What does an area director do?
Area directors oversee the operations of the company in a particular area. They manage the company's presence in their assigned area. Area directors come up with strategies so that their area meets company goals. They manage the company's performance in their area, from sales to marketing to finance to human resources. Area directors are expected to have in-depth knowledge of the situation and the context in the area they handle. They should be able to identify strengths and areas for improvement in their area. As such, they would be able to capitalize on their strengths and address their areas for improvement. Overall, area directors are responsible for the fulfillment of the company's vision in their area.
Area director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real area director resumes:
- Manage all aspects of selling process such as ROI, quotes, budgetary approval and demos.
- Manage due diligence requirements and rehabilitation plans.
- Lead operations for contract rehabilitation practice across north and central Texas.
- Establish and manage the mid-Atlantic regional office of a privately own legal education company that provide educational services to law students.
- Provide administrative (programmatic and fiscal) oversight for residential homes for people with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.
- Offer risk management and insurance services to the healthcare industry.
- Launch CRM application, while transitioning revenue streams across new product platforms.
- Represent business unit on a global CRM project to build a tool base upon the habits of top performers.
- Assist in preparing and submitting of proposals and other external documents for RFP's, lease extensions and other competitive opportunities.
- Develop specialty programs that increase Medicare revenue year-over-year.
- Maintain department budget and payroll to ensure regulatory compliance.
- Initiate audit processes to evaluate thoroughness of documentation and maintenance of facility and Medicare standards.
- Administer weekly budgets, conduct sales/business forecasting, and report on payroll or other business data.
- Provide oversight at senior management level and hold leadership responsibilities for development and implementation of safety and loss-prevention programs.
- Participate in Kaizen projects in order to identify process changes that increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the facility.
Area director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Area Directors are proficient in Customer Service, Patients, and Home Health. They’re also known for soft skills such as Management skills, Problem-solving skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Area Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 8%
Worked collaboratively with top-level directors and national management to ensure the program was exceeding standards in customer service and financial gains.
- Patients, 8%
Recruited volunteers, organized fund-raisers and special events to benefit research and patients with kidney disease
- Home Health, 8%
Organized and directed all aspects of Medicare Certified Home Health agency with annual revenues in excess of $5M.
- Oversight, 7%
Served as organization's IT leader, providing oversight for strategic planning of hospital information system and technology initiatives.
- Human Resources, 5%
Make recommendations to operations management regarding all human resources functions, with emphasis on goal setting and recognition programs.
- Financial Performance, 4%
Performed operational audits of units and designed improvements to optimize financial performance and operational productivity.
Most area directors use their skills in "customer service," "patients," and "home health" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential area director responsibilities here:
Problem-solving skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling area director duties is problem-solving skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." According to an area director resume, here's how area directors can utilize problem-solving skills in their job responsibilities: "analyzed membership trends, identified opportunities for improvement, and devised strategic marketing solutions to promote new business development. "
Time-management skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of area directors is time-management skills. This skill is critical to many everyday area director duties, as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "maintained installation of fios and dsl jobs on time, within budget, and according to strict quality standards. "
Communication skills. For certain area director responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of an area director rely on this skill, as "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what area directors do: "managed counselors, provided customer support, delivered large-group communications, and administered performance evaluations. "
Leadership skills. Another common skill required for area director responsibilities is "leadership skills." This skill comes up in the duties of area directors all the time, as "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." An excerpt from a real area director resume shows how this skill is central to what an area director does: "provided oversight at senior management level and held leadership responsibilities for development and implementation of safety and loss-prevention programs. "
The three companies that hire the most area directors are:
- Pediatric Partners, now a member of the Sevita family23 area directors jobs
- Aimbridge Hospitality20 area directors jobs
- Pizza Hut17 area directors jobs
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Compare different area directors
Area director vs. Assistant vice president operations
An assistant vice president of operations is responsible for monitoring the company's operational and production processes to ensure high-quality deliverables and achieve the highest client satisfaction. Assistant vice presidents of operations join the senior management team in implementing corporate decisions to enhance the efficiency and stability of the company to provide timely services for the clients and business partners. They also review financial and business transactions, identify cost-reduction methodologies, and develop opportunities to generate revenues and increase profits.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, area director responsibilities require skills like "patients," "human resources," "financial performance," and "compassion." Meanwhile a typical assistant vice president operations has skills in areas such as "avp," "risk management," "project management," and "rehabilitation." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Assistant vice presidents operations really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $96,274. Comparatively, area directors tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $110,804.On average, assistant vice presidents operations reach similar levels of education than area directors. Assistant vice presidents operations are 1.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Area director vs. Director of operations and finance
A director of operations and finance is in charge of overseeing and spearheading business and financial operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the best practices to optimize operations, coordinating with different departments to gather data, conducting research and analysis to identify new business and investment opportunities, and monitoring the progress of various projects and programs. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, area director responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "patients," "home health," and "compassion." Meanwhile, a director of operations and finance has duties that require skills in areas such as "financial operations," "cpa," "project management," and "financial analysis." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Directors of operations and finance may earn a higher salary than area directors, but directors of operations and finance earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $126,734. On the other hand, area directors receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $110,804.In general, directors of operations and finance achieve higher levels of education than area directors. They're 7.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Area director vs. Director of business operations
The position of a director of business operations involves the direction and coordination of an organization. It is the main responsibility of the directors of operations to oversee the profitability and overall growth of their organization. Their job includes staff management, department supervision, goods production, and expense control. They handle the company's resources, create and implement an operational plan, and make sure that the procedures are executed properly. The skills necessary for this position include leadership skills, management skills, customer service, and communication skills.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from area director resumes include skills like "home health," "compassion," "brand marketing," and "direct supervision," whereas a director of business operations is more likely to list skills in "project management," "kpis," "process improvement," and "excellent interpersonal. "
Directors of business operations earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $127,932. Area directors earn the highest pay from the health care industry, with an average salary of $110,804.directors of business operations typically earn similar educational levels compared to area directors. Specifically, they're 4.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Area director vs. Director, technical operations
A director of technical operations is in charge of spearheading the efforts in optimizing business operations. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to determine the best operational practices, setting goals and objectives, allocating budgets, coordinating different departments, and evaluating the performance of technicians and engineers. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to serve as a driving force that leads and encourages the workforce to meet goals and new heights, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between area directors and directors, technical operations, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an area director might have more use for skills like "customer service," "patients," "home health," and "oversight." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of directors, technical operations require skills like "project management," "cloud," "network infrastructure," and "architecture. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for directors, technical operations, with average annual pay of $143,691. Comparatively, the highest area director annual salary comes from the health care industry.directors, technical operations reach similar levels of education compared to area directors, in general. The difference is that they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of area director
Updated January 8, 2025
