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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an Influencer Manager

💰 $75,000 - $120,000

MarketingPublic RelationsSocial MediaBrand Management

🎯 Role Definition

An Influencer Manager is the strategic linchpin between a brand and the creator economy. This role is dedicated to building and nurturing authentic relationships with social media influencers, content creators, and key opinion leaders to drive brand awareness, engagement, and conversion. More than just a campaign manager, the Influencer Manager acts as a relationship builder, strategist, negotiator, and trend-spotter, weaving a network of brand advocates who genuinely connect with our target audience. They are responsible for the entire lifecycle of influencer marketing, from strategy development and talent identification to campaign execution and performance analysis, ultimately translating creator partnerships into measurable business impact.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Social Media Coordinator / Specialist
  • Marketing Coordinator / Assistant
  • Public Relations (PR) Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Senior Influencer Marketing Manager
  • Head of Influencer Marketing
  • Director of Brand Partnerships

Lateral Moves:

  • Brand Manager
  • Content Strategy Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, execute, and continuously refine comprehensive influencer marketing strategies and creative campaigns that align with overarching brand goals, product launches, and key marketing initiatives.
  • Lead the end-to-end process of identifying, vetting, and recruiting a diverse portfolio of on-brand influencers, content creators, and brand ambassadors across various tiers (nano, micro, macro, and celebrity).
  • Cultivate and maintain strong, authentic, long-term relationships with influencers and their management, acting as the primary point of contact and fostering a community of brand advocates.
  • Spearhead negotiation and management of all influencer contracts, including deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity clauses, and compensation, ensuring favorable terms while maintaining positive partner relationships.
  • Manage the full campaign lifecycle from initial outreach and briefing to content approval and final payment, ensuring all deliverables are high-quality, on-brand, and submitted on schedule.
  • Oversee the influencer marketing budget, including forecasting, allocation, and tracking of expenditures to ensure campaigns are delivered within budget and maximize return on investment (ROI).
  • Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and utilize analytics tools to meticulously monitor, measure, and report on campaign performance, social engagement, and overall impact on brand awareness and conversion.
  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Brand Marketing, PR, Social Media, E-commerce, and Legal to ensure cohesive and integrated campaign execution across all consumer touchpoints.
  • Develop clear, compelling, and comprehensive creative briefs for influencers, outlining campaign objectives, key messaging, content guidelines, and mandatory FTC disclosure requirements.
  • Stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving social media landscape, identifying emerging trends, new platforms, and potential creator talent to keep the brand's strategy innovative and relevant.
  • Manage and scale product seeding and gifting programs, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for creators that generates organic content and goodwill.
  • Review and provide constructive feedback on all influencer-generated content to ensure it aligns with brand aesthetics, voice, tone, and legal compliance standards before publication.
  • Compile and present detailed post-campaign analysis and wrap-up reports to key stakeholders, highlighting successes, key learnings, and actionable insights for future initiatives.
  • Own and manage the influencer database or CRM platform (e.g., Grin, CreatorIQ), ensuring all partner information, communication logs, and performance data are meticulously maintained.
  • Plan and execute influencer-focused events, activations, and trips, managing all logistics to create memorable brand experiences and foster deeper community connections.
  • Analyze competitor influencer strategies and activities to identify opportunities, threats, and areas for differentiation in a crowded market.

Secondary Functions

  • Act as the internal subject matter expert on influencer marketing, educating other teams on best practices, industry benchmarks, and the value of creator partnerships.
  • Coordinate with the paid media team to amplify top-performing influencer content through strategic boosting, maximizing reach and engagement beyond the creator's organic audience.
  • Handle all financial administration related to influencer campaigns, including processing invoices, tracking payments, and reconciling the budget on a monthly and quarterly basis.
  • Source and manage user-generated content (UGC) derived from influencer campaigns, securing appropriate rights for use across other marketing channels like email, website, and paid ads.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Influencer Marketing Platforms: High proficiency with influencer relationship management and discovery tools (e.g., Grin, AspireIQ, CreatorIQ, Tagger).
  • Social Media Analytics: Deep understanding of native platform analytics (Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, etc.) and third-party social listening/reporting tools.
  • Contract Negotiation: Proven ability to negotiate contracts covering complex deliverables, compensation structures, content usage rights, and exclusivity terms.
  • Budget Management: Strong financial acumen with experience in forecasting, managing, and reporting on a significant marketing budget to demonstrate ROI.
    -Compliance Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of FTC guidelines, advertising standards, and disclosure requirements for influencer marketing.
  • Project Management Software: Experience using tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com to manage complex campaign timelines and deliverables.

Soft Skills

  • Relationship Building: An innate talent for building and nurturing genuine, long-term relationships and fostering a sense of community.
  • Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling outreach, write clear creative briefs, and present results to leadership.
  • Strategic Thinking: The ability to see the bigger picture, develop innovative strategies that align with business objectives, and pivot based on data and trends.
  • Organization & Detail-Orientation: Superior organizational skills to juggle multiple campaigns, creators, and deadlines simultaneously without letting details slip.
  • Negotiation & Persuasion: Strong, yet personable, negotiation skills to achieve win-win outcomes for both the brand and its creator partners.
  • Trend Spotting: A keen eye for emerging social media trends, platform features, and up-and-coming talent to maintain a competitive edge.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year university.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Marketing
  • Communications
  • Public Relations
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-5 years of experience in social media marketing, digital PR, or a directly related field.

Preferred: A proven track record of 3+ years in a dedicated influencer marketing role, with a portfolio of successful, data-driven campaigns for a consumer-facing brand (either in-house or at an agency). Direct experience managing six-figure budgets and negotiating with top-tier talent is highly desirable.

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