What Do Product Marketing Managers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for product marketing managers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what product marketing managers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Product Marketing Managers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about product marketing managers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Product Marketing Managers plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm’s profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm’s customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.
Popular Job Titles For Product Marketing Managers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Product Managers
- Marketing Managers
- Directors of Marketing
- Product Marketing Managers
- Digital Marketing Managers
- Directors of Product Management
- Technical Product Managers
- Digital Product Managers
- Marketing Directors
- Brand Managers
- Principal Product Managers
- Marketing Product Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for product marketing managers can be found.
Best Industries for Product Marketing Managers
Product Marketing Managers Jobs By Industry
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 12.1%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 8.5%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 7.2%
- Software Publishers: 3.5%
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services: 3.4%
- Insurance Carriers: 2.8%
- Other: 62.5%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of product marketing managers can be found working in the Management of Companies and Enterprises sector. In 2023, about 12.1% of all jobs for product marketing managers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (8.5%), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (7.2%), Software Publishers (3.5%), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (3.4%) and Insurance Carriers (2.8%).
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What Do Product Marketing Managers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what product marketing managers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work product marketing managers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that product marketing managers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for product marketing managers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Product Marketing Managers
Based on 259,516 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Product Marketing Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 164,477 | 63% |
| Product Management | 95,169 | 37% |
| Project Management | 70,773 | 27% |
| New Product Development | 66,062 | 25% |
| Marketing Strategies | 41,797 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Product Marketing Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 147,714 | 57% |
| Sales | 115,727 | 45% |
| Leadership | 104,488 | 40% |
| Management | 99,334 | 38% |
| Planning | 67,241 | 26% |
Based on 259,516 job postings related to product marketing managers, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 63% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for product management, project management, new product development, marketing strategies and key performance indicators (kpis) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for product marketing managers, followed by sales, leadership, management, planning and innovation.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 164,477 | 63% |
| Product Management | 95,169 | 37% |
| Project Management | 70,773 | 27% |
| New Product Development | 66,062 | 25% |
| Marketing Strategies | 41,797 | 16% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 39,458 | 15% |
| Marketing Management | 36,788 | 14% |
| Go-to-Market Strategy | 33,556 | 13% |
| Digital Marketing | 32,760 | 13% |
| Product Marketing | 31,618 | 12% |
| Product Strategy | 31,171 | 12% |
| Agile Methodology | 30,425 | 12% |
| Product Roadmaps | 29,856 | 12% |
| Market Research | 28,527 | 11% |
| Social Media | 27,719 | 11% |
| Finance | 27,279 | 11% |
| Analytics | 27,068 | 10% |
| Data Analysis | 25,529 | 10% |
| Business To Business | 23,811 | 9% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 22,656 | 9% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 147,714 | 57% |
| Sales | 115,727 | 45% |
| Leadership | 104,488 | 40% |
| Management | 99,334 | 38% |
| Planning | 67,241 | 26% |
| Innovation | 57,436 | 22% |
| Presentations | 56,798 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 56,543 | 22% |
| Operations | 55,248 | 21% |
| Research | 53,127 | 20% |
| Problem Solving | 52,469 | 20% |
| Influencing Skills | 50,297 | 19% |
| Writing | 48,865 | 19% |
| Detail Oriented | 47,259 | 18% |
| Prioritization | 39,294 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 36,930 | 14% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 33,425 | 13% |
| Microsoft Excel | 31,222 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 30,590 | 12% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 28,849 | 11% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Product Marketing Managers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Product Managers | 49,079 | 26.2% |
| Marketing Managers | 35,293 | 18.9% |
| Directors of Marketing | 11,700 | 6.3% |
| Product Marketing Managers | 9,236 | 4.9% |
| Digital Marketing Managers | 9,758 | 5.2% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was product managers, with 22,558 unique job postings. Marketing managers were second, with 4,972 postings, followed by directors of marketing, product marketing managers and digital marketing managers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to product marketing managers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Product Managers | 49,079 | 26.2% |
| Marketing Managers | 35,293 | 18.9% |
| Directors of Marketing | 11,700 | 6.3% |
| Product Marketing Managers | 9,236 | 4.9% |
| Digital Marketing Managers | 9,758 | 5.2% |
| Directors of Product Management | 7,840 | 4.2% |
| Technical Product Managers | 7,645 | 4.1% |
| Digital Product Managers | 6,908 | 3.7% |
| Marketing Directors | 6,918 | 3.7% |
| Brand Managers | 5,939 | 3.2% |
| Principal Product Managers | 5,231 | 2.8% |
| Marketing Product Managers | 4,474 | 2.4% |
| Field Marketing Managers | 4,396 | 2.3% |
| Associate Product Managers | 5,033 | 2.7% |
| Vice Presidents of Marketing | 3,471 | 1.9% |
| Growth Marketing Managers | 3,102 | 1.7% |
| Directors of Product Marketing | 2,917 | 1.6% |
| Lead Product Managers | 3,087 | 1.6% |
| Platform Product Managers | 2,626 | 1.4% |
| Marketing Operations Managers | 2,454 | 1.3% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for product marketing managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for product marketing managers.
How much do product marketing managers make?
Product Marketing Managers: How do you become one?
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