How To Become A Director Of Program Development: What It Is and Career Path

What is a director of program development and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

Most businesses, no matter the field, are not happy with staying the same year after year. Instead, they want to grow and expand their operations. The director of program development helps an organization grow by developing plans for new programs and making sure that those plans are completed.

The director of program development is in charge of every step in the creation and implementation of new programming. They set goals for the organization's growth, develop plans for programs to meet those goals, and oversee the programs as they operate. A director of program development also keeps track of details such as budgets and deadlines in addition to following their big picture vision.

After years of experience in program management, a director of program development can find work in a variety of fields. They could work for an IT company developing new software programs or for a nonprofit managing new programs that help more people in need. No matter where they work, the director of program development's organization and vision help their company grow.

What's a day at work look like for a Director Of Program Development?

Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

Program Director & Assistant Professor, Maryville University

A bachelor's in communication sciences and disorders can prepare you for three different tracks. First, it can prepare you to become a licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). This is someone who works under a fully credential speech-language pathologist. Often times, they carryout intervention plans developed by a fully credentialed speech-language pathologist. If graduate school is on your horizon, a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders will prepare you for acceptance into a Speech-Language Pathology program, or an Audiology program. If you are not accepted into a graduate program right away, working as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) is a great way to get experience in the field!

ScoreDirector Of Program DevelopmentUS Average

Salary

5.4

Avg. Salary $69,014

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.0

Growth Rate 8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 6.43%

Black or African American 8.03%

Hispanic or Latino 14.74%

Unknown 5.61%

White 65.02%

Gender

female 56.74%

male 43.26%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress Level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a director of program development

Explore director of program development education requirements

Most common director of program development degrees

Bachelor's

64.8 %

Master's

23.4 %

Associate

6.5 %

Start to develop specific director of program development skills

Skills	Percentages
Program Management	19.83%
Project Management	8.70%
Oversight	8.62%
Business Development	6.39%
Professional Development	3.97%

Complete relevant director of program development training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors of program development 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 program development based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director of program development resumes.

Research director of program development duties and responsibilities

Manage personnel performing SAS programming, technical document preparation and quality assurance.
Perform consulting services and program/project oversight.
Direct oversight of membership development and marketing of membership and programs.
Develop and coordinate program operations compliant with federal TANF and local program requirements.

Get director of program development experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a director of program development. The most common roles before becoming a director of program development include program director, director team lead and executive director.

Prepare your director of program development resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director of program development 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 program development 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 Program Development Resume templates

Build a professional Director Of Program Development 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 Program Development resume.

Apply for director of program development jobs

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

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

Average director of program development salary

The average Director Of Program Development salary in the United States is $69,014 per year or $33 per hour. Director of program development salaries range between $36,000 and $128,000 per year.

Average Director Of Program Development Salary

$69,014 Yearly

$33.18 hourly