2026 Emerging Trends for Marketing Hires, Spoiler it Includes AI
"In this Economy and Marketing Landscape your First Marketing Hire is Crucial"
No doubt the expectations of a marketer in 2026 have changed, we've been recruiting marketers for 18 years now, across all sized organisations, and the while the profile of the first marketing hire in 2026 looks different in terms of technical output and digital literacy requirements, the one thing remains the same, the hires who succeed MUST understand your audience and believe in your brands mission. In todays economy, your first marketing hire has never been more crucial to the capacity of your business to scale culturally AND commercially.
Some of the questions we are asked by SME's reaching out to hire their first marketing role, as they recognise the undeniable need to invest in full time onsite marketing:
1. Should I invest in a marketing generalist or a specialist?
2. Should I hire a senior from a large organisation who has been managing a team?
3. What should I be paying my first marketing hire?
4. How do I measure the success of the hire?
The common dilemma? Knowing you need to scale but not knowing which "type" of marketing your business needs and how to get the most ROI from the first hire.
For growing organisations, we are seeing the agile marketing lead as the foundational solution, these hires fit the unique landscape of the business today while seeing the aligned vision culturally and commercially. These hires are special because yes, they combine strategy and execution, but more importantly they are about architectural strategy. These hires have built teams before or feel comfortable enough to design the future marketing team of your business of which they will grow along side. They aren't afraid to delegate, they understand the commercials of the business and also set the tone of voice and culture that will attract the specialised teams to sustain the growth.
Most importantly they LOVE the business, typically would identify as one of your target audience so they can speak the language, are proficient in all areas of marketing but most importantly understand how to reach YOUR clients. Marketing that may work for one business won't work for another, it's about them understanding your audience and your brand and having a genuine desire for the businesses mission to succeed (outside of their own pay packet).
According to Rebecca Godkin, Lead Talent Partner at iknowho and a specialist in sourcing highly skilled marketers to accelerate growth, the importance of these first-time hires cannot be overstated.
"Often, these companies haven’t had a formal marketing or digital function before," Bec explains. "They need results immediately. They need to know they have a solid pair of hands that can drive the marketing agenda from top to bottom a leader who is senior enough to make sound strategic decisions and deliver immediate ROI, but who isn't afraid to jump 'on the tools' if needed and execute a campaign."
Finding this specific profile requires a recruitment partner that has the foresight based on decades of experience understanding organisations and marketing needs. Bec’s expertise lies in identifying those rare individuals through understanding your brands requirements for commercial success, whilst retaining the brands unique voice that speaks to your audience. Coming from a marketing background herself, Bec works with brands from all divisions from health care start up to global fashion. "the right person varies so much, no two marketers are the same even at the same salary, you will get completely different outputs. If the person doesn't understand your audience on an emotional level, it usually doesn't last".
"Quality First Hire Over Quantity Team Size"
As we move through 2026, the definition of a "foundational" marketing hire is evolving, with AI competency becoming a non-negotiable skill set. Modern leaders are leveraging AI to bridge the gap between lean budgets and high-output expectations. Results we are seeing now from AI educated foundational hires include:
- Efficiency & ROI: Using generative tools to maintain a premium brand voice across multiple platforms without an immediate massive headcount.
- Strategic Insights: Automating raw data analysis to turn customer behaviours into actionable growth strategies faster than ever before.
- Future-Proofing: Setting an AI-first culture that ensures the marketing department remains "ahead of the game" as the team expands.
Our market data indicates that these foundational marketing leads, with AI literacy, are increasingly prevalent in the SME sector, as businesses seek a human touch coupled with technical savvy to navigate an ever-changing industry.
"Measurable Commercially and Culturally"
At iknowho, we understand that real success in this space should be measurable both commercially and cultually. With 18 years of industry knowledge and a team of savvy specialists from marketing backgrounds themselves, we help you to avoid the "flooded inbox" methods of others.
Is your business ready for its first strategic marketing hire but you're not sure what exactly the business needs or how to get started?
Connect with Rebecca Godkin today to experience a different kind of recruitment.
bec@iknowho.com.au










