5 minute read
What does the average product marketing manager job description include? Let’s look at the typical PMM role along with the responsibilities, requirements and some traits that will help you be successful as a product marketer.
Product marketing managers, PMM for short, act as a bridge between the product development, sales and marketing teams. It’s their job to completely understand what makes a product valuable and tell the world all about it. Their work plays a significant role in a product’s success. And although product marketing manager responsibilities do intersect with the work product managers do, it is a distinct role.
This article provides a product marketing manager job description and goes over common product marketing manager responsibilities so you can decide if this is the right role for you.
Sample Product Marketing Manager Job Description
The following is an example of a common PMM job description you might see. You’ll also find a list of typical product marketing manager responsibilities and requirements. Keep in mind, every organization will have its own list of responsibilities and requirements. Some industries may also have additional demands not listed here.
About the Job
As our product marketing manager, you are responsible for making your products “fly-off the shelf.”
This role is not about doing demos or presenting product features (although these may sometimes occur). Rather, this role is the glue that binds our product strategy to the tactics we need to drive success in sales and marketing and to achieve results. You will be the product evangelist and will play an integral role in organizing product launches.
You know our competitors like the back of your hand: what they do today and what they plan to do in the future. You also know our buyers better than they know themselves, including how they make their buying decisions. This isn’t guesswork. You back up strategic insights with market evidence and then use that knowledge to drive the development of positioning and messaging that resonates with buyers and empowers our sales channels to be successful.
You will collaborate with our marketing team to develop innovative programs that drive demand. Attention to detail and eye for quality are critical to your success, along with an ability to grasp and present our product’s value proposition in a way that resonates and clearly articulates how we solve our buyers’ problems. You are obsessed with tracking performance and have the data to prove what’s working and what isn’t.
In addition to the marketing team, you will regularly collaborate with product managers and sales channels; it’s a balancing act that requires strong diplomatic skills, including knowing when to push back and when to dive in.
If you meet the following requirements, we welcome you to apply!
Product Marketing Manager Responsibilities
- Market intelligence: Be the expert on our buyers, who they are, how they buy and their key buying criteria.
- Understand the competitive landscape: Be an expert on our competition and how they are positioned.
- Collaborate with product management and marketing communications to develop product positioning and messaging that resonate with our target buyer personas.
- Understand and document our buyer’s process, including where they get information, and the who, what, when and why behind the decisions they make. Then drive changes to our sales and marketing processes based on what you learn.
- Develop a marketing plan for the products you support in conjunction with our marketing team, including key activities and budgets to support the retention of existing customers and the acquisition of new customers.
- Assess the effectiveness of the marketing programs that support your products on an ongoing basis, and report back to the business on required changes.
- Plan the launches of net-new products and releases of existing products and manage the cross-functional implementation of the plan.
- Act as the primary thought leader for the products you support externally, including speaking engagements and written works.
- Understand and support our sales channels; train them on the problems we solve for our buyers and users; develop internal tools and external collateral and teach them how and when to use it.
Product Marketing Manager Requirements
- 5+ years of product marketing experience with at least 2 years of experience in a market-facing role (e.g. delivering presentations to customers and prospects, conducting competitor analysis and market research)
- Proficient in productivity applications such as Microsoft Office, Project or Basecamp.
- Comfortable using collaboration and CRM tools such as Slack and Salesforce.
- Familiar with marketing automation tools such as Marketo, Pardot and Omniture, and Google Analytics.
- Power user of networking tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
- Exceptional ROI-tracking skills, able to prove what is –or isn’t—working
- Must be a strong public speaker, comfortable in front of large, senior groups, and a solid writer.
- Excellent people and management skills to interact with staff, colleagues, cross-functional teams and third parties. Team player!
- Must be a strong public speaker, comfortable in front of large, senior groups, and a solid writer.
- Bachelor’s degree in business or marketing; MBA preferred.
- Pragmatic Institute Certified (PMC) III or higher preferred.
Essential Traits for Product Marketing Managers
A successful product marketing manager typically exhibits a combination of personal traits that enable them to thrive in this challenging and multifaceted role. Here are key traits that contribute to success:
Curiosity
PMMs need true interest in understanding market trends, customer needs and competitor products. This curiosity drives continual learning and helps identify new opportunities or improvements.
Customer-Centric Mindset
A great PMM thinks like the customer, always considering how a product solves problems or delivers value from the user’s perspective. This trait ensures that messaging, positioning, and product features are aligned with customer needs.
Strategic Thinking
PMMs must see the bigger picture. They need to plan long-term strategies while keeping in mind market dynamics, business objectives, and competitive pressures. They should be able to anticipate trends and shifts in the market.
Attention to Detail
Success often comes from understanding the nuances of the product and market. This includes perfecting messaging, ensuring product-market fit, and managing project details for flawless execution.
Adaptability
Product marketing is dynamic. Markets change, customer preferences shift, and products evolve. PMMs who can pivot strategies quickly and embrace change are more likely to thrive.
Influence and Persuasion
PMMs work across multiple teams and must be able to influence others without direct authority. Persuasive communication helps them rally cross-functional teams behind a shared vision and get buy-in for key initiatives.
Resilience
Product marketing often involves high stakes, tight deadlines, and unexpected roadblocks. Successful PMMs maintain a positive, solution-oriented attitude even under pressure.
Analytical Mindset
Great PMMs rely on data to make decisions. They measure product performance, campaign success, and customer feedback, making adjustments as needed based on their analysis. Being comfortable with data is critical.
Creativity
Whether it’s in crafting compelling messaging, positioning a product in a crowded market, or solving unique marketing challenges, creativity helps PMMs differentiate their products and campaigns.
Empathy
Understanding the needs and emotions of both customers and team members helps PMMs create better experiences and foster stronger collaboration. Empathy is key to successful leadership and customer engagement.
These traits allow product marketing managers to more successfully navigate the complexities of their role and drive successful product launches. They also help them feel more career satisfaction and obtain longevity in their role.
This product marketing manager job description offers you a glimpse of what an average organization might look for when filling a PMM role. You can see that you’re expected to be a highly collaborative individual contributor that combines your skill and knowledge with data and insights to make products as successful as possible. You also need to be equally influential and diplomatic because as a product marketing manager you are responsible for results but often have no decision-making authority.
This might sound like a frustrating role for some, but if you enjoy the thrill of guiding products to success, overcoming challenges and collaboration, it might be the perfect career for you.
Learn more about product marketing topics in the following resources:
Product Marketing vs. Product Management: What’s the Difference?
Product Manager Career Path: From Marketing to Product Marketing Manager
