Salaries and costs
Marketing pay in Sunderland tracks the wider North East market, with entry roles like Marketing Assistant or Content Executive often sitting around £21,000 to £26,000 depending on sector and workload. Mid level posts such as Digital Marketing Executive or CRM Executive tend to range from £27,000 to £34,000 with room for bonuses tied to campaign KPIs and revenue influence. Marketing Manager roles usually fall between £35,000 and £45,000, with Head of Marketing or Growth Lead roles moving into the £55,000 to £70,000 bracket for larger employers or fast growth teams. Day rates for contractors vary, with common bands of £180 to £350 for channel specialists and £350 to £500 for senior planners or interim managers. Recruitment fees for permanent hires often sit between 15 percent and 22 percent of basic salary, with retained or executive search for senior posts running higher. Temp agencies may work to a charge rate that covers pay, holiday, NI, and margin, so clients can compare like for like against fixed term contracts. Clear scopes, agreed interview stages, and defined start dates help contain agency costs and avoid repeat campaigns.
Qualifications
Hiring managers in Sunderland will often look for CIM or IDM study for brand and digital roles, with Google Ads, Analytics, and Marketing Platform certificates valued for paid media and attribution. HubSpot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and Braze knowledge is useful for CRM posts. Portfolio links and campaign case notes are strong proof of impact for content and social roles. Some public sector teams expect evidence of GDPR awareness and accessibility standards for web content. Recruitment consultants will advise on the balance between formal study and proven results when screening candidates.
Regional or geographic variations
Sunderland sits within Tyne and Wear with quick links to the A19, A690, and A1(M), which helps agencies reach candidates from Washington, Seaham, and Durham. The Metro and rail into Newcastle widen the catchment for specialist skills like performance marketing and analytics. Doxford International Business Park and Rainton Bridge Business Park host teams that mix in house marketing with agency support, so staffing agencies can tap both client and agency side career paths. Proximity to universities in Sunderland, Newcastle, and Durham creates a steady pipeline for internships and junior hires.
Local hiring challenges
The local labour market is tight for experienced channel leads, with SEO, paid social, and lifecycle marketing often flagged as hard to fill. Employers sometimes compete with hybrid roles in Newcastle and Leeds that advertise wider salary bands or four day office patterns. Recruiters counter this by promoting clear progression, flexible working, and defined learning budgets to improve retention. Fast feedback and same week interviews help prevent losing candidates to rival offers. Employment firms in Sunderland advise clients to lock in realistic notice period plans for candidates moving from agency to in house teams.
Roles and career paths
Marketing recruitment agencies in Sunderland cover a spread of roles across brand, digital, and comms. Common briefs include Marketing Assistant, Digital Marketing Executive, Social Media Manager, Copywriter, PPC Specialist, SEO Manager, CRM Executive, Email Developer, Content Lead, PR Officer, Communications Manager, and Head of Marketing. Executive search teams handle Marketing Director, CMO, and Growth Director posts for larger organisations. Staffing agencies match candidates to environments that fit, whether fast paced eCommerce, regulated public services, or member led charities.
Key sectors and employers in the region
Local employers span software, gaming, retail travel, higher education, housing, and public services. City centre and riverside firms often hire content and brand roles to support regional campaigns and partnerships. Business parks along the A19 corridor attract B2B marketing teams with lead generation targets and sales alignment. Recruiters in Sunderland work with both small businesses and larger organisations that need channel depth across PPC, SEO, and CRM. This mix gives candidates a choice between broad roles in lean teams and deeper specialist tracks in bigger groups.
Temporary, permanent, and contract work
Temp agencies help cover campaign peaks, parental leave, and product launches, which keeps teams moving without long onboarding. Contract work is common for website rebuilds, content migrations, and analytics implementations. Permanent roles suit brand guardianship, audience growth, and team leadership. Employers in Sunderland often blend a permanent core with a flexible bench of contractors and freelancers for design, video, and performance media. Jobseekers can register with an agency to access both temp and permanent pipelines.
Recruitment process and fees
Recruitment consultants will map the brief, define must haves, and agree a shortlist date with the hiring manager. Most agencies offer contingent or retained models, with retained giving deeper search and structured progress updates. For temporary hires, charge rates outline pay rates, holidays, pension, and agency margin, which supports clean comparisons across staffing agencies. Many local employers request working interviews for content and paid media roles, with a cap on task time to keep the process fair.
Retention and workforce planning.
Retention improves when teams publish salary bands, review workloads, and run clear one to ones. Training budgets aimed at Analytics, Marketing Platform, or social listening tools keep skills current and reduce churn. Employment firms encourage hiring managers to set 30, 60, and 90 day plans so new starters gain quick wins. This helps Sunderland businesses protect campaign momentum and limit the need for repeat advertising.
FAQs and quick facts
Do marketing recruiters in Sunderland cover both agency and in house roles?
Yes, most recruitment agencies support both sides, which helps candidates compare cultures and progression paths.
What notice periods are common for marketing hires in Sunderland?
Two to four weeks is typical for juniors, with four to twelve weeks for senior roles.
Can I hire a marketing contractor for a three month campaign?
Yes, contract work is common for fixed deliverables, with day rates agreed in advance.
What are typical interview steps for mid level marketing roles?
A recruiter screen, a hiring manager call, and a task or presentation are common, followed by a final with stakeholders.
Do agencies cover graduate and internship routes?
Yes, many recruitment agencies partner with local universities and run graduate intakes across the year.
How do I compare agency costs for temporary hires?
Ask for the pay rate, on costs, and margin split on the charge rate, then compare like for like.
Which marketing skills are hardest to hire right now in Sunderland?
SEO leadership, paid social strategy, and lifecycle marketing are often the hardest to fill.