Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing
Leads the entire content marketing function, setting content strategy, managing editorial teams, overseeing content production across all channels, and tying content performance to revenue and pipeline metrics.
From people doing the work
You spend time managing people, budgets, and strategy. The biggest challenge is proving the ROI of content to the executive team and ensuring your editorial calendar aligns with revenue goals.
Drawn from Superpath Slack discussions, Reddit r/content_marketing threads, Industry podcasts
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from Superpath, r/content_marketing
A day in the life of a Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 70% Team / 30% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Very High
- Travel
- Low-Moderate
- Schedule flexibility
- Moderate
- Remote work
- Mostly Remote
- Typical work hours
- 48-58
- Stress level
- High
Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $155,000
- Entry-level
- $105,000
- Senior
- $225,000
- Growth by 2033
- 8%
- Demand
- Growing
- Freelance potential
- Moderate
- Salary growth potential
- 114%
- Typical student debt
- Moderate
Skills you need as a Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing
Hard skills
- Content Strategy
- Editorial Calendar Management
- SEO/Content Analytics
- Marketing Automation (HubSpot/Marketo)
- Revenue Attribution
- Team Management
- Budget Planning
- Multi-Channel Publishing
Soft skills
- Strategic Thinking
- Leadership
- Communication
- Storytelling
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Technical complexity: High
Tools of the trade
Core tools
- HubSpot (Platform): Manage inbound marketing campaigns, content distribution, and revenue attribution.
- Google Analytics (Software): Track website traffic, user behavior, and content performance metrics.
- Ahrefs (Software): Conduct SEO research, track keyword rankings, and analyze competitor content.
- WordPress (Platform): Publish and manage content across the organization's primary web properties.
Commonly used
- Asana (Software): Organize editorial calendars, manage team workflows, and track content production.
- Salesforce (Platform): Align content marketing efforts with sales pipeline and track lead progression.
How to become a Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or English; MBA valued for VP roles
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 6-6
- Years to senior
- 12-12
- Career switching
- Easy
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Director of Content Marketing: A natural progression from managing a content team to leading the entire content strategy.
- Managing Editor: Transitioning from overseeing editorial operations to driving broader content marketing initiatives.
- Director of Communications: Moving from PR and corporate communications to a more revenue-focused content role.
Where you can go from here
- Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): Expanding scope to lead all marketing functions, including demand gen, product marketing, and brand.
- Chief Content Officer: Taking on a C-level role focused entirely on content as a core business asset.
- VP of Marketing: Broadening responsibilities to oversee the entire marketing department.
- Founder / CEO: Leveraging audience-building skills to start a media company or agency.
Typical progression
- Content Writer
- Content Marketing Manager
- Director of Content
- VP of Content Marketing
- CMO
Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- Very Low
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Growing
Job satisfaction as a Head of Content / VP of Content Marketing
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.5/10
- Meaning
- 8/10
- Work-life balance
- 5.5/10
- Prestige
- 8.2/10
- Social perception
- High
Where practitioners gather
Professional organisations
- Content Marketing Institute: A leading global content marketing education and training organization.
Podcasts and media
- MarketingProfs: Provides marketing training, events, and resources for marketing professionals.
Reddit communities
- r/content_marketing: A subreddit dedicated to discussing content marketing strategies and trends.
Online communities
- Superpath: A community for content marketers to network, share resources, and find jobs.