Salaries and Costs
Marketing pay in Manchester remains competitive against London, with many roles offering hybrid patterns and city centre perks. Marketing Executives tend to sit at £25,000 to £32,000, with Senior Executives at £35,000 to £45,000. Managers span £45,000 to £60,000, Heads of Marketing reach £65,000 to £85,000, and Marketing Directors can move past £100,000 in larger groups. Digital specialists are in demand, with PPC at £30,000 to £45,000, SEO at £28,000 to £45,000, CRM at £35,000 to £55,000, and eCommerce Managers at £40,000 to £60,000. Contractors often see £200 to £450 a day depending on scope. Recruitment fees for permanent hires often range from 15% to 25% of salary, with executive search sitting higher for director and C suite work. Temp agencies add margin on pay rates, with holiday pay and NI included, and most recruitment consultants will be transparent on agency costs before interviews begin.
Qualifications
CIM certificates remain a strong signal for generalists, with IDM routes valued for data driven work. Performance talent gains an edge with Google Ads, GA4, and Meta Blueprint, and many employers like to see Looker Studio, Tag Manager, and basic SQL. Creative teams lean on Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma for brand and content work. PR and comms teams value media law awareness and strong copy skills. Senior roles often reach for line management proof, budget control, and stakeholder influence across sales and product. GDPR and PECR knowledge is expected in any role that touches data.
Entry Requirements
Junior talent can break in with a degree in marketing or a related subject, yet strong portfolios and placements carry real weight. Employers often want evidence of campaigns with clear KPIs, clean reporting, and channel fluency. Familiarity with HubSpot or Salesforce helps where CRM is central to the plan. Candidates should bring examples of content calendars, paid media build outs, and A B testing, with outcomes framed by revenue, leads, or retention. Recruiters will ask for case studies early, so keep metrics and screenshots ready and register with an agency that understands your niche.
Roles and Career Paths
Manchester marketing teams cover brand, content, PR, social, performance, CRM, and analytics, with product marketing growing across SaaS groups. Common tracks move from Assistant to Executive to Manager, with branches into channel specialisms or broader leadership. Agency side paths include Account Executive through to Account Director, with strategy and planning giving a route to consultancy. Client side roles often add ownership of P and L impact and cross functional projects. Recruitment agencies match candidates across temporary, permanent, and contract work, giving both graduates and returners a route back into the workforce.
Local Hiring Challenges
Performance Marketing Managers, CRM Lifecycle leads, and Marketing Analysts are hard to find, with fast moving eCommerce and fintech pulling from the same pool. Retention can be tricky in peak seasons when counter offers rise. Hybrid policies vary by employer, which can slow acceptance rates when commute times stretch. Strong briefs, clear salary bands, and swift feedback help recruiters find employees before offers stall. Marketing recruitment agencies in Manchester guide hiring teams on interview pace and benefits, which keeps dropout rates low.
Key Sectors and Employers In The Region
City centre and Salford Quays house major agency clusters serving retail, fintech, sport, and hospitality. MediaCityUK brings broadcaster anchored demand, with digital content, social video, and brand partnerships running hot. Spinningfields hosts professional services and fintech scale ups. Trafford Park and Airport City add retail, logistics, and travel brands with strong trade calendars. Greater Manchester boroughs such as Stockport, Bury, Bolton, and Oldham supply candidates across paid media, email, and content. Universities and NHS Trusts provide steady in house comms hiring, with campaigns tied to student cycles and public engagement.
Regional Or Geographic Variations
Metrolink links Oldham, Bury, Altrincham, and Eccles to the city core, which widens reach for early starts and late finishes. Piccadilly, Victoria, and Oxford Road bring fast commuter links from Cheshire, Lancashire, and West Yorkshire. Roles in MediaCityUK pull candidates from both Manchester and Liverpool via the M62, with parking a factor for early stage content and film crews. Marketing recruiters tune shortlists by commute time, with hybrid models easing pressure on travel costs and smoothing retention.
Hiring Challenges
Briefs that lack KPIs or audience definition slow shortlisting, which raises agency costs and lengthens the timeline. Employment firms in Manchester will shape person specs, tighten requirements, and cut nice to haves that block momentum. Recruiters can run market mapping, advise on recruitment fees, and guide on interview structure, which helps employers hire staff without repeat rounds. Candidates gain from clean feedback, clear pay rates, and start dates that respect notice periods.
Seasonal Themes
Retail, sport, and travel create sharp peaks, with Q4 trading and summer events driving demand for planners, paid social buyers, and content leads. University admissions and clearing push comms teams in July and August. Many agencies scale temporary headcount around campaign launches, then convert strong performers to permanent contracts. Marketing recruitment agencies in Manchester plan pipelines ahead of peak weeks, which keeps freelancers and interims ready to step in.
Quick Facts and Frequently Asked Questions
Do recruiters in Manchester handle executive search for senior marketing hires?
Yes, many marketing recruitment agencies manage retained campaigns for Head of Marketing, Marketing Director, and CMO briefs.
What contract options are common for marketing roles?
Employers can pick from temporary, permanent, and contract work, with day rates used for project delivery and cover.
Can local recruiters source across Greater Manchester?
Yes, recruitment consultants work across the city centre and boroughs, including Salford Quays, MediaCityUK, Trafford Park, Stockport, and Altrincham.
How can an employer speed up time to hire?
Share a tight brief, sign off the salary and benefits up front, and commit to interview dates, which helps recruitment agencies move fast.
What should candidates prepare when registering with an agency?
Bring a portfolio with campaign KPIs, links to live work, and two references, then be ready to discuss results against targets.
What pay rates can temps expect?
Pay varies by role and scope, with many marketing temps falling between £130 and £220 a day, and senior interims higher.
Do agencies help with compliance in marketing roles?
Yes, recruiters check right to work and guide on GDPR and PECR awareness for data led roles.
Where do most interviews take place?
City centre offices near Piccadilly and Deansgate are common, with many businesses now using video for first stage interviews.