A greater number of men are reaching the higher levels of the marketing profession, despite 75 per cent of marketers being female, according to research by marketing recruiter EMR.
More than twice as many men (18 per cent) reach director level compared to women (seven per cent). The same is true of head of marketing roles with 22 per cent of men and only 12 per cent of women achieving this level.
Furthermore, the gap between men and women in senior marketing positions is most marked between the ages of 30 and 49. Seventeen per cent more men than women reach director and head of marketing positions in their thirties and 16 per cent more in their forties. However, the gap narrows again after the age of fifty with just two per cent more men in these senior positions than women (70 per cent and 68 per cent respectively).
The gender imbalance is also reflected in the fact that a larger proportion of male marketers received a bonus this year – 61 per cent of men compared with 53 per cent of women.
The research also revealed male marketers appear more driven by pay than women. Eleven per cent of men said they left their last job for a higher bonus, compared with just five per cent of women.
Simon Bassett, managing director of EMR says: “For an industry with such a high proportion of women, the gender imbalance in marketing seems even greater at the top of the tree. At the start and end of their careers, women are relatively level with their male counterparts but their career progression is slowing down in the middle – most likely because of having children and the responsibilities of childcare.
“The report also found women are more receptive to the idea of flexible working which may be one route to equality, allowing women to juggle their career and family.”