📢🎯 “You’re not just leading campaigns—you’re shaping the company’s future.”
The Vice President of Marketing (VP of Marketing) is where marketing meets the boardroom. In today’s hyper-digital Indian landscape, this role isn’t about running ads—it’s about driving revenue, customer obsession, and category leadership. If you’re ready to own results, mentor high-performing teams, and influence C-suite strategy, read on.
What Does a VP of Marketing Actually Do?
A VP of Marketing leads the full-stack marketing function across brand, growth, performance, and partnerships. They’re responsible for delivering business outcomes through strategy, execution, and leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
- 📈 Define marketing goals aligned with business vision
- 🤝 Collaborate with Sales, Product, Finance, and Founders/CEO
- 🚀 Oversee campaign performance across digital & offline channels
- 👥 Lead and mentor the marketing team, including managers and executives
- 📊 Track KPIs like CAC, LTV, ROAS, conversion rates, brand lift
- 📣 Oversee communication strategy: PR, branding, internal messaging
- 🤖 Leverage AI, Martech, and automation tools for scale
Example: At a Series B SaaS startup in Bengaluru, the VP of Marketing might lead international expansion campaigns, run GTM strategy, and implement a scalable marketing automation system.
Tools You’ll Be Using
- ✅ CRM tools: HubSpot, Salesforce
- ✅ Analytics: GA4, Mixpanel, Looker Studio
- ✅ Campaign Platforms: Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads
- ✅ AI Tools: Jasper, ChatGPT, Copy.ai, Lumen5
- ✅ Automation: ActiveCampaign, Marketo, MoEngage
- ✅ Project & Team Management: Asana, Notion, Slack
Key Skills Required
Strategic & Technical Skills:
- Integrated marketing planning
- Growth forecasting & budgeting
- Performance marketing strategy
- Funnel and conversion rate optimization
- Martech and analytics integration
Leadership Skills:
- Hiring, training & scaling high-performance teams
- Cross-functional communication
- Crisis management & brand safety
- Stakeholder management (CXOs, board, investors)
Bonus AI Skills:
- AI content operations
- Personalization strategies using ML models
- Predictive analytics for campaign planning
Typical Day in the Life of a VP of Marketing
🕘 9:00 AM – Team sync with brand, growth, content, performance teams
📈 11:00 AM – Review KPIs and latest campaign dashboards
🎤 1:00 PM – Present marketing roadmap in leadership town hall
🤖 3:00 PM – Demo new AI content repurposing tool with agency
📚 6:00 PM – Block time for strategic brainstorming or investor updates
Salary Insights (India – 2025 Data)
- Startup (Series A–B): ₹50 LPA – ₹80 LPA
- Mid-sized brands or SaaS orgs: ₹80 LPA – ₹1.2 Cr
- Unicorns or MNCs (10+ years exp): ₹1.5 Cr – ₹3 Cr+
- Consultant/Fractional VP: ₹2L – ₹10L/month retainer
Career Growth & Path
Marketing Executive → Manager → Director → VP of Marketing → CMO → Board/Advisor → CEO (in some cases)
Crossover Opportunities:
- Chief Growth Officer (CGO)
- Chief Brand Officer
- Product Marketing Leader
- AI-Driven CX Strategist
Are You Ready for This Role? (Self-Assessment Questions)
- Can you connect marketing metrics to P&L and business impact?
- Are you confident in leading teams across functions and skill levels?
- Do you think strategically but execute fast?
- Are you fluent in both data and creativity?
- Can you handle CXOs, chaos, and campaigns simultaneously?
Common Challenges
- Balancing brand building vs performance pressure
- Aligning marketing with business & product timelines
- Staying current with tech, platforms, and algorithms
- Retaining high-performing team members
- Managing unrealistic growth expectations (especially in startups)
How to overcome:
- Build strong internal processes and culture
- Automate low-value tasks
- Prioritize what moves the needle
- Communicate transparently across all levels
Interview Preparation Tips
- Be ready to share case studies with real KPIs (growth, churn, LTV)
- Showcase leadership impact: team scaling, process building
- Have strong opinions on branding, AI, and martech
- Talk numbers: CAC, MQLs, SQLs, attribution models
- Demonstrate how you align marketing with revenue and retention
Quote of Motivation
“The future VP of Marketing isn’t a brand custodian—they’re a revenue driver, culture builder, and innovation catalyst.” — FSIDM
FSIDM Relevance
Want to lead high-performing marketing teams with AI, analytics, and automation? FSIDM’s advanced digital marketing programs help you think like a VP and act like one.
Recommended Resources
🎓 Courses:
- FSIDM Advanced Digital Marketing + AI Leadership Track
- Reforge – Marketing Strategy
- CXL – Executive Marketing Leadership
- IIM Executive Education – Digital Transformation in Marketing
📚 Books:
- The Marketing Playbook – John Zagula
- Radical Candor – Kim Scott (for leadership)
- Hacking Growth – Sean Ellis
- Good Strategy Bad Strategy – Richard Rumelt
🛠 Tools to Master:
- Jasper, GA4, HubSpot, Slack, Notion, LinkedIn Ads
- ChatGPT (for planning + delegation)
- Clearbit + Lusha (for B2B prospecting and targeting)
🎧 Podcasts & Blogs:
- FSIDM Blog
- The CMO Podcast
- Marketing Week India
- Lenny’s Newsletter (Product + Marketing insights)
- The FlipMyFunnel Show (ABM strategies)
TL;DR
The VP of Marketing is a high-impact leadership role that requires mastery of strategy, team management, AI tools, and growth KPIs. If you’re ready to lead with vision—and back it with performance—this is your launchpad to becoming a CMO or founder.
