Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Selling or Influencing Others Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

The Work

Brand management is part of the marketing function in large companies. Most brand managers have had some experience in advertising, promotions, or sales.

Brand managers conduct initial market research for a brand, gathering data about where a product fits in with the rest of the market. This includes polling demographics, discovering demand for a product, and asking people what makes a particular product stand out.

After extensive research, brand managers develop monthly objectives with their team with the goal of increasing a brand's value. This includes developing marketing strategies and introducing the brand to the public.

Throughout a brand's life, the brand manager reports to higher level marketing staff about sales, how marketing strategies are affecting those sales, and how a brand can reach even more consumers.

In large multinational companies, individual brands may be treated like businesses within the company, and brand managers are essentially small business owners.

The job involves:

• Monitoring the competitive landscape of the category in which your brand resides
• Developing strategies to exploit market opportunities
• Executing those strategies with the help of a cross-functional team
• Delivering the sales volume, market share, and profit projections for the business

Brand managers produce comprehensive business plans and submit them to senior management. When the price of a key ingredient in their product for eaxmple, goes through the roof because of supply conditions, they rewrite the business plan from scratch with more contingencies.

Brand managers focus on the minutiae of daily sales-volume reports and they dream big dreams when it's time to update the vision for the brand. They approach upper-level management for capital to fund a new product launch or a line extension in much the same way that small business owners go to venture capitalists or banks to fund expansion.

Brand managers are mid- to high-level employees, meaning they've worked up through the ranks and developed an excellent intuition for introducing new brands and growing them to become successful. Because they typically work with a branding team, strong leadership skills are a must for any brand manager.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Identify, develop, or evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors.
• Formulate, direct, or coordinate marketing activities or policies to promote products or services, working with advertising or promotion managers.
• Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, or return-on-investment and profit-loss projections.
• Develop pricing strategies, balancing firm objectives and customer satisfaction.
• Compile lists describing product or service offerings.
• Direct the hiring, training, or performance evaluations of marketing or sales staff and oversee their daily activities.
• Consult with product development personnel on product specifications, such as design, color, or packaging.
• Use sales forecasting or strategic planning to ensure the sale and profitability of products, lines, or services, analysing business developments and monitoring market trends.
• Negotiate contracts with vendors or distributors to manage product distribution, establishing distribution networks or developing distribution strategies.
• Coordinate or participate in promotional activities or trade shows, working with developers, advertisers, or production managers, to market products or services.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

An undergraduate or postgraduate degree in business management or marketing is typically required by employers. Prior experience in a similar sector is also important to most employers.

You need to keep yourself up-to-date on the market trends in the industry you work. Professional organisations may offer training or promote training providers. See for example the Irish Marketing Institute.

As a brand manager, you can typically move into senior or group brand management roles within a larger organisation after a few years’ experience, where you will oversee a portfolio of brands and lead a team. Successful brand managers can sometimes eventually move into marketing director or general management roles. Postgraduate courses in marketing and business management will also help you progress in your career.

Training & Development

FET Centre Traineeship: Business, Hospitality, Customer service, Events promotion, Digital marketing and Management NFQ level 5-6 Search FET Courses

FET PLC Courses: Hospitality, Travel & Tourism, Business management & Sales, Marketing & Digital marketing NFQ Level 5-6 Search FET PLC Courses

Apprenticeship: Sales & Recruitment Apprenticeships NFQ level 6 Search Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO Entry: Hospitality management, Travel & Tourism, Business & Customer events care and marketing management NFQ Level 6-9 Search CAO courses

Professional organisations sometimes offer training or networking events, so check out organisations, such as:

Failte Ireland

Irish Hotels Federation

Restaurants Association of Ireland 

Catering Management Association of Ireland

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €48k - €75k

Salaries vary based on inhouse employment or by agency consultant. Salaries also vary by employer, location, experience, and duties.

Data Source(s):
Morgan McKinley / Osborne / Brightwater / Prosperity.ie / Lincoln/ Talent

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Despite a strong employment growth rate for this occupation, employment levels fell between 2021 and 2022. Employment is spread across a number of roles including marketing associate professionals, buyers & procurement officers, conference/expo managers and estate agents. Employment permits issued in 2022 were primarily for roles in the ICT sector such as digital marketing and accounts managers with language skills required for some.

The Recruitment Agency Survey highlighted issues in sourcing candidates for procurement roles. The number of job adverts for this role grew in 2022, driven by increases for buyers/procurement officers and conference organisers etc. In addition, procurement/tendering documentation skills were not confined to this occupation, but were also in demand outside of sales roles, albeit in small numbers.

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