Recruiting for VP of Marketing in the Manufacturing Industries
Within any organization, the efficiency and function of one department impacts many others in both intentional and sometimes unexpected ways.
One such department that can make or break a successful year is the marketing team. And considering how heavily the marketing department relies on manufacturing’s ability to produce the goods they are promising via multiple channels, management must consider a variety of factors when hiring a VP of Marketing.
“A company will prosper when the marketing and manufacturing functions operate in an atmosphere of cooperation with the realization that each has its role to play and its needs to fill. Neither function can subvert the other.” It’s not just the person with the best ads, the catchiest promotions or most memorable campaigns. In an industry that relies on fulfilling physical orders for success, a cohesive marketing-manufacturing team is essential.“ Beyond the day-to-day issue of what product do we make tomorrow or next week, one of the strategic areas of cooperation is capacity planning and long-range sales forecasting.”
Hiring for the Role
Of course, when it comes to hiring a VP of Marketing, your industry and the organization’s specific strategies and goals will dictate a lot about your hiring process. As you develop a job description and analyze the specific needs of your team, consider who you really need both for today and in one year from now.
“The perfect VP of Marketing needs to have plenty of experience in managing people. Have the brains of a data analyst and the heart of a creative visionary. They need to be able to take data he/she gathers and creatively use it to craft highly effective marketing campaigns…”
In manufacturing also look for a candidate who is “well-versed in handling different analytic platforms, different varieties of data, and making data-driven decisions… including being proficient in SEO, SEM, SMO, email marketing, affiliate marketing, and other digital marketing channels…”
Marketing can mean many different things depending on the nature of your business and the customer you are serving. And while there are countless ways to approach the process of finding a new VP of Marketing to take your organization to the next level, it is important not to lose sight of how much the role matters, “The time invested in hiring is worth it because you will start reaping the benefits of a great marketing VP for years to come resulting in more leads, higher profits, better branding, and improved customer retention.”
Finding Success in the Role
While companies measure success on different scales depending on individual goals and strategies, at TZR we believe that it starts with people.
Identifying and hiring the right people for the role is what will ultimately set you apart from your competition. The right VP of Marketing will understand that and ensure the department they manage is leading the way:
A great VP of Marketing should model “… leadership, vision, and ability to get the most from your people.” From the beginning, the successful hire should embody the follow qualities:
- Invests in their people
- Brings a vision to the role
- Puts the spotlight on their team
- Is an approachable leader
- Runs the process and the numbers
“The success factors start with the idea that your people come first. You must bring a vision to the role, put the spotlight on your team, be an approachable leader and run the process and the numbers to ensure your people can focus on delivering what needs to happen.”
Fortunately for our TZR clients, people are our specialty. Our network of marketing professionals is vast and diverse, with job seekers who embody a wide range of skills and experience levels guaranteed to fit specifically what you need.
Our proven process of Identify-Engage-Deliver means that we are with you from the very beginning – understanding your needs, working through our network to find the best in the industry and getting top talent in front of you every time.
We not only understand the value of marketing within an organization, but the importance of the relationship between the marketing department and the rest of your team. At TZR, we take this role seriously and ensure that each and every candidate who comes through your door does the same.
