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What is a director of communications and outreach and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Phyllis Seawright
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a director of communications and outreach. For example, did you know that they make an average of $36.13 an hour? That's $75,152 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 20,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a director of communications and outreach?

Dr. Phyllis SeawrightDr. Phyllis Seawright LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Theater, Mississippi College

General advice: Practice professionalism while you are still in classes. When it's time for the BIG interview, you will feel more confident in how you present yourself to a potential employer. Keep a friend handy who can review your resume and other materials. It's too easy to miss an error when you have the INTERVIEW on your mind. And keep your interview suit READY to wear.
ScoreDirector Of Communications And OutreachUS Average
Salary
5.9

Avg. Salary $75,152

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.7

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.88%

Asian 5.07%

Black or African American 12.65%

Hispanic or Latino 13.95%

Unknown 5.34%

White 62.10%

Gender

female 66.29%

male 33.71%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
9.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Director of communications and outreach career paths

Key steps to become a director of communications and outreach

  1. Explore director of communications and outreach education requirements

    Most common director of communications and outreach degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.6 %

    Master's

    18.8 %

    Associate

    6.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific director of communications and outreach skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Community Health10.32%
    Press Releases6.87%
    Community Engagement4.83%
    Mental Health4.26%
    Community Organizations4.21%
  3. Complete relevant director of communications and outreach training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors of communications and outreach learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a director of communications and outreach based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director of communications and outreach resumes.
  4. Research director of communications and outreach duties and responsibilities

    • Manage admission, referral and educational activities for primary care patients treat by mobile medical services van.
    • Help maintain school district website and Facebook pages.
    • Serve as representative to senior management team during community events and company spokesperson for division, including to nonprofit sector clients.
    • Track participation, ROI and overall efficacy of community outreach initiatives.
  5. Get director of communications and outreach experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a director of communications and outreach. The most common roles before becoming a director of communications and outreach include internship, executive director team lead and director.
  6. Prepare your director of communications and outreach resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director of communications and outreach resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a director of communications and outreach resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable director of communications and outreach resume templates

    Build a professional director of communications and outreach resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your director of communications and outreach resume.
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
    Director Of Communications And Outreach Resume
  7. Apply for director of communications and outreach jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director of communications and outreach job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first director of communications and outreach job

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Average director of communications and outreach salary

The average director of communications and outreach salary in the United States is $75,152 per year or $36 per hour. Director of communications and outreach salaries range between $52,000 and $107,000 per year.

Average director of communications and outreach salary
$75,152 Yearly
$36.13 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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