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Business unit manager vs director

The differences between business unit managers and directors 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 manager and a director. Additionally, a business unit manager has an average salary of $122,782, which is higher than the $113,489 average annual salary of a director.

The top three skills for a business unit manager include continuous improvement, customer service and product line. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.

Business unit manager vs director overview

Business Unit ManagerDirector
Yearly salary$122,782$113,489
Hourly rate$59.03$54.56
Growth rate6%8%
Number of jobs295,151230,711
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4440
Years of experience66

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.

What does a director do?

Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.

Business unit manager vs director salary

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

Business Unit ManagerDirector
Average salary$122,782$113,489
Salary rangeBetween $81,000 And $184,000Between $66,000 And $192,000
Highest paying CityEast Providence, RINew York, NY
Highest paying stateRhode IslandNew York
Best paying companyCitiMayo Clinic
Best paying industryTechnologyFinance

Differences between business unit manager and director education

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

Business Unit ManagerDirector
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaStanford University

Business unit manager vs director demographics

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

Business Unit ManagerDirector
Average age4440
Gender ratioMale, 82.8% Female, 17.2%Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage10%14%

Differences between business unit manager and director duties and responsibilities

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

Director example responsibilities.

  • Manage water metering programs for NYC and national portfolio.
  • Collaborate with the CPA to manage financials and reporting / distribution to physicians.
  • Manage OEM manufacturing partners for making bulk solutions, product fills and final packaging.
  • Lead company's first deep-fill structural project, bring company into EPA compliance, establish effective QA-QC program.
  • Develop company website entirely as well as wrote and manage the SEO and upkeep for overall site maintenance.
  • Manage the company's hotel portfolio operations and assets, including renovation, new build, conversions, and rebranding.
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Business unit manager vs director skills

Common business unit manager skills
  • Continuous Improvement, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Product Line, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 4%
  • Financial Performance, 4%
Common director skills
  • Healthcare, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Oversight, 7%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Human Resources, 4%
  • Business Development, 4%

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