Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between business development executives and directors of sales & business development can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a business development executive, becoming a director of sales & business development takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a business development executive has an average salary of $97,871, which is higher than the $82,585 average annual salary of a director of sales & business development.
The top three skills for a business development executive include business development, digital transformation and customer service. The most important skills for a director of sales & business development are value proposition, sales cycle, and CRM.
| Business Development Executive | Director Of Sales & Business Development | |
| Yearly salary | $97,871 | $82,585 |
| Hourly rate | $47.05 | $39.70 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 189,950 | 163,561 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 8 |
A business development executive serves as a senior manager who drives company sales. Business development executives convince existing clients to buy more offerings and also source new clients. The focus of their job is on lead generation, prospect management, and customer acquisition. They collaborate with management in terms of sales objectives, planning, and prediction. The skills necessary for this job include customer service and relations, time management, strong written communication, and sales process experience.
A director of sales & business development is responsible for monitoring the business and project plans, ensuring that the sales targets are met, according to project requirements and specifications. Directors of sales & business development perform data analysis to track business performance and identify opportunities to grow revenues and profits. They also coordinate with the clients and maintain healthy business relationships by enhancing their brand image on various platforms and reach the target audience. A director of sales & business development works closely with the marketing and sales team for public relations and marketing campaigns placement.
Business development executives and directors of sales & business development have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Development Executive | Director Of Sales & Business Development | |
| Average salary | $97,871 | $82,585 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $149,000 | Between $38,000 And $176,000 |
| Highest paying City | Phoenix, AZ | Arlington, VA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Clifford Chance | Mastercard |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between a business development executive and a director of sales & business development in terms of educational background:
| Business Development Executive | Director Of Sales & Business Development | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between business development executives' and directors of sales & business development' demographics:
| Business Development Executive | Director Of Sales & Business Development | |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 81.5% Female, 18.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 7% |