Ecommerce Marketing Managers: What They Do and How to Hire One


Every ecommerce brand reaches that point where campaigns are running, sales are steady, and growth feels within reach but coordination starts to slip. Creative, paid, and retention teams all work in silos, and nobody’s fully owning performance. That’s when you know it’s time to hire an Ecommerce Marketing Manager.
Before jumping into job ads or recruiters, it helps to understand what this role really does and how it fits within your brand’s structure. Many businesses work with an experienced ecommerce recruitment agency to make this process easier, especially when they need someone who can bridge strategy and execution without a long onboarding curve.
Below, we’ll break down what makes a great ecommerce marketing manager, how to assess candidates, and where to find people who can actually drive measurable growth.
Ecommerce marketing managers are often the quiet power behind sustained revenue growth. They sit between leadership and marketing execution, translating brand goals into structured plans.
Day to day, that means managing:
They’re not just managing ads or email flows, they’re connecting performance across the funnel. The strongest candidates combine analytics, creative direction, and people management in one role.
For smaller teams, this person might also double as an Ecommerce Manager, handling both site performance and marketing direction. You can learn more about how that structure works in our ecommerce manager recruitment guide.
When hiring, focus on integration over specialization. A great ecommerce marketing manager won’t just know how Meta or Google Ads work, they’ll understand how each channel complements the others.
Here’s what to look for:
You can train tools, but you can’t teach instinct. The best hires are commercially curious. They want to know why something worked, not just that it did.
For startups or DTC brands under $5M annual revenue, hiring a full-time ecommerce marketing manager might stretch the budget too soon. In those cases, consider a fractional or contract model.
Fractional managers bring big-brand experience on flexible terms. They can:
Once you reach consistent monthly revenue, you can transition to full-time leadership without disrupting performance. This staged approach also helps clarify what kind of person you actually need before committing long-term.
A common hiring mistake? Expecting one person to handle paid ads, SEO, creative, and CRO all at once. That kind of hybrid role often burns people out and leads to mediocre performance across every channel.
Instead, clarify whether you need a marketing manager (focused on traffic, conversion, and performance) or a brand manager (focused on storytelling and positioning). Overlap is fine but your job description should make the primary focus clear.
If you’re unsure how to structure responsibilities, partnering with a recruiter who understands ecommerce roles helps you benchmark correctly and avoid mismatched expectations.
Good ecommerce marketing managers rarely apply cold through job boards. They’re usually discovered through referrals, recruiter outreach, or niche industry communities.
Here’s where to look:
Working with a targeted recruiter means you get pre-vetted talent who already know the tools, platforms, and growth challenges you’re facing. They can filter out the noise so you only spend time on serious candidates.
Skip the generic “What’s your biggest strength?” questions. Instead, use real-scenario questions that show how they think:
Look for depth, not rehearsed answers. Strong candidates will be transparent about mistakes and curious about what drives results.
Hiring an ecommerce marketing manager isn’t about chasing the flashiest resume, it’s about finding someone who can connect dots across your business and build momentum that lasts.
Start by defining the key outcomes you want from the role. Use documentation and clear KPIs. Then, lean on a trusted ecommerce recruitment agency to handle outreach, screening, and negotiation.
Whether you hire full-time or fractional, the right manager will help you scale faster, streamline your performance, and build a structure for sustainable growth.
Constant Hire works with ecommerce brands worldwide to recruit specialists who can move the needle without the complexity of traditional hiring.
Top talent on your calendar in under 5 days.