How to Create a Marketing Org Chart (With Examples)

When marketing roles blur and communication breaks down, campaigns lose impact, budgets go to waste, and growth stalls. But the fix isn’t another outdated marketing org chart. 

Marketing today moves fast, and rigid hierarchies only slow things down. The best teams evolve with the business, balancing specialization with flexibility. If your marketing team can’t adapt, neither can your strategy.

But what does an effective marketing org chart look like?

What is a marketing org chart?

A marketing org chart maps out your team’s structure—who does what, who reports to whom, and how different roles connect. It's like an internal document that helps shape team efficiency, campaign performance, and strategic growth.

Traditional vs. Modern Marketing Structures

For years, marketing teams were built like corporate ladders:

• A CMO at the top managing multiple departments.
• Specialized teams for SEO, paid media, content, email, and PR.
• Minimal collaboration between teams, leading to disjointed messaging and slower execution.

This setup made sense when marketing channels were siloed. If your paid ads team only focused on running campaigns and your content team only wrote blogs, they didn’t need constant communication. 

The problem? Customer behavior doesn’t fit neatly into departments anymore. Marketing is no longer just about managing individual channels—it’s about crafting a seamless experience across them.

In contrast, modern marketing teams are structured around goals. Here’s what’s different:

• Cross-functional teams over siloed departments: Instead of keeping SEO, paid media, and content separate, companies create growth squads that work together on acquisition, retention, and conversion.
• Customer journey alignment: Some companies structure teams around the sales funnel—awareness, consideration, conversion—ensuring campaigns evolve naturally across touchpoints.
• Hybrid teams blending in-house and external talent: A mix of full-time employees, freelancers, agencies, and fractional CMOs allows companies to stay agile without bloated headcounts.
• AI and automation-driven roles: With AI taking over routine tasks, new roles like AI Marketing Strategist or Marketing Automation Manager are emerging to make data-driven marketing more efficient.

This shift is about efficiency and adaptability. Instead of waiting on approvals from different departments, cross-functional teams move fast and adjust strategies in real time.

Finding the right structure for your business

Your team should be structured around your business priorities:

• If you’re heavily reliant on paid media, a channel-based model might work best.
• If brand loyalty is your focus, organizing around the customer journey ensures consistent engagement.
• If you sell multiple products to different audiences, a product-line structure keeps messaging relevant.

Industry-specific team structures

• B2B marketing teams: Focus on content marketing, demand generation, and ABM (account-based marketing). Many include product marketers to align messaging with complex offerings.
• B2C and ecommerce teams: Performance-driven, often segmented into acquisition, retention, and branding teams. Heavy reliance on paid ads, influencer marketing, and conversion optimization.
• Enterprise vs. startup approaches:
  
  • Enterprises have dedicated specialists—SEO, PPC, email, and paid social media within larger departments.
  • Startups lean on generalists who handle multiple functions, often in pod-like teams that move fast and wear many hats.

Marketing org charts by company size

A scrappy startup doesn’t need the complexity of an enterprise marketing department, and a growing mid-market company can’t afford to operate like a lean startup forever. 

The takeaway? Your marketing team structure should evolve with your business.

Startup marketing team (1–5 team members)

At this stage, marketers wear multiple hats. A single person might juggle paid ads, social media, content, and email marketing. For startup marketing, the goal is rapid execution and learning, not rigid specialization.

Typical structure:

• Founder/CEO (often still hands-on in marketing)
• Growth Marketer (handles paid ads, SEO, email)
• Content & Social Media Manager
• Designer (freelance or outsourced)

💡 Hire for adaptability. You need generalists who can experiment and pivot as needed.

Further Reading: How to Build a Startup Marketing Team from 0, According to Nik Sharma

SMB marketing team (5–15 team members)

Once you have traction, your marketing team starts to take shape with defined roles, though team members still wear multiple hats. The focus shifts to scaling lead generation, brand awareness, and customer retention.

Typical structure:

• Head of Marketing
  
  • Content Marketing Manager
  • Performance Marketer (paid ads, SEO)
  • Social Media Manager
  • Email & CRM Specialist
  • Graphic Designer

💡 Structure your team around business goals, whether that’s demand generation or lifecycle marketing.

Mid-market marketing team (15–50 team members)

As marketing matures, specialization becomes essential. Teams emerge around content, performance, brand, and lifecycle marketing. Cross-functional collaboration is key to maintaining efficiency.

