Growth, performance and product marketing are less than 5% of leadership roles: how to have these functions without hiring a whole team

Growth, performance and product marketing, combined, stay below 5% of marketing leadership roles in Brazil, according to the Brazilian CMO X-Ray. In our reading, that doesn’t mean the functions are rare in companies. It means almost no one has a role dedicated only to them. The way out is to treat each one as a function, not as a job opening.

What the survey shows

The Brazilian CMO X-Ray (Driva and B2B Insiders, May/2026) mapped 17,633 directors and CMOs. Of the B2B CMOs, who are 59.6% of the total, 57% are in companies of up to 50 employees. The three cited titles, Growth, Performance and Product Marketing, together don’t reach 5% of marketing leadership.

The study measures roles, and doesn’t measure who performs the function without the title. So the number shows the scarcity of dedicated leadership positions, not the absence of the work.

What each function does

Growth handles the whole funnel: where the customer enters, where they stall and what to test to unblock it.

Performance handles paid media: cost, volume and lead quality by channel.

Product marketing handles what the company says and to whom: positioning, message and sales material.

In a small company, the three usually fall on the same CMO, with no time for any of them.

How to cover all three without building a team

We believe in four moves, in this order.

Choose the function that blocks revenue the most. If the lead arrives but doesn’t convert, start with product marketing and sales. If the cost per lead rises, start with performance. If there’s no clarity about where the funnel loses people, start with growth.

Unify the data before hiring anything. Without CRM, media and sales in the same base, none of the three functions can measure its own effect.

Use AI for the repetitive part. IAB Brasil and Nielsen show that 90% of professionals already use AI for data analysis. Preparing a report and reading channel variation is a good use, as long as someone checks the figure.

Hire by project what doesn’t require daily dedication. A funnel experiment or a message review can be done by a partner, with your team following and learning.

To take to the team

1. Which of these three functions blocks our revenue the most today?
2. Who performs each one, even without the title?
3. Are our CRM, media and sales data already in the same base?

If the answer to the third is no, see how we structure marketing intelligence for small teams. For the context of the study, read the B2B CMO became the majority. If you want to build this on your team, get to know NorthStar’s marketing intelligence.

Frequently asked

How many growth, performance and product marketing roles exist in leadership?

Combined, they represent less than 5% of marketing leadership, according to the Brazilian CMO X-Ray (Driva and B2B Insiders, 2026).

Does that mean companies don't do growth and performance?

No. The study measures leadership titles. Many companies perform the functions inside other roles, without a dedicated post.

Which function should I start with?

With the one that blocks revenue the most. Without a clear answer, start by unifying the data, because all three depend on it.

Does AI replace these functions?

The studies we consulted don’t measure that. In our reading, it speeds up the repetitive part and doesn’t replace the decision about what to test and what to say.

Sources

• Mundo do Marketing, on the Brazilian CMO X-Ray (Driva and B2B Insiders), 20/05/2026. mundodomarketing.com.br
• Consumidor Moderno, on the 2nd edition of the IAB Brasil and Nielsen study, Sep/2026. consumidormoderno.com.br