Head of Marketing Interview Scorecard
ZYTHR Resources •
September 11, 2025
TL;DR
This scorecard assesses a Head of Marketing across strategy, execution, analytics, leadership, collaboration, and communication to ensure measurable business impact. It provides clear behavioral anchors and examples to standardize interview evaluations and hiring decisions.
Who this scorecard is for
Intended for hiring managers, VPs, and interview panels evaluating candidates for Head of Marketing roles. Use it to calibrate interviewers, score candidates consistently, and identify development gaps.
Preview the Scorecard
See what the Head of Marketing Interview Scorecard looks like before you download it.
How to use and calibrate
- Pick the level (Junior, Mid, Senior, or Staff) and adjust anchor examples accordingly.
- Use the quick checklist during the call; fill the rubric within 30 minutes after.
- Or use ZYTHR to transcribe the interview and automatically fill in the scorecard live.
- Run monthly calibration with sample candidate answers to align expectations.
- Average across interviewers; avoid single-signal decisions.
Detailed rubric with anchor behaviors
Marketing Strategy
- 1–2: No coherent long-term plan; decisions are ad hoc and reactive.
- 3: Defines a clear annual marketing strategy aligned to business goals and KPIs.
- 4: Builds multi-year strategy, prioritizes channels, and sequences initiatives for impact.
- 5: Creates visionary strategy that anticipates market shifts and creates sustainable competitive advantage.
Demand Generation & Growth
- 1–2: Cannot design or scale repeatable acquisition programs; inconsistent results.
- 3: Runs predictable campaigns that reliably generate leads and opportunities.
- 4: Optimizes funnel metrics and scales high-ROI channels across segments.
- 5: Drives material revenue growth through creative channel experiments and scalable systems.
Brand & Positioning
- 1–2: Messaging is inconsistent and confused across touchpoints.
- 3: Maintains a coherent value proposition and consistent messaging across channels.
- 4: Differentiates the brand in market and guides creative and content to reinforce position.
- 5: Successfully repositions the brand to capture new segments and measurably increases brand equity.
Analytics & ROI
- 1–2: Lacks measurement or attribution; cannot tie activities to outcomes.
- 3: Tracks core metrics, reports campaign ROI, and makes data-driven decisions.
- 4: Builds attribution models, links marketing to revenue, and optimizes spend.
- 5: Implements advanced analytics that improve LTV/CAC and drive investment shifts with measurable impact.
Leadership & Team Building
- 1–2: Poor people management; high turnover or unclear roles.
- 3: Hires, develops, and manages a reliable team with clear goals.
- 4: Builds a high-performing team with succession planning and role clarity.
- 5: Develops leaders across the org, retains top talent, and scales team capability proactively.
Cross-functional Collaboration
- 1–2: Operates in silos and misses alignment with sales or product.
- 3: Coordinates with sales, product, and ops on launches and campaigns.
- 4: Proactively influences product roadmap and sales motions to maximize impact.
- 5: Establishes cross-functional processes that integrate marketing into core business planning.
Communication & Stakeholder Influence
- 1–2: Fails to communicate strategy or results to executives and stakeholders.
- 3: Presents clear plans and status updates to leadership and partners.
- 4: Persuades stakeholders to secure resources and cross-team support.
- 5: Influences board-level or executive decisions and drives company-wide adoption of marketing initiatives.
Scoring and weighting
Default weights (adjust per role):
| Dimension | Weight |
|---|---|
| Marketing Strategy | 20% |
| Demand Generation & Growth | 18% |
| Brand & Positioning | 14% |
| Analytics & ROI | 15% |
| Leadership & Team Building | 14% |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | 11% |
| Communication & Stakeholder Influence | 8% |
Final score = weighted average across dimensions. Require at least two “4+” signals for Senior+ roles.
Complete Examples
Head of Marketing Scorecard — Great Candidate
| Dimension | Notes | Score (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Strategy | Multi-year strategic roadmap driving category leadership. | 5 |
| Demand Generation & Growth | New channels scaled to contribute significant revenue. | 5 |
| Brand & Positioning | Repositioned brand that increased preference or awareness. | 5 |
| Analytics & ROI | Attribution model that materially improved marketing efficiency. | 5 |
| Leadership & Team Building | Built leadership bench and reduced critical role churn. | 5 |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | Shaped product roadmap and GTM to drive joint outcomes. | 5 |
| Communication & Stakeholder Influence | Secured executive sponsorship and expanded budget for strategic programs. | 5 |
Head of Marketing Scorecard — Good Candidate
| Dimension | Notes | Score (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Strategy | Annual plan tied to revenue and growth targets. | 3 |
| Demand Generation & Growth | Consistent lead volume and improving conversion rates. | 3 |
| Brand & Positioning | Clear and consistent value proposition across channels. | 3 |
| Analytics & ROI | Regular ROI reporting and data-informed optimizations. | 3 |
| Leadership & Team Building | Stable team with clear development plans. | 3 |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | Regular coordination with product and sales on GTM. | 3 |
| Communication & Stakeholder Influence | Clear executive updates and stakeholder buy-in for major initiatives. | 3 |
Head of Marketing Scorecard — No-Fit Candidate
| Dimension | Notes | Score (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Strategy | No roadmap or prioritized strategy. | 1 |
| Demand Generation & Growth | No track record of repeatable campaign performance. | 1 |
| Brand & Positioning | Inconsistent or weak positioning in market materials. | 1 |
| Analytics & ROI | No clear KPIs or measurement framework. | 1 |
| Leadership & Team Building | History of unresolved team performance issues. | 1 |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | Recurrent misalignment on launches or requirements. | 1 |
| Communication & Stakeholder Influence | Cannot articulate plan or impact to executives. | 1 |
Recruiter FAQs about this scorecard
Q: Do scorecards actually reduce bias?
A: Yes—when you use the same questions, anchored rubrics, and require evidence-based notes.
Q: How many dimensions should we score?
A: Stick to 6–8 core dimensions. More than 10 dilutes signal.
Q: How do we calibrate interviewers?
A: Run monthly sessions with sample candidate answers and compare scores.
Q: How do we handle candidates who spike in one area but are weak elsewhere?
A: Use weighted average but define non-negotiables.
Q: How should we adapt this for Junior vs. Senior roles?
A: Keep dimensions the same but raise expectations for Senior+.
Q: Does this work for take-home or live coding?
A: Yes. Apply the same dimensions, but adjust scoring criteria for context.
Q: Where should results live?
A: Store structured scores and notes in your ATS or ZYTHR.
Q: What if interviewers disagree widely?
A: Require written evidence, reconcile in debrief, or add a follow-up interview.
Q: Can this template be reused for other roles?
A: Yes. Swap technical dimensions for role-specific ones, keep collaboration and communication.
Q: Can ZYTHR auto-populate the scorecard?
A: Yes. ZYTHR can transcribe interviews, tag signals, and live-populate the scorecard.
See Live Scorecards in Action
ZYTHR is not only a resume-screening took, it also automatically transcribes interviews and live-populates scorecards, giving your team a consistent view of every candidate in real time.