Typical structure:

• VP of Marketing
  
  • Content Team (Strategist, Copywriter, SEO Manager)
  • Performance Team (Paid Ads Manager, Growth Marketer, Data Analyst)
  • Brand & PR Team (Social Media Manager, PR Specialist)
  • Lifecycle Team (Email Marketing Manager, Customer Retention Manager)
  • Creative Team (Designer, Video Producer)

💡 Pro Tip: Centralize analytics and marketing operations to ensure teams don’t work in silos.

Enterprise marketing team (50+ Team Members)

At this level, teams are highly specialized, and marketing operations become a key function to maintain efficiency across a large, complex organization.

Typical Structure:

• CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
  
  • VP of Brand Marketing (Creative, Social Media, PR)
  • VP of Growth & Performance (Paid Acquisition, SEO, CRO)
  • VP of Content & Product Marketing (Content Strategy, Product Marketing, Thought Leadership)
  • VP of Lifecycle & CRM (Email Marketing, Retention)
  • VP of Marketing Analytics & Ops (Data, Attribution, Automation)

💡 Pro Tip: Ensure cross-team alignment. Marketing Ops and Analytics, for instance, are crucial to align strategies and prevent inefficiencies.

Essential roles in a modern marketing organization

You need to decide which roles should be in-house, outsourced, or fractional based on strategic priorities. Some functions demand deep brand knowledge, while others benefit from the outside expertise brought by fractional recruiting.

So, what stays in-house and what gets outsourced?

• In-house: Roles that drive core business growth and require long-term strategic involvement. Think: brand management, growth marketing, and customer lifecycle.
• Outsourced: High-cost, specialized, or fluctuating roles. SEO audits, PR, and technical dev are often best handled externally.
• Hybrid: Functions that require both strategy and execution, like paid media and content production, often work well as a mix of in-house leadership and external support.

Leadership tier (CMO, VP of Marketing, Directors)

Key Responsibilities: Strategy, team leadership, cross-functional alignment.
When to hire in-house: When marketing is a core revenue driver (e.g., SaaS, DTC, enterprise).
When to outsource: Fractional CMOs or marketing advisors can work for early-stage companies or startups that need strategy but not a full-time hire.

Typical leadership structure

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)  

• VP of Growth  
• VP of Brand  
• VP of Product Marketing  
• VP of Analytics & RevOps  

Management tier (team Leads, Functional Managers)

Key responsibilities: Oversee day-to-day execution, manage teams, bridge strategy with execution.
When to hire in-house: If a function is a long-term business priority (e.g., brand marketing for consumer brands, performance marketing for e-commerce).
When to outsource: If leadership wants specialized expertise without full-time overhead (e.g., PR, event marketing, SEO).

Common management roles

• Director of Content (manages content strategists and writers) 
• Director of Growth (manages paid media, CRO, lifecycle marketing) 
• Director of Product Marketing (marketing and sales alignment)
• Director of Analytics (owns attribution, reporting, and data-driven insights) 

Specialist/execution tier (SEO, PPC, Content, Email, etc.)

Key responsibilities: Tactical execution, campaign management, content creation, optimization.
When to hire in-house: If marketing execution is high-volume and continuous (e.g., daily content, always-on paid media).
When to outsource: If the workload is seasonal, project-based, or highly specialized (e.g., technical SEO, creative production, influencer marketing).

Examples of specialist roles

• SEO Manager in-house for content-heavy brands, outsourced for technical audits)
• Paid Media Manager (in-house for high-ad-spend brands, outsourced for expert strategy)
• Email & Lifecycle Marketer (in-house if CRM is core to revenue, outsourced for campaign execution)

Support roles and cross-functional relationships (Operations, Analytics, Sales Alignment)

Key responsibilities: Executing data-driven marketing efforts efficiently and aligning them with sales.
When to hire in-house: If marketing operations and analytics are crucial to performance tracking and scaling efforts.
When to outsource: If analytics needs occasional deep dives but not full-time management.

Essential support roles

• Marketing Operations Manager (smooth workflows, automation, reporting)
• Marketing Analyst (performance tracking, campaign optimization, custom dashboards)
• Sales & Marketing Coordinator (bridges the gap between lead generation and sales handoff)

Structuring around key marketing functions

It isn’t just about internal teams. Your marketing org chart should align with sales, customer success, and operations for maximum efficiency as well. 

