Organizational Structure of Marketing Departments

The structures of marketing departments vary depending on industry and company size.

A company's marketing department is responsible for developing clear and effective messaging that educates customers and prospects about the firm's product and services. Marketing departments vary in size and organizational structure, depending on the company's industry and overall business objectives.

Function

In addition to creating, promoting and reinforcing its company's brand, marketing departments develop campaigns that focus on communicating the benefits and features of products to partners, customers and prospects. While the vice president or director is responsible for carrying out the marketing plan's overall vision, managers, coordinators and specialists execute the day-to-day duties that comprise marketing programs.

Job Titles

Although marketing departments vary across companies and industries, common job titles that are found in the organizational structure include vice president of marketing, marketing director, marketing manager, marketing coordinator, public relations (PR) specialist and Web content manager.

Considerations

Small companies generally have marketing departments where one role performs various responsibilities. For instance, it is common for small marketing departments to hire an assistant who handles sales and marketing, or a manager that oversees PR and advertising. As business increases, roles are broken up into specialties that focus on one particular aspect of marketing.

References

• Principles of Marketing; Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong; 2001
• Advertising and Promotion; Michael Belch and George Belch; 2003