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Communications lead vs community relations director

The differences between communications leads and community relations directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a communications lead, becoming a community relations director takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a communications lead has an average salary of $96,988, which is higher than the $96,788 average annual salary of a community relations director.

The top three skills for a communications lead include project management, strategic communications and HR. The most important skills for a community relations director are community relations, community events, and memory care.

Communications lead vs community relations director overview

Communications LeadCommunity Relations Director
Yearly salary$96,988$96,788
Hourly rate$46.63$46.53
Growth rate12%8%
Number of jobs20,41333,569
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age4542
Years of experience64

What does a communications lead do?

The global senior program manager acts as a coordinator for the organization's projects and performs various tasks including supervision, account management, daily staff assignments, budget planning, cost control, and tracking program expenses by collaborating with various global departments to enhance all global programs. He/she should have excellent analytical, decision-making, leadership, and organization skills and knowledge about project management to be able to oversee and organize activities to ensure its compliance with the organization's goals.

What does a community relations director do?

A community relations director is an individual who is responsible for managing positive relationships with community members, nonprofit organizations, and fellow employees surrounding an organization. Community relations directors must plan, organize, and manage activities to help the organization achieve its public relations goal. They need to interface with vital community groups so that they can ensure the organization is producing effective results. Community relations managers must also assist in preparing a variety of publicity materials such as speeches and media content.

Communications lead vs community relations director salary

Communications leads and community relations directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Communications LeadCommunity Relations Director
Average salary$96,988$96,788
Salary rangeBetween $67,000 And $139,000Between $61,000 And $152,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyMetaZoho
Best paying industryInternetManufacturing

Differences between communications lead and community relations director education

There are a few differences between a communications lead and a community relations director in terms of educational background:

Communications LeadCommunity Relations Director
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaStanford University

Communications lead vs community relations director demographics

Here are the differences between communications leads' and community relations directors' demographics:

Communications LeadCommunity Relations Director
Average age4542
Gender ratioMale, 41.4% Female, 58.6%Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage14%16%

Differences between communications lead and community relations director duties and responsibilities

Communications lead example responsibilities.

  • Lead content migration of old intranet to new SharePoint platform.
  • Manage editorial calendar and writing content for digital assets including intranet and external web.
  • Lead copywriting for newly launch Chinese language website LeEco.com/Chinese to attract Chinese American customers.
  • Manage intranet content, with responsibility for project news, executive visibility, community activities, educational outreach.
  • Manage and overseen housing operations, administration of HUD programs, supervise maintenance and/or improvements of residential properties.
  • Serve as SharePoint site administrator, creating intranet, surveys and resource repository.
  • Show more

Community relations director example responsibilities.

  • Manage monthly marketing budget for SNF and ALF facility.
  • Manage all event planning, reunion programming, donor stewardship and in-house publications for UR alumni.
  • Maintain website and contribute to organization's Facebook page.
  • Convert reporting from UK GAAP to IFRS first time adoption.
  • Oversee community presence including Facebook, website, and print newsletters.
  • Increase recruitment and sales for this locally own SNF; overcome negative referral trends and poor community perception.
  • Show more

Communications lead vs community relations director skills

Common communications lead skills
  • Project Management, 9%
  • Strategic Communications, 6%
  • HR, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Community Outreach, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%
Common community relations director skills
  • Community Relations, 23%
  • Community Events, 6%
  • Memory Care, 5%
  • Press Releases, 3%
  • Business Development, 3%
  • Sales Process, 3%

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