head of growth - Growth Method

Head of growths: What they do & how to hire one

Article written by

Stuart Brameld

Hiring a head of growth can transform your business by implementing strategies to accelerate growth and increase profitability. They can also introduce agile marketing techniques, which adapt to changes swiftly, thus, advancing your company's competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving market.

"Every modern business needs a Head of Growth because this person is crucial in driving customer acquisition, activating customers, retaining them, and maximising the business' revenue."
Stuart Brameld, Growth Method CEO & Growth Advisor

Growth & growth marketing on the rise

According to Google Trends, worldwide interest in growth marketing has increased substantially over the last 15 years, and continues to grow.

The LinkedIn 2023 Jobs on the Rise list examines millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members across the last 5 years. The results reveal the 25 fastest-growing job titles over the past five years, the most in-demand roles, and emerging trends defining the future world of work.

Growth and growth marketing-related roles were consistently placed in the top 10 fastest-growing roles worldwide, with 2 growth-related roles in the UK’s top 10 fastest-growing jobs.

What is the role of a head of growth

The role of a Head of Growth is centred around overseeing and guiding the strategic growth of a business or organisation. This involves developing and executing growth strategies, which can include customer acquisition, activation, retention, referral, and revenue (commonly known as the AARRR model) milestones. These professionals need to monitor the entire customer lifecycle effectively to ensure sustainable and profitable growth.

Another key part of their role is establishing a robust culture of experimentation. This means continually testing new tactics, measuring their success, and adapting as needed. The ability to experiment is critical in modern growth marketing as it helps companies quickly identify the best tactics for maximising growth. Staying ahead of trends and adjusting the growth strategy based on quantitative and qualitative data is crucial, shaping a data-driven and adaptive approach to driving business growth.

What makes a great growth hire?

A modern growth hire requires a wide base level of knowledge, along with deep expertise in one or two areas well-suited to your business.

The T-Shaped Marketer framework popularised by Buffer illustrates the concept well.

"The vertical bar on the T represents the depth of related skills and expertise in a single field, whereas the horizontal bar is the ability to collaborate across disciplines with experts in other areas and to apply knowledge in areas of expertise other than one’s own."
https://buffer.com/resources/t-shaped-marketer/

Required skills for a head of growth

Here are some of the core traits and skills of a good head of growth.

Strategic Thinker: Great heads of growth must always think strategically, considering long-term aims as they create plans.
Strong Analytical Skills: A vital trait is the ability to analyse data correctly and use the findings to make informed decisions.
Creativity: Creativity allows a head of growth to think outside the box and find unique and innovative solutions.
Leadership Abilities: In order to drive growth, one must effectively be able to lead a team, instilling enthusiasm and direction.
Customer-focused: Having a customer-centric approach is key in understanding what appeals to the market and will drive growth.
Adaptable: Flexibility and adaptability are key as the market is dynamic and unpredictable, requiring swift pivots at times.

Head of growth salary

Depending on experience and location, salaries for skilled head of growth's are typically in the ranges below:

For more information you can view active job postings for growth marketing manager roles on LinkedIn here.

The average salary for a Head of Growth in the UK is approximately £75,000 per year.
In the US, the average annual salary for a Head of Growth is around $130,000.