Director of continuous improvement vs area director

The differences between directors of continuous improvement and area directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a director of continuous improvement and an area director. Additionally, a director of continuous improvement has an average salary of $122,606, which is higher than the $100,433 average annual salary of an area director.

The top three skills for a director of continuous improvement include lean six sigma, healthcare and project management. The most important skills for an area director are customer service, patients, and home health.

Director of continuous improvement vs area director overview

	Director Of Continuous Improvement	Area Director
Yearly salary	$122,606	$100,433
Hourly rate	$58.95	$48.29
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	16,718	47,326
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

What does a director of continuous improvement do?

A director of continuous improvement measures and tests corporate procedures to improve production efficiency. Directors of continuous improvement are responsible for the development, planning, scheduling, and budgeting projects to enhance the existing processes. It is part of their job to direct and oversee the department staff's work. They are experienced and highly analytical in terms of project coordination. They foresee hindrances and develop strategic decisions through problem-solving skills. Also, they are considered great mentors with the ability to understand complicated ideas.

What does an area director do?

Area directors oversee the operations of the company in a particular area. They manage the company's presence in their assigned area. Area directors come up with strategies so that their area meets company goals. They manage the company's performance in their area, from sales to marketing to finance to human resources. Area directors are expected to have in-depth knowledge of the situation and the context in the area they handle. They should be able to identify strengths and areas for improvement in their area. As such, they would be able to capitalize on their strengths and address their areas for improvement. Overall, area directors are responsible for the fulfillment of the company's vision in their area.

Director of continuous improvement vs area director salary

Directors of continuous improvement and area directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Continuous Improvement	Area Director
Average salary	$122,606	$100,433
Salary range	Between $85,000 And $175,000	Between $55,000 And $182,000
Highest paying City	Bakersfield, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	Walmart	AstraZeneca
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between director of continuous improvement and area director education

There are a few differences between a director of continuous improvement and an area director in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Continuous Improvement	Area Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Director of continuous improvement vs area director demographics

Here are the differences between directors of continuous improvement' and area directors' demographics:

	Director Of Continuous Improvement	Area Director
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 67.5% Female, 32.5%	Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between director of continuous improvement and area director duties and responsibilities

Director of continuous improvement example responsibilities.

Manage a staff of 30+ network, server, and NOC engineers
Lead the implementation of new ERP systems at both the strategy and detail levels.
Identify regulatory risk for Mexico technology requirements and lead in-flight RFP for new provider to meet government digital certification requirements.
Implement ISO throughout the organization as appropriate.
Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) require for meeting corporate objectives.
Create and maintains various KPIs for the plasma and material handling departments.

Area director example responsibilities.

Manage all aspects of selling process such as ROI, quotes, budgetary approval and demos.
Manage due diligence requirements and rehabilitation plans.
Lead operations for contract rehabilitation practice across north and central Texas.
Establish and manage the mid-Atlantic regional office of a privately own legal education company that provide educational services to law students.
Provide administrative (programmatic and fiscal) oversight for residential homes for people with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.
Offer risk management and insurance services to the healthcare industry.

Director of continuous improvement vs area director skills

Common director of continuous improvement skills

Lean Six Sigma, 8%
Healthcare, 7%
Project Management, 6%
Six Sigma Training, 6%
Lean Sigma, 6%
Performance Improvement, 5%

Common area director skills

Customer Service, 8%
Patients, 8%
Home Health, 8%
Oversight, 7%
Human Resources, 5%
Financial Performance, 4%

Director Of Continuous Improvement vs. similar jobs

Director Of Continuous Improvement related careers

Director Of Continuous Improvement related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Director Of Continuous Improvement
Director Of Continuous Improvement vs Area Director

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs