Study Marketing and work as a Marketing Manager in Australia

Tuesday 4 April 2023
Working in Marketing in Australia can vary depending on the company and industry you work in. Marketing roles generally involve developing and implementing strategies to promote products or services, analysing market trends and customer behaviour, creating marketing campaigns, and collaborating with different teams such as sales, creative, and analytics.
Study Marketing and work as a Marketing Manager in Australia

Marketing Managers execute and measure marketing strategies with the objective of supporting business growth. This includes acquiring new customers and growing existing revenue streams through various marketing campaigns.

Campaigns are generally online marketing tactics these days which includes email marketing, social media marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), and Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns; as well as offline promotion such as print, radio and TV advertising and in some cases direct mail.

The marketing industry in Australia is competitive, and companies prioritise candidates with good experience and skills. Working as a Marketing Manager can be a challenging but very rewarding career.

Marketing Managers are responsible for ensuring that their company's products or services are effectively promoted, and that their marketing efforts align with the company's overall goals and values.

Some of the skills required to be successful as a Marketing Manager include strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills, as well as expertise in marketing principles, analytics, and technology.

Marketing Managers should be strategic thinkers, able to analyse data and market trends to make data-driven decisions. The work of a Marketing Manager can be fast-paced and demanding, but can also be highly rewarding.

Marketing Managers get to be creative and think outside the box, and they have the opportunity to see their campaigns come to life in the marketplace.

Tasks and duties of a Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies for a company or product. Some key tasks and duties include conducting market research, identifying target audiences, creating advertising campaigns, managing a team of marketing professionals, analysing sales and market trends, and collaborating with other departments to ensure overall business goals are met.

Specific tasks also include:

  • Coordinate marketing campaigns which includes activities such as artwork, copywriting, media scripting, television and film production, media placement, all within time and budget constraints;
  • Regular data analysis and measurement of campaign performance against predefined metrics that are result driven;
  • Presentation of regular reports to clients, stakeholders and organisational management teams;
  • Analysis of consumer data to predict current and future consumer trends and buying choices;
  • Identify new growth opportunities through market and industry research;
  • Develop and measure Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across a market mix;
  • Optimise marketing campaigns for highest return on investment.

Marketing Managers have strong analytical skills and a well-developed understanding of consumer buyer behaviour and the psychology behind purchasing. They often work in assigned marketing teams or manage a team of people across a broad range of industries. They’re responsible for a business’s marketing budget, and track campaign progress against marketing objectives and budget constraints.

A Marketing Manager should have strong communication and interpersonal skills, as well as analytical and strategic thinking abilities. Additional skills and characteristics include creativity, attention to detail, project management skills, leadership qualities, a customer-centric mindset, and the ability to adapt to changing market trends and consumer behaviour. It's also important for a marketing manager to have a strong understanding of digital marketing, social media, and data analytics.

Digital marketing refers to the use of digital channels and technologies to promote products or services. This can include email marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing, content marketing, mobile marketing, and more. Digital marketing allows businesses to target specific audiences and track the results of their campaigns through data analytics. It has become an essential component of modern marketing strategies as consumers increasingly rely on digital channels to make purchasing decisions.

The most commonly used social media channels for marketing vary depending on the target audience and industry, but here are some of the most popular ones:

1. Facebook - with over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook is an effective platform for businesses to reach a wide range of audiences.

2. Instagram - with more than 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is a visual platform that is highly effective for brands that rely on stunning visuals to market their products.

3. Twitter - with 330 million monthly active users, Twitter is an effective platform to engage with customers, share news, and conduct customer service.

4. LinkedIn - with over 700 million users, LinkedIn is a professional platform that is ideal for B2B marketing, employer branding, and networking.

5. YouTube - with over 2 billion monthly active users, YouTube is a powerful platform for video marketing and advertising.

Data analytics is the process of examining and analysing large data sets in order to draw conclusions or insights about the information that the data is presenting. This process involves using a variety of mathematical, statistical, and computational techniques to identify patterns, trends, relationships, and correlations within the data.

The insights gained from data analytics can be used to inform business decision-making, optimise processes, improve organisational performance, and gain a competitive advantage.

Data analytics has become increasingly important in many fields, particularly in business, where companies use it to improve their marketing strategies, product development, and customer experience.

How do you become qualified as a Marketing Manager in Australia?

To become a Marketing Manager in Australia, you generally need a Bachelor degree or higher in Marketing or related field, in addition to having some experience in the industry.

Students can study a Bachelor degree in Marketing, Business, Public Relations, Communications or related area which will take three years of full-time study. There are also a number of double degrees available at various Universities that adds a further year of study.

Students can also study a Certificate IV or Diploma in Marketing at a Vocational Educational level. This level of study would normally qualify students for a Marketing Assistant position.

If you already have an undergraduate degree you can advance your skills with a relevant postgraduate program like a Master of Marketing. If you study a 2 year Master you would be eligible to stay on after your studies to access the Graduate Work rights visa. This also applies to those students who have studied a 3 year Bachelor degree in Australia.

Marketing Managers often start their careers in a junior role such as a Marketing Coordinator position, before progressing to a Marketing Manager and then Marketing Director role.

Finding an internship placement while studying will provide you with relevant practical experience as well as guidance and mentorship from experienced Marketing Managers in specific industries.

Some employers may prefer or require candidates with additional certifications, such as the Australian Marketing Institute's Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) certification, which recognises professional marketers who have demonstrated extensive experience and knowledge in the field.

Marketing plays a pivotal role in business strategy and is in a constant state of evolution. Successful brands such as Google, Apple, Samsung and Cadbury rely heavily on marketing strategies to ensure they stay in front of their competitors and in the minds of customers when they’re making purchasing decisions.

Marketing creates value add for customers, shareholders, organisations and in general society as a whole. It does this by creating a linkage between what consumers value and want and then what organisations can offer. It can provide insights that helps organisations to better understand the needs, preferences and perceptions of their customers and ways of using that understanding to focus the value-creating and communicating activities where they will be most effective.

Great marketing campaigns create demand, generate value, and drive business growth. Successful companies like Google, Apple, Netflix and Coca-Cola all have one thing in common: a great marketing strategy. To stay in front of competitors and in the minds of customers, they rely heavily on data-driven, strategic marketing initiatives.

In your marketing studies you will learn about traditional and digital marketing, brand management and how to analyse consumer behaviour and use market research. Yu will explore consumer psychology and the scientific laws of brand growth.

You will apply your knowledge of marketing principles to industry-focused, real-world scenarios, allowing you to learn strategic marketing concepts such as brand portfolio, segmentation, and positioning strategies, as well as operational marketing.

Digital technology is changing the marketing landscape which means it's an exciting time to join the marketing industry.

From marketing strategy, advertising, and media planning & buying, to sales, and marketing research and analytics you'll gain a broad range of knowledge and skills which will open up a world of opportunity for after you graduate. You'll have the skills to make smart marketing decisions - you'll learn to communicate with different target audiences, create strategies to grow revenue, build customer loyalty, as well as analyse brand performance and advertising metrics.

You may even decide to become a social media expert?

By doing this you’ll elevate your marketing communications career with specific social media skills. You’ll learn to develop and implement social media campaigns to gain followers and create conversations with your audiences. You’ll learn how to write engaging online content, create content calendars and develop social media schedules.

What are the potential Career outcomes?

Employers are looking for savvy business professionals who can create integrated campaigns that cut through the competitive clutter, build meaningful relationships with customers, improve their competitive advantage and achieve organisational objectives and growth.

A career in marketing can take you in several different directions – from traditional advertising and PR through to digital design and SEO work. Having a broad skill set will be incredibly valuable to your career. You may choose to concentrate your expertise in a more specialised area like:

Account Manager where you’ll be managing client relationships; preparing creative briefs; managing the production of advertisements; and managing internal and external communications.

Brand Manager responsible for driving the growth of a brand; ensuring all aspects of a brand’s marketing and manufacturing match; creating a brand strategy and ensuring all aspects of a product or an activity align with the brand identity.

Business Development Manager where you’ll be involved with sales planning; account management; relationship building; developing business plans and marketing initiatives.

International Marketer where you’ll be using an understanding of global market trends to maximise market share and profits; developing products to meet international demands; establishing competitive and profitable pricing strategies.

Market researcher who coordinates research projects; investigating market activity; analysing published data and statistics; evaluating past performance and assessing future trends; and commissioning surveys.

Marketing coordinator who promotes products or services by developing and implementing marketing and advertising campaigns; tracking and evaluating performance data; coordinating events; and copywriting for a number of promotional channels.

Marketing insights analyst who interprets data and reports on it; making recommendations based on research findings; applying qualitative and quantitative techniques to interpret data.

Media planner/Campaign manager who combines creative thinking with factual analysis to target marketing campaigns at audiences; identifying the best mediums for building brand awareness and sales.

Sales and Marketing manager who oversees and leads a marketing team and all marketing functions; setting strategy; managing marketing plans, budgets and resources; assigning tasks and setting targets.

Job market trends for Marketing Managers in Australia?

For international students who would like to stay on in Australia under the Graduate Work Visa scheme after graduating the job opportunities in Marketing are very good.

There are currently over 3,500 Marketing Manager jobs advertised on SEEK in Australia at the moment with a projected job growth over the next 5 years of 4.4% and average salary of $105,000 per year.

What are the Marketing Professional Bodies in Australia?

There are several Marketing Professional Bodies in Australia, including:

1. Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) - The AMI is the peak professional association for marketers in Australia, offering a range of resources, events, and certification programs.

2. Australian Market and Social Research Society (AMSRS) - The AMSRS is the professional association for market and social research professionals in Australia, promoting best practices and ethical standards in the industry.

3. Marketing Research and Insights Association (MRIA) - The MRIA is a professional association for marketing research and insights professionals in Australia, providing education and training programs, industry events, and networking opportunities.

4. Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) - The PRIA is the industry association for public relations and communication professionals in Australia, offering professional development programs, networking opportunities, and industry advocacy.

5. Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) - The AANA is the peak national body for advertisers in Australia, promoting best practices and advocating for the industry.

There’s a lot to learn about Marketing bo

Find a Course