Digital marketing director job description.

Looking to hire a digital marketing director or step into a senior leadership role in digital strategy? From responsibilities and required skills to salary expectations and career development, this digital marketing director job description is designed to support executive-level hiring and help experienced marketers shape their next move.

Table of contents

    What does a digital marketing director?

     

    A digital marketing director leads the entire digital marketing strategy for a business. The role combines senior-level planning with commercial oversight across paid media, SEO, CRM, content, performance, and digital experience.

     

    They manage multi-channel campaigns, own performance targets, oversee marketing teams or department leads, and report directly to the C-suite. In many organisations, the digital marketing director also contributes to revenue planning, investment strategy, and cross-departmental alignment.

     

    For employers, hiring a digital marketing director means bringing commercial impact, strategic clarity, and operational accountability to your marketing function. For candidates, it’s an opportunity to own digital performance at scale and contribute to wider business growth.

     

    Key responsibilities of a digital marketing director.

     

    Responsibilities vary by business model and team structure, but typically include:

    • Defining and leading the long-term digital marketing strategy

    • Managing departmental performance across paid, organic, CRM, and content channels

    • Setting goals and KPIs for acquisition, retention, and ROI

    • Managing internal teams or department heads across performance and brand marketing

    • Aligning digital marketing strategy with commercial, product, and sales objectives

    • Leading the digital budget and forecasting for media, platforms, and talent

    • Driving innovation in customer journey optimisation, automation, and analytics

    • Presenting insights and performance results to the executive team or board

    • Overseeing the rollout of digital campaigns across UK or global markets

    • Ensuring data-led decision making across the marketing department

    In high-growth or tech-driven companies, the digital marketing director may also work closely with product teams, digital transformation leads, or investor stakeholders.

     

    Skills and requirements for a digital marketing director.

     

    Businesses typically look for experienced leaders who combine marketing expertise, commercial thinking, and cross-functional collaboration. Core requirements include:

    • 8 to 12 years of digital marketing experience, with at least 3 to 5 years in a senior leadership role

    • A strong record of delivering growth through multi-channel campaigns

    • Experience managing departmental budgets and leading teams

    • In-depth understanding of paid media, SEO, CRM, CRO, and digital analytics

    • Commercial awareness and the ability to link marketing to revenue outcomes

    • Strategic planning capability with operational oversight

    • Strong stakeholder management and communication skills

    • Familiarity with enterprise-level platforms (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot, Adobe, GA4)

    • Experience building scalable marketing systems and team structures

    Most digital marketing directors have worked across both B2B and B2C brands, often with experience in scaling, restructuring, or transforming digital functions.

     

    Average salary for a digital marketing director.

     

    In the UK, the average salary for a digital marketing director typically ranges from £90,000 to £130,000, depending on experience, company size, and sector.

    • Mid-sized or regional businesses may offer between £90,000 and £105,000

    • Larger organisations, global brands, or investor-backed companies may offer £110,000 to £130,000+

    • Senior roles often include bonus schemes, equity, or long-term incentive plans

    Salaries are highest in London and in performance-focused industries like SaaS, fintech, ecommerce, and tech-enabled B2B.

     

    Career progression for a digital marketing director.

     

    The digital marketing director role is a senior leadership position that often leads to executive or board-level roles. A typical path includes:

     

    Head of digital

     

    Owns strategy across performance channels, CRM, and analytics. Manages department operations.

     

    Digital marketing director

     

    Leads the full digital function, aligns marketing strategy with revenue targets, and contributes to business-wide planning.

     

    Chief marketing officer (CMO)

     

    Board-level executive responsible for brand, customer, and commercial strategy. Owns multi-department performance.

     

    Chief growth officer

     

    Takes on broader responsibility across sales, product, and customer lifecycle. Often sits on the leadership team or executive board.

     

    Some professionals also move into consultancy, advisory, or non-executive board roles.

     

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    MEET THE TEAM

    Meet our team of digital marketing recruiters.

    Sophie Shakeshaft
    Sophie Shakeshaft

    Digital Marketing - UK

    Maddie Richardson
    Maddie Richardson

    Content, Social & PR - UK

    Megan Dunn
    Megan Dunn

    Recruitment Consultant

    salary guide

    Our UK marketing salary guide.

    Hiring a digital marketing director or preparing for your next senior role?

     

    Our 2025 UK marketing salary guide provides salary benchmarks, hiring insights, 2024 comparisons, and 2026 projections to help you plan ahead.

     

    Use it to understand what top digital leaders expect — and what competitive packages look like across regions and industries.

    FAQS

    Digital marketing director FAQS.

    They lead digital strategy across all channels, manage performance targets, and align marketing with business growth. They oversee teams, manage budgets, and report to the executive team.

    Not necessarily. Many professionals progress through results-driven roles, and experience leading teams and delivering outcomes matters more than qualifications.

    Salaries typically range from £90,000 to £130,000, with higher compensation packages in London and for roles involving international growth or team management.

    Most digital marketing managers in the UK earn between £45,000 and £60,000, depending on location, experience, and company size. Bonuses or commission may be offered in performance-driven roles.

    A head of digital often reports into a digital or marketing director and may focus more on channel operations. A digital marketing director leads the department and sets the strategic direction across all digital functions.

    High-growth scale-ups, global ecommerce brands, B2B SaaS firms, PE-backed ventures, and consumer businesses all hire digital marketing directors to own digital performance and customer growth.

    Enterprise-level CRM, analytics, and campaign management tools — including Salesforce, GA4, HubSpot, Adobe Experience Manager, and performance dashboards like Looker Studio.

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