Brand and creative services organization

Key focus: Design, brand identity, messaging consistency.
Key roles:

Creative Director  

• Brand Designer  
• Copywriter  
• UX/UI Designer  
• Video Producer  

Digital marketing

Key focus: Acquisition & conversion (SEO, paid media, CRO, automation).
Key roles:

Head of Digital Marketing  

• SEO Lead  
• Paid Ads Manager  
• Email & Lifecycle Marketer  
• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Specialist  
• Marketing Automation Manager  

Content and communications 

Key focus: Thought leadership, brand storytelling, internal and external communication.
Key roles:

Director of Content & Communications  

• Content Strategist  
• PR & Media Relations  
• Social Media Manager  
• Internal Communications Lead  

Product marketing

Key focus: Positioning, competitive analysis, sales enablement.
Key roles:

VP of Product Marketing  

• Product Marketing Managers (aligned by product line)  
• Competitive Intelligence Analyst  
• Sales Enablement Specialist  

Analytics and operations

Key focus: Data-driven decision-making, performance tracking, budget allocation.
Key roles:

Director of Marketing Analytics & Operations  

• Marketing Analyst  
• Attribution Modeling Specialist  
• Data Engineer (Optional)

Customer marketing and loyalty

Key focus: Retention, advocacy, community building.
Key roles:

Head of Customer Marketing  

• Customer Retention Manager  
• Community Manager  
• Advocacy & Referral Program Lead

Industry-specific marketing org charts

A B2B SaaS company needs a vastly different setup than an ecommerce brand or a nonprofit. Here's a closer look at the different marketing org charts by industry.

B2B marketing organization models

Key focus: Lead generation, account-based marketing (ABM), demand generation.
Primary goals: Attract and nurture high-value leads, support long sales cycles, align closely with sales teams.

B2B marketing org chart

VP of Marketing  

•   Director of Demand Generation  
  
  • Performance Marketing Manager  
  • SEO & Content Lead  
•   Director of ABM (Account-Based Marketing)  
  
  • ABM Strategist  
  • Sales Enablement Manager  
• Director of Product Marketing  
  
  • Product Marketing Manager  
  • Competitive Intelligence Analyst  
• Director of Customer Marketing  
  
  • Lifecycle Marketing Manager  
  • Advocacy & Referral Specialist 

B2C retail and ecommerce team structures

Key focus: Performance marketing, influencer collaborations, CRM-driven retention.
Primary goals: Drive conversions, optimize customer journeys, increase lifetime value (LTV).

Ecommerce/retail marketing org chart

CMO  

• VP of Performance Marketing  
  
  • Paid Media Specialist  
  • Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Manager  
  • Affiliate & Influencer Marketing Manager  
• VP of CRM & Retention  
  
  • Email & SMS Marketing Manager  
  • Loyalty Program Manager  
• VP of Brand & Content  
  
  • Social Media Manager  
  • Content Strategist  
  • Community Manager  

SaaS/technology marketing departments

Key Focus: Product-led growth (PLG), inbound marketing, self-serve acquisition.
Primary Goals: Convert free users into paid subscribers, support product education, optimize customer onboarding.

SaaS marketing org chart

VP of Marketing  

• Director of Growth  
  
  • Performance Marketing Manager  
  • Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Lead  
• Director of Product Marketing  
  
  • Onboarding & Adoption Manager  
  • Competitive Research Analyst  
• Director of Community & Advocacy  
  
  • Community Marketing Manager  
  • Customer Education Specialist  
• Director of Content & Thought Leadership  
  
  • SEO & Blog Manager  
  • Webinar & Event Marketing Manager  

Professional services marketing teams

Key focus: Thought leadership, reputation management, partnerships.
Primary goals: Build credibility, generate referrals, leverage strategic partnerships.

Professional services marketing org chart

CMO  

• Director of Thought Leadership  
  
  • Content Strategist  
  • PR & Media Relations  
• Director of Demand Generation  
  
  • Paid Media Specialist  
  • SEO & Organic Growth Manager  
• Director of Partnerships & Referrals  
  
  • Partner Marketing Manager  
  • Referral Program Coordinator  
• Director of Client Engagement  
  
  • Customer Success & Retention Manager

Nonprofit/public sector marketing organization

Key Focus: Fundraising, advocacy, volunteer engagement.
Primary Goals: Build awareness, engage communities, drive donations.

