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How an Online Coaching Academy Hired a Marketing Operations Manager in 3 Weeks
By Yenne, Headhunter at Retalent · Updated October 2026
Fast-moving CEOs often ask for an "assistant" when what they really need is someone to run the whole marketing engine behind them.
A US-based online coaching academy for nurses came to Retalent for the first time with exactly that kind of brief. Once we reframed the role, they set out to hire a marketing operations manager who could own launches, coordinate media buyers and sales, pull the numbers and build repeatable systems. In about three weeks, they hired a Brazil-based marketing operations manager with near-native English for $38,400 a year. The same role costs $65,000 to $85,000 in the US.
Here's how getting the role right from the start led to a hire the CEO called "PERFECT."
The challenge: an "assistant" brief for a much bigger role
The client is a US-based online coaching academy for nurses, led by its CEO and COO, and working with us for the first time. They needed someone to own the marketing engine behind the CEO: running the marketing calendar and launches, coordinating media buyers and the sales team, pulling the numbers, and turning repeatable work into documented systems.
Three things needed solving:
Three things needed solving:
- The title didn't match the job. The client first described the role as an executive assistant, but the scope was much closer to a marketing operations manager.
- The personality profile didn't match the work. The brief leaned toward a big-picture, highly autonomous personality, while the daily work of reporting, QA and launch checklists called for someone detail-oriented and process-driven.
- Speed of communication was non-negotiable. The CEO works fast and needed someone who could keep up in real time, in fluent English, on a budget that made sense for a growing business.
How we hired a marketing operations manager in 5 steps
We showed that the responsibilities (project management, owning the marketing calendar, coordinating media buyers and sales, reporting and SOPs) added up to a marketing operations manager rather than an assistant. We recommended a detail-oriented systems builder with a growth path in marketing.
We benchmarked $2,800 to $3,500 a month for a strong, English-fluent, mid-level operator in Latin America, with Southern and Eastern Europe 20% to 30% higher. We recommended starting in Latin America for the budget and a one-hour time difference.
We drafted the job description and a custom assessment for approval, and asked the CEO for a short video introducing the company. Within ten days, we were presenting tested and interviewed candidates, with a pipeline update every week.
Once the CEO stressed that she needed someone who could communicate as fast as she works, we made it a top filter. We flagged hesitant speakers, highlighted the candidate with near-native English, which is rare in Latin America, and were candid about her short time in her current job.
We pushed for feedback within one to three business days, and sent the CEO's calendar to her favorite candidate as soon as another finalist moved forward. We also reviewed the client's offer and contractor agreement, so it went out the day after the final interview.
The results: the CEO's favorite at first look
From kickoff to a signed offer took about three weeks. Out of more than 330 candidates screened and 18 tested, the client chose the candidate the CEO called her favorite at first look: a Brazil-based marketing operations manager with near-native English and hands-on experience building AI workflows, dashboards and QA checklists.
She was hired at $3,200 a month, signed the same day the offer arrived and started in September. The client was already lining up a second role with us.
She was hired at $3,200 a month, signed the same day the offer arrived and started in September. The client was already lining up a second role with us.
US Market Rate (Annual Cost)
$65,000 to $85,000
Hired in Brazil (Annual Cost)
$38,400
Savings
41% to 55% ($26,600 to $46,600 a year)
What the client said:
"It is going great. She is the PERFECT candidate. Thank you so much!"
4 lessons for hiring a marketing operations manager
- Name the role for what it really is. An "assistant" title attracts assistants. Calling it marketing operations brought in candidates at the right level.
- Hire for the daily work, not just the vision. Reporting, QA and launch checklists need a detail-oriented systems builder.
- Make your top priority the top filter. Screening hard on communication speed matched what mattered most to the CEO.
- Keep feedback windows short. Responding within one to three business days closed this hire in about three weeks. If you need an operator who also supports you directly, see how another founder hired a senior executive assistant.
Read next: How a Coaching Academy Hired a HubSpot RevOps Specialist in 3 Weeks · How a Fast-Growing AI Startup Hired a Creative Producer to Scale Short-Form Video
Frequently asked questions
In the US, a marketing operations manager typically costs $65,000 to $85,000 a year. A strong, English-fluent mid-level operator in Latin America typically costs $2,800 to $3,500 a month. In this search, the client hired one in Brazil for $3,200 a month.
They run the marketing engine day to day: managing the marketing calendar and launches, coordinating media buyers and sales, reporting on performance, and documenting repeatable processes as SOPs.
An executive assistant mainly supports one person with scheduling, communication and admin. A marketing operations manager owns marketing projects, launches, reporting and systems across a team.
Latin America offers strong, English-fluent operators at lower costs, with little or no time difference from the US. In this case, the time difference was just one hour.
This search took about three weeks from kickoff to a signed offer, thanks to a clear role, a realistic budget and fast feedback.
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Book a free call with Retalent and tell us about the content you want to create.