Marketing, sales and advertising directors Pay Data UK — 2026

Marketing, sales and advertising directors roles in the UK earn a median of £92,000 per year, equivalent to £46.06 per hour as of 2026. Pay decreased 0.3% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £80,000 in East Midlands to £117,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 4 years.

Labour Market

Employment figures from ONS Annual Population Survey (APS). Counts are estimates; suppressed cells (small samples) are excluded from totals.

Pay by Region

Annual pay for Marketing, sales and advertising directors across UK regions. The bar shows the typical pay range (25th–75th percentile); the diamond marks the median.

Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).

How Pay Has Changed Over Time

Annual pay fell by -0.3% from 2025 to 2026.

National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot. Shaded band shows 25th–75th percentile range.

Year-on-Year Pay Change

Annual percentage change in median pay for Marketing, sales and advertising directors.

Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.

About Marketing, sales and advertising directors

Marketing, sales and advertising directors plan, organise and direct advertising campaigns and market research and formulate and implement an organisation’s marketing, sales and social media policies.

Typical Tasks and Duties

• liaises with client to discuss product/service to be marketed and develops the most appropriate strategy to deliver the objectives
• discusses employer’s or clients’ requirements, plans and monitors surveys and analyses of customers’ reactions to products
• defines target group for advertising campaigns and implements strategy through appropriate media planning work
• conceives advertising campaigns to impart the desired product image in an effective and economical way
• examines and analyses sales figures, advises on and monitors marketing campaigns and promotional activities
• controls the recruitment and training of staff
• stays abreast of changes in market trends and advertising rates
• produces and/or assesses reports and recommendations concerning marketing, advertising and sales strategies

Entry Routes and Qualifications

Entry is generally via career progression from related occupations (e.g. marketing manager, advertising accounts manager, sales manager), although in practice most will hold a degree. Professional qualifications are also available and off and on-the-job training is possible. Entrants to professional qualifications from relevant bodies (such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing) require GCSEs/S grades, A levels/H grades, a BTEC/SQA award, a degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant experience.

Related Occupations

Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.