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Business unit director vs business unit manager

The differences between business unit 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 unit director and a business unit manager. Additionally, a business unit director has an average salary of $135,050, which is higher than the $122,782 average annual salary of a business unit manager.

The top three skills for a business unit director include project management, digital marketing and sigma. The most important skills for a business unit manager are continuous improvement, customer service, and product line.

Business unit director vs business unit manager overview

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Unit Manager
Yearly salary$135,050$122,782
Hourly rate$64.93$59.03
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs95,707295,151
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

What does a business unit director do?

A business unit director is a person that makes sure that a segment or unit of a company meets its daily goals. The business unit director monitors the production of units in a company and provides support to increase efficiency. The business unit director's responsibility is to determine each member of a business unit's skill development to ensure the increased productive output of the entire company. The business unit director works with the company's administrative and executive departments to ensure all business units work cohesively and well-coordinated.

What does a business unit manager do?

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 unit director vs business unit manager salary

Business unit directors and business unit managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Unit Manager
Average salary$135,050$122,782
Salary rangeBetween $95,000 And $190,000Between $81,000 And $184,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAEast Providence, RI
Highest paying stateAlaskaRhode Island
Best paying companyLasko ProductsCiti
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalTechnology

Differences between business unit director and business unit manager education

There are a few differences between a business unit director and a business unit manager in terms of educational background:

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Unit Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Business unit director vs business unit manager demographics

Here are the differences between business unit directors' and business unit managers' demographics:

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Unit Manager
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 81.8% Female, 18.2%Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% 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 Percentage10%10%

Differences between business unit director and business unit manager duties and responsibilities

Business unit director example responsibilities.

  • Manage a portfolio of inpatient and outpatient products market to major academic medical centers, community hospitals and nursing homes.
  • Manage a portfolio of inpatient and outpatient products market to major academic medical centers, community hospitals and nursing homes.
  • Increase EBITDA for the division.
  • Obtain first ISO certification for the production lines.
  • Conduct and complete internal reviews of domestic mutual funds and institutional operations, including compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and anti-money laundering requirements.

Business unit manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage capital investment of $250k refurbishment project in RBD department to begin the plant's first TPM program.
  • Manage a portfolio of inpatient and outpatient products market to major academic medical centers, community hospitals and nursing homes.
  • Maintain establishment's monthly bills including payroll, utilities, advertisement, and vending.
  • Review as-is business processes and deploy new processes, roles & responsibilities and KPI's.
  • Calculate and paid all payroll taxes, sales taxes, and alcohol taxes for the business.
  • Develop and implement new business processes, tools, KPI's and scorecards to drive both improvement and adoption.
  • Show more

Business unit director vs business unit manager skills

Common business unit director skills
  • Project Management, 17%
  • Digital Marketing, 14%
  • Sigma, 13%
  • Business Development, 6%
  • Direct Reports, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Common business unit manager skills
  • Continuous Improvement, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Product Line, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 4%
  • Financial Performance, 4%

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