Post job

Communications manager vs assistant director, communications

The differences between communications managers 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 manager, becoming an assistant director, communications takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a communications manager has an average salary of $81,304, which is higher than the $54,965 average annual salary of an assistant director, communications.

The top three skills for a communications manager include customer service, property management and yardi. The most important skills for an assistant director, communications are customer service, property management, and professional development.

Communications manager vs assistant director, communications overview

Communications ManagerAssistant Director, Communications
Yearly salary$81,304$54,965
Hourly rate$39.09$26.43
Growth rate8%3%
Number of jobs26,35036,340
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age4248
Years of experience46

What does a communications manager do?

A communications manager is responsible for overseeing a company or organization's public relations by devising various strategies and finding new opportunities. They must craft and produce marketing materials such as campaigns, advertisements, newsletters, social media engagements, and press releases to shape and improve a brand or company. Furthermore, a communications manager must accomplish administrative tasks such as preparing reports and necessary documentation, reaching out to advertisers, leading communication letters, and coordinating with marketing personnel from other departments.

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 manager vs assistant director, communications salary

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

Communications ManagerAssistant Director, Communications
Average salary$81,304$54,965
Salary rangeBetween $53,000 And $122,000Between $30,000 And $100,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaConnecticut
Best paying companyMcKinsey & Company IncPace University
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between communications manager and assistant director, communications education

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

Communications ManagerAssistant Director, Communications
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

Communications manager vs assistant director, communications demographics

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

Communications ManagerAssistant Director, Communications
Average age4248
Gender ratioMale, 34.9% Female, 65.1%Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.6% 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 manager and assistant director, communications duties and responsibilities

Communications manager example responsibilities.

  • Co-administered sales campaigns in Salesforce, CRM to efficiently manage sales productivity of communication and leads.
  • Lead and manage marketing department's copywriting and editing team and develop many aspects of corporate communication.
  • Manage creative agency relationships and lead execution of commercial excellence awards program, Americas mid-year growth summit and kick-off meetings.
  • Manage all Medicaid paperwork, manage staff payroll, client attendance.
  • Manage all facets of community programs and recruitment for HIV prevention clinical trials.
  • Train in YARDI to complete daily transitions, manage resident ledgers and prepare weekly/monthly reports.
  • 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 manager vs assistant director, communications skills

Common communications manager skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Property Management, 9%
  • Yardi, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Press Releases, 4%
  • Web Content, 4%
Common assistant director, communications skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Property Management, 7%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Alumni, 6%
  • Photoshop, 5%
  • Graphic Design, 5%

Browse executive management jobs