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Marketing and Commercial Managers under SOC 2432 sit at RQF Level 6 or above, covering senior roles that set marketing strategy, own commercial targets, and lead sales or brand teams. Sponsoring one under the Skilled Worker route requires meeting both the general salary threshold and the specific going rate for this occupation code, whichever is higher.
What the Certificate of Sponsorship needs to reflect
Before assigning a CoS, confirm the actual duties match SOC 2432 rather than a more junior marketing executive role that sits under a different code. Home Office caseworkers cross-check job descriptions against SOC definitions, and a mismatch between the code claimed and the duties described is one of the more common issues raised during a compliance visit.
Neighbouring roles it's easy to confuse with 2432
SOC 2432 sits close to several other marketing and commercial titles in practice, even where the underlying skill level differs. A digital marketing executive running campaigns day to day, a marketing coordinator managing a content calendar, or a commercial analyst producing reporting can all carry job titles that sound senior without meeting the strategic ownership and management scope the code actually requires. Equally, a role correctly coded 2432 in one company might genuinely belong under a director-level code in another, where the person sits on the leadership team and owns strategy across the whole business rather than one function. The safest approach is to write the job description from the actual duties first and then find the code that fits, rather than picking a code and writing duties to match it.
Salary floor and going rate for SOC 2432
Because this is a managerial code, the going rate is usually the binding figure rather than the general threshold. Run the exact SOC 2432 going rate against the offered salary before issuing a CoS, using current published figures rather than a previous year's rate - see the going rates guide and the underlying salary floor rules for how tradeable points and new entrant discounts interact with a managerial going rate.
New entrant status rarely applies at this level
New entrant salary discounts exist for early-career workers, but a genuine SOC 2432 role, by definition, usually involves managing people, budgets, or strategy in a way that's difficult to reconcile with an early-career, new-entrant profile. If you're relying on the new entrant rate to make a marketing manager sponsorship affordable, treat that as a signal to double-check whether the role, and the code, are really pitched correctly - a business that needs to discount the salary to make a manager-level hire work financially may be looking at a role that isn't really manager-level at all.
Group structures, matrix reporting and where the role is actually based
Marketing and commercial manager roles often sit inside a wider group structure, reporting into an overseas head office, a regional marketing function, or a matrix line that crosses borders. That structure doesn't change the sponsorship analysis: the worker still needs to be genuinely employed and paid by the UK sponsor entity named on the licence, and their day-to-day work location needs to match what's recorded for the certificate, whether that's a single office, a hybrid pattern, or travel across several UK sites. A common error is describing the role as reporting to, or effectively managed by, an overseas parent in a way that makes the UK entity look like a payroll conduit rather than the real employer - if the UK sponsor doesn't actually direct the work, that's worth resolving before assigning a CoS, not after.
Evidencing the role after sponsorship
Once sponsored, keep a live record of the worker's actual reporting line, KPIs, and any change in duties - a manager promoted or moved into a different function needs a reported change, not just an internal HR note. This matters most at review points: a promotion into a director role, a restructure that removes their team, or a switch from a strategic to a purely operational function can each mean the original SOC code no longer describes the job, which in turn can affect both the salary requirement and the reporting obligation. Automated compliance alerts help flag when a reporting change or salary review needs a corresponding sponsor record update, and keeping the original job description, org chart and offer letter together in a single, retrievable file makes it far easier to demonstrate consistency if questioned later - secure document management is built for exactly this kind of evidence trail. The full reporting obligations sit in the Home Office's sponsor duties guidance (Part 3).
FAQs
Can a Marketing Manager and a Commercial Manager share the same SOC code?
Yes, SOC 2432 covers both where the seniority and strategic scope match the code's definition - but if one role is closer to an operational marketing executive position, a different, lower code may apply, which changes the going rate.
Does a bonus or commission count toward the salary threshold?
Guaranteed allowances can sometimes count, but discretionary bonuses and commission generally do not count toward the going rate calculation - check the current position via the going rates and salary floor guidance above before relying on variable pay.
What if the role is a mix of marketing and general commercial or operations duties?
Classify against whichever set of duties makes up the majority of the role and reflects its main purpose - a hybrid title is common, but the SOC code has to follow the substance of the job, not the job title on the offer letter, and the job description should say so explicitly rather than leaving the split implicit.
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