Best Jobs For Former Directors [2026]

In 2026, many former directors are reassessing their career paths as the job market continues to evolve. With shifting economic conditions and advances in technology, the confidence of directors has been challenged, leading many to explore new opportunities.

While the number of graduates pursuing degrees aligned with director roles remains stable, the appeal of these positions has waned, resulting in fewer applicants. This trend raises an important question:

Where are all the former directors heading now?

To find out, we analyzed the resumes of former directors to determine their career transitions post-directorship. Our research revealed a wealth of data, leading us to compile the top 100 jobs they are now pursuing.

Among these, we identified several noteworthy and intriguing roles that former directors are gravitating towards.

Top Career Options for Former Directors

While the appeal of these roles varies, they certainly stand out in the job market.

Below, you will find the complete list of positions.

Comprehensive Ranking of Jobs for Former Directors

Rank	Job Title	%
1	Vice President	2.99%
2	Consultant	1.7%
3	Principal	1.17%
4	Senior Director	1.13%
5	Executive Director	1.1%
6	Manager	0.94%
7	Teacher	0.88%
8	Program Manager	0.86%
9	President	0.82%
10	Project Manager	0.71%
11	General Manager	0.71%
12	Owner	0.69%
13	Managing Director	0.68%
14	Substitute Teacher	0.59%
15	Operations Director	0.57%
16	Operations Manager	0.56%
17	Internship	0.56%
18	Senior Project Manager	0.55%
19	Chief Executive Officer	0.53%
20	Chief Finance Officer	0.49%
21	Senior Manager	0.49%
22	Program Director	0.49%
23	Business Developer	0.48%
24	Adjunct Professor	0.44%
25	Instructor	0.42%
26	Administrative Assistant	0.42%
27	Office Manager	0.41%
28	Director Of Sales	0.37%
29	Assistant Director	0.37%
30	Marketing Director	0.35%
31	Chief Operating Officer	0.34%
32	Sales Associate	0.32%
33	Senior Consultant	0.32%
34	Founder	0.31%
35	Customer Service Representative	0.31%
36	Volunteer	0.3%
37	Senior Vice President	0.29%
38	Supervisor	0.28%
39	Human Resources Coordinator	0.28%
40	Account Executive	0.28%
41	President/chief Executive Officer	0.27%
42	Adjunct Faculty	0.26%
43	Assistant Manager	0.26%
44	Principal Consultant	0.25%
45	Management Consultant	0.25%
46	Registered Nurse	0.25%
47	Adjunct Instructor	0.25%
48	Development Director	0.24%
49	Lead Teacher	0.23%
50	Owner/operator	0.23%
51	Administrator	0.23%
52	Sales Representative	0.22%
53	Case Manager	0.22%
54	Coordinator	0.22%
55	Director Of Human Resources	0.22%
56	Team Leader	0.21%
57	Communications Director	0.21%
58	Managing Partner	0.21%
59	Marketing Manager	0.21%
60	Professor	0.21%
61	Account Manager	0.2%
62	Finance Director	0.2%
63	Associate Director	0.2%
64	Preschool Teacher	0.19%
65	Sales Manager	0.19%
66	Assistant Vice President	0.19%
67	President/owner	0.19%
68	Research Assistant	0.19%
69	Director Of Information	0.18%
70	Regional Director	0.18%
71	Human Resources Manager	0.18%
72	Server	0.18%
73	President And Founder	0.18%
74	Service Director	0.17%
75	Vice President, Business Development	0.17%
76	Partner	0.17%
77	Co-Founder	0.17%
78	Chief Information Officer	0.17%
79	Writer And Editor	0.16%
80	Coach	0.16%
81	Editor	0.16%
82	Production Assistant	0.16%
83	Associate	0.16%
84	Store Manager	0.16%
85	Business Development Manager	0.16%
86	Program Coordinator	0.15%
87	Business Consultant	0.15%
88	Creative Director	0.15%
89	Director Of Strategy	0.14%
90	Controller	0.14%
91	Technical Director	0.14%
92	Producer Director	0.14%
93	Board Member	0.14%
94	Marketing Consultant	0.14%
95	Executive Vice President	0.14%
96	Chief Technology Officer	0.14%
97	Assistant Professor	0.14%
98	Sales/marketing	0.13%
99	Clinical Director	0.13%
100	Specialist	0.13%

Common Career Paths for Former Directors

These positions not only leverage the skills directors possess but can also serve as stepping stones to new career trajectories.

It’s important to note that these roles align closely with the expected transitions for individuals leaving directorial positions.

Methodology for Identifying the Best Jobs for Former Directors

Our analysis drew from a comprehensive database of over 7 million resumes. We filtered the data to identify individuals who had previously held director roles, then tracked their subsequent employment to compile a ranked list of their most common job transitions.

To highlight unique career options, we examined the ranked list for positions that:

Appeared in fewer than 1% of all new job listings
Were not included in the top 100 most common roles in our dataset

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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