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Communications director vs assistant director, communications

The differences between communications directors and assistant directors, communications can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a communications director, becoming an assistant director, communications takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a communications director has an average salary of $107,700, which is higher than the $54,965 average annual salary of an assistant director, communications.

The top three skills for a communications director include web content, press releases and customer service. The most important skills for an assistant director, communications are customer service, property management, and professional development.

Communications director vs assistant director, communications overview

Communications DirectorAssistant Director, Communications
Yearly salary$107,700$54,965
Hourly rate$51.78$26.43
Growth rate8%3%
Number of jobs27,93936,340
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age4248
Years of experience46

What does a communications director do?

A communications director is responsible for monitoring and supervising the overall media relations from internal to external communications. A communications director's duties include managing campaigns, providing organizational updates to the employees, supporting social media marketing, developing effective communication strategies to build the organization's reputation, and efficiently leading team members in handling events that represent the business. Communications directors must have strong leadership and communication skills to provide support for the company's daily operations and strategies.

What does an assistant director, communications do?

An assistant communications director is responsible for managing the communicative operations across the company, handling the dissemination of information among employees, and releasing management announcements to media platforms. Assistant communications directors draft project techniques and strategies, as well as monitoring social media contents and press releases. They also identify business opportunities by analyzing recent trends that would generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits. An assistant communications director must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in assessing business information to prevent miscommunications and negative publications.

Communications director vs assistant director, communications salary

Communications directors and assistant directors, communications have different pay scales, as shown below.

Communications DirectorAssistant Director, Communications
Average salary$107,700$54,965
Salary rangeBetween $61,000 And $188,000Between $30,000 And $100,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateNevadaConnecticut
Best paying companyMcKinsey & Company IncPace University
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between communications director and assistant director, communications education

There are a few differences between a communications director and an assistant director, communications in terms of educational background:

Communications DirectorAssistant Director, Communications
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common majorCommunicationBusiness
Most common collegeStanford UniversityUniversity of Southern California

Communications director vs assistant director, communications demographics

Here are the differences between communications directors' and assistant directors, communications' demographics:

Communications DirectorAssistant Director, Communications
Average age4248
Gender ratioMale, 40.2% Female, 59.8%Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.2% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage16%12%

Differences between communications director and assistant director, communications duties and responsibilities

Communications director example responsibilities.

  • Assist in managing the Facebook and Instagram pages.
  • Develop and manage c-level strategic client relationships to grow revenue base.
  • Create and manage corporate website, online demand gen through SEO and SEM.
  • Manage editorial content of the organization website, build and upload web pages via HTML.
  • Manage the marketing strategy and budget, including B2C acquisition campaigns focuse on out of home and DRTV.
  • Manage media relations, announcements, editorial placement, and speaking opportunities the organizations.
  • Show more

Assistant director, communications example responsibilities.

  • Manage and develop marketing, communication, and implementation process improvements for training curricula and the department's intranet website.
  • Increase Facebook followers from 100,000 to 300,000 by identifying and engaging supporters.
  • Engineer a statewide network of local Facebook groups that enable the campaign to easily communicate with supporters across the state.
  • Create and update an eye-catching, interactive Instagram account in order to keepall families aware of all camp activities and events.
  • Serve as representative to senior management team during community events and company spokesperson for division, including to nonprofit sector clients.
  • Develop best-in-class trade show presence that always generate positive ROI, in addition.
  • Show more

Communications director vs assistant director, communications skills

Common communications director skills
  • Web Content, 8%
  • Press Releases, 8%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • External Communications, 5%
  • Project Management, 4%
  • Employee Engagement, 4%
Common assistant director, communications skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Property Management, 7%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Alumni, 6%
  • Photoshop, 5%
  • Graphic Design, 5%

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