Marketing Executive Apprenticeship – Reference Number: ST0596

Marketing is vitally important to all businesses providing the insight to develop and deliver new products and services to meet ever-changing customer needs. It is the process of researching, developing, promoting and distributing, products or services through effective channels to engage with a range of target audiences.

Occupations in marketing span most industries and sectors and the roles can sit within a specific company/agency that provides marketing deliverables and advice to external clients, or within an internal marketing team, delivering marketing activities to drive that business.

Marketing teams generally work with external agencies to deliver specialist elements of their marketing campaigns.

Who is it for?

This level 4 apprenticeship is suitable for those in junior marketing positions. Once completed a Marketing Executive will help shape, support and deliver marketing plans. They may be responsible for planning and executing tactical and executing tactical and targeting marketing activity. They will usually work with the Marketing Manager or the manager who defines the overall marketing strategy. The role requires creativity, communication and project management skills- all of which are developed within the apprenticeship.

How is the Training Delivered and what can you expect?

For larger corporate cohorts, training can be delivered through a blend of in-house and virtual, at a convenient time and place to the employer. For smaller cohorts, training will be delivered through a mixture of virtual and face to face delivery. All apprentices will have access to the OneFile virtual learning environment for reading, study, communication and to evidence learning and progression. Line managers also have access to the OneFile system. All our marketing learners are also supported with CIM membership, offering additional resources, training and the opportunity to be part of the largest global professional marketing network.

The apprenticeship will take approximately 18 months to complete, during which time the apprentice will gather and produce evidence that the apprenticeship outcomes have been met. Throughout this time, the apprentice will have regular 1-1 meetings (every 6-8 weeks) with their personal mentor/assessor to support their studies and check progress.

Unlike some other apprenticeships, the Marketing Assistant has no embedded personal qualification. However, as Oxford College of Marketing is a CIM accredited provider, to maximise the value gained from this apprenticeship, we have mapped the knowledge content to the CIM Level 3 Foundation Certificate in Professional Marketing. This allows the apprentice to achieve a dual certification – a CIM Certificate in Professional (Digital Marketing) and the Marketing Executive Apprenticeship, if desirable.

What will be covered?

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, Marketing Executives will have knowledge and an understanding of:

Marketing Concepts & Theories

  • The fundamentals of marketing theory that support the marketing process e.g. the extended marketing mix (7P’S: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Physical environment, Process, People), product development, and segmentation.

  • The concepts of brand positioning, management, and implementing process to support corporate reputation.

  • The principles of stakeholder management and customer relationship management (CRM), both internal and external, to facilitate effective cross-functional relationships internally, and channel and customer relationships externally.

Business Understanding & Commercial Awareness

  • The characteristics and plans of the business and sector they work within, including their vision and values.

  • How marketing contributes to achieving wider business objectives.

  • The target audience’s decision making process and how that can influence marketing activities.

  • The sector specific legal, regulatory and compliance frameworks within which they must work, including current Data Protection regulations.

Market Research

  • The principles of effective market research and how this can influence marketing activity e.g. valid data collection sources and methodologies and usage, including digital sources, and when to use quantitative and qualitative methods.

Products and Channels

  • Basic principles of product development and product/service portfolios.

  • The marketing landscape and how routes to market interplay most efficiently, e.g. franchise model, distribution

  • The features and benefits of different marketing communications channels and media, both digital and offline, and when and how to apply these.

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, Marketing Executives will have and exhibit skills in the following areas:

Marketing Campaigns

  • Coordinate and maintain key marketing channels (both digital and offline).

  • Plan and deliver tactical campaigns against SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) objectives.

  • Manage the production and distribution of marketing materials, e.g. digital, print and video content as appropriate.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

  • Produce a wide range of creative and effective communications, including ability to write and proofread clear and innovative copy, project briefs, and give confident presentations.

  • Able to engage and collaborate with a wide range of clients/stakeholders, across departments internally and with clients/suppliers externally to support marketing outcomes as required.

Service Delivery and Improvement

  • Use good project and time management to deliver projects/tasks/events as appropriate, effectively. Including the ability to divide time effectively between reporting, planning and delivery.

  • Coordinate several marketing campaigns/projects/events to agreed deadlines.

  • Effectively liaise with, and manage, internal and external stakeholders including suppliers to deliver required outcomes.

Budget Management

  • Monitor project budgets within their scope of work using appropriate systems and controls.

Evaluation and Analysis

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns by choosing the appropriate digital and offline data sources.

  • Assimilate and analyse data and information from a range of sources to support marketing activities.

  • Evaluate data and research findings to derive insights to support improvements to future campaigns.

Systems and Process

  • Effectively use appropriate business systems and software to deliver marketing outcomes efficiently, for example to analyse data, produce reports and deliver copy.

  • Use appropriate technologies to deliver marketing outcomes e.g. digital/web analytics, social media, CRM.

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, Marketing Executives will exhibit and be able to demonstrate the following behaviour:

Agile & Flexible

  • A tenacious and driven approach to see projects through to completion.

  • Being a proven ‘self-starter’ and have an adaptable approach to meet changing work priorities.