VP of Marketing
Current RoleDirector of Marketing
Target RoleVP of Marketing → Director of Marketing
This is more a change of focus than a change of career. As a VP of Marketing you already hold most of what a Director of Marketing needs — what shifts is the day-to-day work and where you go deeper, not the core skill set.
What Already Carries Over
These skills transfer directly. Use them as resume language and interview proof while you build toward the target role.
Digital Marketing
marketingSEO Strategy
technicalMarketing Automation
technicalAnalytics & Reporting
analyticalA/B Testing
technicalUser Acquisition
marketingAutomation
technicalCRM
technicalPaid Media
technicalWhat Makes VP of Marketing a Distinct Starting Point
Skills that define this starting point — useful context that may differentiate your resume or broaden your options.
Where you go deeper as a Director of Marketing
What differsOnly a few areas differ — a shift like this is about depth and focus, not retraining.
How the Roles Overlap
See what carries over, what stays unique, and what you would need to build next.
Your VP of Marketing → Director of Marketing Plan
A step-by-step plan for closing the gaps. Most people complete this in 12-18 months.
Assess Your Current Skills
Audit your existing skills against the target role requirements. Identify which skills transfer directly and which need development.
- Map your current skills to the target role skill matrix
- Take online assessments to benchmark your level
- Identify your strongest transferable skills
Close the Gap
Focus on learning the missing skills through structured courses, hands-on projects, and deliberate practice.
- Enroll in targeted courses for gap skills
- Complete 2-3 hands-on practice projects
- Join communities related to your target role
Build Portfolio Evidence
Create tangible projects that demonstrate your target-role skills. Document your process and results.
- Build 2-3 portfolio projects using target skills
- Publish case studies or blog posts about your work
- Get feedback from professionals in the target role
Network & Find Mentors
Connect with people already in your target role. Learn from their experience and uncover hidden opportunities.
- Attend industry meetups and virtual events
- Schedule informational interviews with 5-10 professionals
- Find a mentor who has made a similar transition
Make the Transition
Apply for roles leveraging your transferable skills. Emphasize your unique perspective from your current background.
- Update your resume to highlight transferable skills
- Apply strategically to roles matching your skill level
- Prepare stories that bridge your past and future role
Skills in social media management, content strategy, and SEO strategy transfer directly—these are the tactical pillars any director must oversee. The Amgen role emphasizes serving patients with serious illnesses, so your existing marketing strategy capabilities will be applied to a healthcare context rather than a commercial one.
You'll need to build channel optimization and audience research skills specific to the pharma industry, where regulatory constraints shape every campaign. Email marketing becomes a primary execution tool, and you'll go deeper into channel strategy to coordinate across traditional and digital touchpoints in a highly regulated environment.
Transferable Foundation
9 skills overlap directly, giving you a head start on day one.
From VP of Market
Your background in vp of marketing provides unique context that differentiates you.
Growing Demand
Director of Marketings are in high demand across industries — your timing is excellent.
Other Paths from VP of Marketing
Explore more adjacent roles that share part of this foundation.
Ready to Compare Your Options?
Start with one target, understand the gaps, and keep the adjacent paths in view.