The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
From Head of Marketing Operations
3-5 years in previous roleSkills to master
- Deepen your understanding of enterprise architecture, develop stronger C-suite communication and influence, and gain experience with multi-year strategic planning and large-scale budget management.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully owned and optimised a significant portion of a MarTech stack (e.g., CRM, marketing automation) for a large organisation.
- Managed a team of 10+ individuals, including other managers, with demonstrable success in talent development.
- Regularly presented strategic recommendations to senior leadership and secured significant budget approvals.
- 2
From Senior MarTech Consultant (Agency/Consultancy)
5-7 years in previous roleSkills to master
- Transition from project-based consulting to long-term ownership and strategic accountability for an internal MarTech function. Develop internal political navigation skills and build a deep understanding of a single company's unique challenges.
You're ready to move on when
- Led multiple large-scale MarTech implementation projects for enterprise clients, from strategy to execution.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex client relationships and influence senior client stakeholders.
- Developed a strong understanding of diverse MarTech ecosystems and industry best practices across various sectors.
- 3
From Director of IT (Marketing Focus)
4-6 years in previous roleSkills to master
- Shift from a purely technical/infrastructure focus to a more marketing-centric perspective, understanding customer experience, campaign strategy, and marketing ROI. Develop a stronger commercial mindset.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managed IT infrastructure and integrations for core business systems, including some marketing platforms.
- Demonstrated strong project management and technical leadership skills for complex IT initiatives.
- Exhibited a keen interest in marketing's business objectives and a willingness to bridge the gap between IT and Marketing.