Director of plant operations vs area director

The differences between directors of plant operations 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 plant operations and an area director. Additionally, a director of plant operations has an average salary of $118,735, which is higher than the $100,433 average annual salary of an area director.

The top three skills for a director of plant operations include plant operations, life safety and healthcare. The most important skills for an area director are customer service, patients, and home health.

Director of plant operations vs area director overview

	Director Of Plant Operations	Area Director
Yearly salary	$118,735	$100,433
Hourly rate	$57.08	$48.29
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	93,236	47,326
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

What does a director of plant operations do?

A director of plant operations is responsible for monitoring daily production operations and manufacturing processes. Directors of plant operations manage the department's budgeting and allocation of resources to support business functions and product distribution. They also handle the adequacy of inventories, create purchase requests, and facilitating training and programs to maximize staff's productivity and efficiency. A director of plant operations must have excellent communication and organizational skills to track the operation's progress and minimize excessive loss.

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 plant operations vs area director salary

Directors of plant operations and area directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Plant Operations	Area Director
Average salary	$118,735	$100,433
Salary range	Between $85,000 And $165,000	Between $55,000 And $182,000
Highest paying City	Fremont, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	BridgePoint Healthcare	AstraZeneca
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Health Care

Differences between director of plant operations and area director education

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

	Director Of Plant Operations	Area Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Director of plant operations vs area director demographics

Here are the differences between directors of plant operations' and area directors' demographics:

	Director Of Plant Operations	Area Director
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2%	Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.7% 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 plant operations and area director duties and responsibilities

Director of plant operations example responsibilities.

Implement comprehensive ERP solution to manage inventory, customer relationships and financial applications.
Institute major testing and documentation as required by CMS and TJC.
Execute minor repairs in plumbing, drywall, tile flooring, medical equipment, kitchen equipment, HVAC systems, etc.
Update corporate policies and procedures for compliance with, JCAHO, ADA, NFPA, and other governmental regulations and requirements.
Oversee regulations with regulatory agencies including OSHA.
Project management and oversight of all facility construction and renovation projects.

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 plant operations vs area director skills

Common director of plant operations skills

Plant Operations, 10%
Life Safety, 7%
Healthcare, 7%
OSHA, 7%
Patients, 5%
HVAC, 4%

Common area director skills

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

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Director Of Plant Operations
Director Of Plant Operations vs Area Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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