Nonprofit/public sector marketing org chart

VP of Marketing & Communications  

• Director of Fundraising & Donor Relations  
  
  • Grants & Sponsorship Manager  
  • Donor Engagement Specialist  
• Director of Digital & Advocacy Marketing  
  
  • Social Media & Community Manager  
  • Email & Grassroots Campaign Lead  
• Director of Public Relations  
  
  • Media & Press Relations Manager  
  • Event Marketing Coordinator  

💡 Pro Tip: Take a cue from Quartix. With a small six-person marketing team spread across multiple regions and languages, it struggled to generate enough demand while managing diverse responsibilities. To stay efficient, Quartix structured its team strategically:

Quartix marketing org chart

Head of Marketing  

• Digital Marketing Manager (Manages global strategy)  
• Content & SEO Lead (Handles regional content localization)  
• CRM & Email Specialist (Customer retention and automation)  
• PPC & Performance Marketer (Freelancer via MarketerHire)  
• Graphic Designer (Freelancer for branding and creatives)  
• Marketing Analyst (Tracks attribution and campaign performance)

Reporting relationships and control

Marketing teams need a structure that fosters collaboration without unnecessary bottlenecks. Here’s how to make it work:

• Clear oversight without micromanagement

A typical structure places the CMO at the top, with department heads overseeing key areas like content, digital marketing, and brand strategy. Each leader should have the authority to make decisions within their domain while staying aligned with the broader business strategy.

• Manager-to-staff ratios

A common benchmark is 5–7 direct reports per manager. More than that, and oversight suffers. Fewer, and you risk bloating the management layer unnecessarily. However, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all rule—teams handling highly complex, strategic work may need smaller ratios, while execution-heavy teams can scale larger.

• Cross-functional collaboration

Marketing doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It needs strong ties to product, sales, and customer success. Regular syncs, shared KPIs, and cross-departmental task forces help ensure marketing strategies are informed by real customer insights.

💡 Pro tip: Some marketing teams operate in a matrix structure, where employees report to multiple managers. This can be powerful for collaboration but can quickly become a nightmare if not managed well.

To avoid confusion:

• Clearly define each manager’s role and decision-making authority.
• Align priorities regularly to prevent conflicting directives.
• Keep communication open—employees should know where to go for what.

If a matrix setup starts causing friction, it might be time to simplify reporting lines.

When to add more management layers

Not every company needs multiple layers of management, but as teams scale, certain signs indicate it’s time to introduce more structure:

🚩 Managers are overloaded. If leaders are struggling to provide meaningful oversight or mentoring, it’s time to redistribute responsibility.

🚩 Strategic oversight is slipping. If execution is happening but lacks alignment with business goals, mid-level managers can bridge the gap.

🚩 Growth is stalling due to lack of specialization. If generalist roles are stretched too thin, adding specialized leadership (e.g., a VP of Growth or Director of Content) can help maintain momentum.

💡 Pro tip: introduce management roles only when they solve a clear problem, not just because a company is growing.

Creating a scalable marketing organization

As businesses evolve, so should their marketing teams. Growth isn’t just about adding more people—it’s about structuring teams to be adaptable.

• Design for scalability: Create standardized processes so teams stay efficient as they expand. Automate repetitive tasks where possible, and ensure your marketing tools help—not slow you down.
• Know when to restructure: Regularly reviewing your team setup is key. Expanding into new markets or launching a new product? You might need new team capabilities. Experiencing rapid growth? More specialization (e.g., dedicated performance marketers, RevOps) can drive better results.
• Plan for role evolution: Marketing changes fast. If data analytics is becoming more important, hire a marketing analyst. If organic search is struggling, bring in a Paid Search Marketer. Keep an eye on trends and adjust your team accordingly.

Building a future-proof marketing team

To keep your marketing team strong, you need a structure that’s both organized and adaptable. As the industry shifts, your team should evolve with it—balancing strategic leaders to set direction, specialists to execute efficiently, and cross-functional collaboration to keep everything aligned.

Scaling your team doesn’t have to mean long hiring cycles. MarketerHire connects you with pre-vetted freelance marketing experts, giving you access to the right skills exactly when you need them. Whether you're filling gaps or testing new strategies, hire Expert Assistants through our platform and be ready for whatever comes next.