common business metrics, such as the return on marketing investment and the cost to acquire a new customer. While the teams the supervisor manages may be handling these functions on a daily basis, a marketing supervisor who also understands these skills typically is better equipped to make informed decisions.
Either a corporation or advertising and marketing agency should offer jobs that will be useful in learning the skills to eventually become a marketing supervisor. At an advertising agency, you should receive first-hand exposure to and knowledge of how creative materials are developed, the process to create them, and how to determine the voice and approach most effective in marketing to a specific audience. Working in a marketing capacity within an agency can also provide exposure on the costs involved to produce marketing materials, as well as how long they take to execute.
Corporate marketing positions may provide a somewhat different perspective on marketing than an agency experience. Marketing professionals in a corporation tend to be less involved in the actual creative development than those in an advertising agency, but focus more on analytics and operations. Corporate marketing roles can often include a greater exposure and understanding of calculating success, marketing costs and other important metrics that can be important as you strive to become a marketing supervisor.