Find the Right Marketing Ops Person – Interview Questions and More! | Heinz Marketing

By means of Brenna LofquistSenior Marketing Consultant / Client Services Operations at Heinz Marketing

Marketing orchestration has been very important to me lately. It’s not just a topic I’m interested in. I’m passionate about it too. We’ve been working with a client for over a year to develop and implement a workflow from campaign planning to execution, so I’ve had a good dose of hands-on experience. I’ve been involved in a few discussions lately about MO (Marketing Orchestration), which brings me to the topic of today’s blog post: How to Hire the Right Marketing Operations Person.

It has become very clear that organizations need a Marketing Operations person who is skilled not only in the organization’s tools and technology, but also in its processes. I believe they go hand in hand and finding the right person who encompasses both is very important. If budget allows, the Marketing Operations role should be separate from other roles such as Demand Gen or even Marketing Manager. Ideally you want specific focus on each area and combining more than one role will take away the focus.

Let’s take a look at the position’s responsibilities, interview questions, and benefits!

Responsibilities

Obviously, responsibilities will need to be tailored to your organization, but there are a few things to consider as the Marketing Operations person oversees both technology and processes. These responsibilities include:

• Evaluate and assess new tools
• Setting up new tools and technology
• Define and document processes (including technology)
• Train others/other teams in the organization
• Track team efficiency and productivity through the defined processes
• Oversee end-to-end workflow and processes (including continuous optimization)
• Promote collaboration between teams to ensure a cohesive approach

This is not an exhaustive list, but should be a good starting point if you are looking to update your Marketing Operations role or are looking for someone new.

Interview questions

For the purposes of this post, below are interview questions that can be used to determine if candidates have skills related to processes and not focused on the technology skill. I trust you have that covered.

• Describe a situation where you implemented or improved a marketing process to increase efficiency?
  • What steps did you take and what factors did you take into account in developing it?
• 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 result.
• Describe a situation where you identified bottlenecks in a workflow.
  • How have you streamlined the process to improve efficiency?
  • You could take it a step further and ask how they communicated the changes to the different teams.
• How do you approach documenting marketing processes?
  • How do you think thorough documentation has contributed to the success of marketing activities?
• Share an example of how you ensure the quality and consistency of marketing processes.
  • What methods or tools do you use for quality assurance?
• Give an example of a time when you collaborated with other departments to improve a cross-functional process?
• Discuss a situation where you implemented a significant change in marketing processes.
  • How did you deal with resistance?
  • What steps have you taken to ensure a smooth transition?
• How do you incorporate feedback from team members into improving marketing processes?
  • Share a specific example where feedback led to positive change in a process?

Advantages

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

• Efficient implementation and use of technology: Ensure teams leverage technology, automate repetitive tasks, optimize workflows, and improve 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 their impact. The synergy between technology and processes is crucial for seamless business operations.

To sum it all up

A Marketing Operations person who has a strong understanding and experience in both technology (this is well understood) and processes (highlighted 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 the creation of streamlined processes that improve collaboration and overall effectiveness within the marketing team and across the organization.

How is the role of Marketing Operations defined in your organization?

Image by Freepik