Find the Right Marketing Ops Person – Interview Qs and More!

Summary

What should you look for in your Marketing Ops role? It's not just about tech. Processes play a big role. Read on for a list of responsibilities, benefits and interview questions to get this role right for optimized marketing orchestration.

By Brenna Lofquist, Senior Marketing Consultant / Client Services Operations at Heinz Marketing

Marketing Orchestration has been very top of mind for me lately. It’s not only a topic I’m interested in. I’m passionate about it. We have been working with a client for over a year to develop and implement a campaign planning-to-execution workflow so I’ve had a good chunk of hands-on experience. I’ve been involved in a few discussions about MO (Marketing Orchestration) lately, which leads me to the topic of today’s blog post: How to hire the right Marketing Operations person.

It’s become very apparent organizations need a Marketing Operations person who is not only proficient in the tools and technology of the organization but also the processes. I believe they go hand-in-hand and finding the right person who encompasses both is very important. Budget allowing, the Marketing Operations role should be separate from any other roles such as Demand Gen or even a Marketing Manager. Ideally you want dedicated focus in each area and combining more than one role, will take away from their focus.

Let’s dive into the responsibilities of the role, interview questions, and the benefits!

Responsibilities

Obviously, the responsibilities should be customized to fit your organization however, there are a few things to include when the Marketing Operations person oversees both tech and processes. Those responsibilities include:

• Evaluate and assess new tools
• Set up new tools and tech
• Define and document processes (includes tech)
• Train others/other teams in the org
• Track efficiency and productivity of teams via the defined processes
• Oversee the end-to-end workflow and processes (includes continuous optimization)
• Foster collaboration between teams to ensure a cohesive approach

This is not an exhaustive list but should provide a great starting point if you want to update your Marketing Operations role or looking for someone new.

Interview Questions

For the purpose of this post, below are interview questions that can be used to determine if candidates possess skills related to processes and are not focused on the technology proficiency.  I trust you’ve got that covered.

• Describe a situation where you implemented or improved a marketing process to enhance efficiency?
  • What steps did you take, and what factors did you consider in its development?
• How do you approach organizing and prioritizing tasks to ensure a smooth workflow within the marketing team?
• Give an example of a challenging project where you created a structured plan to achieve the desired outcome.
• Describe a situation where you identified bottlenecks in a workflow.
  • How did you go about streamlining the process to improve efficiency?
  • You could take it a step further and ask how they communicated the changes out to the different teams.
• How do you approach documenting marketing processes?
  • In your experience, how has thorough documentation contributed to the success of marketing operations?
• Share an example of how you ensure the quality and consistency of marketing processes.
  • What methods or tools do you use for quality assurance?
• Provide an example of a time when you collaborated with other departments to enhance a cross-functional process?
• Discuss a situation where you implemented a significant change in marketing processes.
  • How did you manage resistance?
  • What steps did you take to ensure a smooth transition?
• How do you incorporate feedback from team members into the improvement of marketing processes?
  • Share a specific example where feedback led to a positive change in a process?

Benefits

You know the benefits and importance of their tech expertise. So what are the benefits in having a process-oriented Marketing Operations person? Here’s a few.

• Efficient implementation and use of technology: Ensure teams are using technology to its fullest potential, automating repetitive tasks, optimizing workflows, and improving overall efficiency.
• Strategic alignment and data-driven decision-making: Understanding both components allows for better strategic alignment, ensuring the right data is collected and used for decision-making.
• Streamlined processes and improved collaboration: Technology alone is not enough; effective processes are essential to maximize its impact. The synergy between technology and processes is vital for achieving seamless operations.

To sum it all up

A Marketing Operations person who possesses a strong understanding and experience in both technology (this is well understood) and processes (emphasized here) can bridge the gap between strategic goals and day-to-day execution.

The end result is the efficient implementation of marketing technology and processes, informed decision-making, and creation of streamlined processes that enhance collaboration and overall effectiveness within the marketing team and across the organization.

How is the Marketing Operations role defined in your organization?

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