Responsibilities Breakdown: How do you know who to hire?

Here’s a CEO’s playbook for decoding marketing job titles and knowing exactly whom to hire—backed by data, research, and a framework to spark fresh thinking.

Why Role Clarity Matters

Marketing today is a tapestry of disciplines—and without clear ownership, campaigns fragment, budgets bleed, and opportunities slip through the cracks. In fact, 20% of marketing activities are currently outsourced because many organizations struggle to staff specialized roles in-house¹. When responsibilities aren’t spelled out by title, you end up with:

• Overlap (two people chasing the same metrics) 
• Gaps (no one owns SEO or analytics) 
• Frustration (slow deliverables, finger-pointing) 

CEO takeaway: Clear role definitions aren’t just HR hygiene—they’re the foundation of agility, accountability, and ROI.

Core Marketing Functions & Typical Job Titles

Below is a snapshot of five pivotal marketing disciplines, what they own, and the titles you’ll see:

Data point: Employment of market research analysts is projected to grow 8% between 2023 and 2033—double the average for all occupations².

How Much Does Expertise Cost—and Return?

Understanding ballpark salaries helps weigh cost versus potential return:

• Marketing Manager (oversees cross-channel execution): median annual wage $161,030 (allbusinessschools.com) 
• SEO Specialist: often between $50,000–$70,000 depending on experience³ 
• PPC/ Paid Social Manager: ranges $55,000–$85,000, with top performers driving 3–5× ROAS⁴ 

Meanwhile, 50% of marketers plan to increase their investment in content marketing in 2024—because high-quality content consistently delivers superior lead quality and SEO benefits over time (hubspot.com).

CEO insight: A $70k SEO hire that boosts organic traffic by 20% can easily outweigh their cost if properly measured—and if someone owns the analytics to prove it.

A Maturity Model for Hiring

Think of your marketing team like a ladder—each rung corresponds to organizational maturity and budget:

1. Startup/ Early Stage 
   • Budget <$100K/year 
   • Hire One Generalist (Marketing Manager) who can oversee ads, coorindate and track basic metrics. 
2. Growth Stage 
   • Budget $100K–$500K/year 
   • Hire 
     • Content/SEO Specialist to build organic foundation 
     • Paid Specialist to accelerate performance 
3. Scale & Optimization 
   • Budget $500K+ 
   • Hire 
     • Dedicated Social Manager & Community Lead 
     • Data Analyst to tie every dollar back to revenue 
     • Fractional CMO or Director of Growth to steer the ship 

Thought-provoker: Could outsourcing certain functions (e.g., influencer outreach or advanced analytics) be more cost-effective than full-time hires? With 20% of activities outsourced already, this hybrid model deserves exploration (ama.org).

Bringing It All Together: Your Hiring Blueprint

1. Audit Your Gaps: List campaigns, channels, and metrics you’re currently under-serving. 
2. Map to Roles: Use the table above to align each gap with a title. 
3. Prioritize by Impact: Lean on data—e.g., if SEO drives 60% of your leads, hire an SEO Specialist first. 
4. Plan for Scale: Build in fractional or agency support where full-time makes less sense. 
5. Measure & Iterate: Assign one person ownership of analytics and schedule quarterly “org health” reviews. 

Final CEO reflection: Hiring in marketing isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about architecting a team that can owner every step of the customer journey. With clear roles, data-driven priorities, and a scalability plan, you create a flywheel of growth rather than a revolving door of “I thought you were doing that.”

As you refine your org chart, challenge assumptions: Could your next hire be a data-first storyteller? An AI-savvy strategist? Or a community builder who transforms customers into advocates? The titles you choose today define the innovation you unlock tomorrow.