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The differences between business directors and business unit managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a business director and a business unit manager. Additionally, a business director has an average salary of $124,563, which is higher than the $122,782 average annual salary of a business unit manager.
The top three skills for a business director include project management, healthcare and sigma. The most important skills for a business unit manager are continuous improvement, customer service, and product line.
| Business Director | Business Unit Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $124,563 | $122,782 |
| Hourly rate | $59.89 | $59.03 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 137,880 | 295,151 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Business directors are responsible for overseeing the development of an organization's business goals and objectives. They typically work to increase business revenue, identify and develop business opportunities, and expand the company's presence and its brands. Other duties and responsibilities may include establishing effective company policies, goals, and sales targets, overseeing financial and budgetary activities, and identifying ways to minimize cost and boost financial performance. Business directors are also expected to negotiate contracts with clients and suppliers and propose and develop new partnerships.
A business unit manager handles a unit or segment of the company. This unit may be a specialized team on specific projects or a part of a significant production process. The business unit manager ensures that the unit works efficiently and productively by implementing strategies and techniques that will enhance the productive output. A business unit manager also provides suggestions, offers solutions to problems, handles tasks delegation, planning production processes, and training and monitoring of employees in a unit.
Business directors and business unit managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Director | Business Unit Manager | |
| Average salary | $124,563 | $122,782 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $178,000 | Between $81,000 And $184,000 |
| Highest paying City | Providence, RI | East Providence, RI |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Ep Energy | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a business director and a business unit manager in terms of educational background:
| Business Director | Business Unit Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between business directors' and business unit managers' demographics:
| Business Director | Business Unit Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.3% Female, 36.7% | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |