Brand managers are responsible for ensuring that the products, services and product lines that fall under their domain resonate with current and potential customers. To do so, these professionals continuously monitor marketing trends and keep a close eye on competitive products in the marketplace. They also regularly meet with clients and senior management, and they oversee a team of junior marketers.
Working under marketing managers or CMOs, brand managers serve as the point-person for developing, implementing and executing marketing initiatives and activities for their particular brand. These initiatives and activities include campaigns (print, web, social media, broadcast, etc.), events, corporate responsibility programs and sponsorships.

Tasks:

1. Leading the strategic planning process for the assigned brands based on key consumer insights to enhance current portfolio and improve communication with consumers.
2. Involvement in the development of the company’s long term planning that identifies new business opportunities, markets and partners.
3. Working closely with distribution partners and Marketing Research companies to obtain relevant information, including the development and implementation of brand audit studies and focus groups.
4. Monitoring and analyzing business performance vis-à-vis business goals (awareness, share, consumer diagnostics, profitability, etc.) and the competition.
5. Implementing the marketing plans by working with internal and external suppliers to deliver in a timely manner and on budget.
6. Coordinating the development of communication materials such as catalogues, websites, brochures, packaging and in-store displays.
7. Traveling internally and internationally to ensure the relationship with distributors and suppliers is maintained.
8. Delivering internal and external presentations regarding new product introductions, marketing materials, business objective and communication strategy.
9. Establishing performance specifications, cost and price parameters, market applications and sales estimates.
10. Coordinating regular meetings and preparing regular reports outlining the brands’ performance.
11. Managing the status of projects, product testing and the evaluation of external agencies.

Key skills for brand manager:

• Vision - a great marketer looks beyond today and knows exactly where he wants the brand to be in the next 5 years. He realizes that brands take years and discipline to build and is consistent in communicating the differentiating idea.
• Curiosity – a good marketer is always interested in what happens around him. He/she has to have a decent understanding of the various marketing sub-disciplines: market research, communications, digital marketing, event marketing, public relations. Regular training is also mandatory.
• Multi-tasking – usually a marketer has to manage multiple projects, such as a website, a catalogue, a new brand identity development, that have a similar deadline (usually the launch/refresh of a new brand): He/she has to be able to dedicate sufficient time to each project and get them accomplished in time for the big event.
• Excellent communications skills. A good marketer should be able to communicate in a very straightforward and succinct manner, in order to avoid confusion and miss deadlines.
• Good people skills. A typical marketer spends 90% of the time collaborating with graphic and web designers, market researchers, event coordinators and other service providers. He/she has to be able to understand their personalities, work style and abilities, and make them feel part of the projects.

Average salary (2013):

The United Kingdom: £35,023 per year
The United States of America: $105,000 per year
Australia: AU$77,286 per year

Qualifications and training required:

Most colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degree programs in marketing or in business with a concentration in marketing. However, brand managers are not required to have a specific degree or academic background. On the other hand, they’re expected to have expert knowledge about marketing and related subjects (advertising, market research, consumer behavior, marketing analytics) culled from years of hands-on experience in the industry and in the marketing field.