Development director vs director of special events

The differences between development directors and directors of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a development director and a director of special events. Additionally, a development director has an average salary of $107,044, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.

The top three skills for a development director include digital marketing, oversight and patients. The most important skills for a director of special events are event planning, alumni, and event management.

Development director vs director of special events overview

	Development Director	Director Of Special Events
Yearly salary	$107,044	$63,671
Hourly rate	$51.46	$30.61
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	63,008	23,252
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a development director do?

A development director is an individual who is responsible for securing funds and sponsors for non-profit organizations. Development directors must actively seek new business partners and develop relationships with volunteers and donors. They meet with members of the development team to help advertise and promote brand awareness and funding. Development directors must possess skills and experience in managing human resources, marketing, and budgeting functions. They must also obtain a bachelor's degree in business management, public relations, or related field.

What does a director of special events do?

A director of special events spearheads and oversees the planning and execution of various events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically set goals and guidelines, manage schedules and timelines, outline plans and strategies, coordinate managers and different departments, and liaise with vendors and suppliers, building positive business relationships in the process. Moreover, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

Development director vs director of special events salary

Development directors and directors of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Development Director	Director Of Special Events
Average salary	$107,044	$63,671
Salary range	Between $64,000 And $177,000	Between $35,000 And $113,000
Highest paying City	Jersey City, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Cornerstone Research	NRDC
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between development director and director of special events education

There are a few differences between a development director and a director of special events in terms of educational background:

	Development Director	Director Of Special Events
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Development director vs director of special events demographics

Here are the differences between development directors' and directors of special events' demographics:

	Development Director	Director Of Special Events
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8%	Male, 25.1% Female, 74.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between development director and director of special events duties and responsibilities

Development director example responsibilities.

Manage CRM program for coordination and partnerships with marketing resources.
Manage website re-launch, create communications plan, co-le rebranding taskforce.
Manage clients and internal production team to meet budget and scope of contract eLearning solutions.
Help manage the CRM system with input and output for the resource development department and the entire organization.
Manage analytical method validation and method transfer to QC and CMOs for APIs, excipients, and finish products.
Hire, manage and train a team of six sourcing professionals as well as a team of 3 QA managers.

Director of special events example responsibilities.

Manage the communications/special events budget to ensure ROI in accordance with the communication plan.
Restructure the budget plan for the department, achieving significant cost reductions while increasing ROI.
Organize, execute and manage all VIP hospitality and auxiliary celebrity events.
Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
Develop a BEO form to promote effective communication between front of house and back of house.
Collaborate with catering to create BEO s and assist clients with menu selection for meetings and events.

Development director vs director of special events skills

Common development director skills

Digital Marketing, 8%
Oversight, 6%
Patients, 6%
Lead Generation, 5%
ROI, 4%
Project Management, 4%

Common director of special events skills

Event Planning, 13%
Alumni, 11%
Event Management, 7%
Event Logistics, 6%
Audio Visual, 4%
Press Releases, 3%

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Development Director
Development Director vs Director Of Special Events

Updated January 8, 2025

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