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Director of special events vs vice president of public relations

The differences between directors of special events and vice presidents of public relations can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a director of special events and a vice president of public relations. Additionally, a vice president of public relations has an average salary of $143,172, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.

The top three skills for a director of special events include event planning, alumni and event management. The most important skills for a vice president of public relations are press releases, external communications, and business development.

Director of special events vs vice president of public relations overview

Director Of Special EventsVice President Of Public Relations
Yearly salary$63,671$143,172
Hourly rate$30.61$68.83
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs23,25255,300
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 84%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

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.

What does a vice president of public relations do?

A vice president of public relations oversees the public relations efforts of a company, aiming for brand awareness and public interest. It is their duty to establish timelines and guidelines, develop projects and programs, monitor budgets, liaise and build positive relationships with media partners, and coordinate with public relations experts. There are also instances when they must represent the company at public gatherings or when facilitating press conferences. Moreover, as a vice president, it is essential to enforce the company's policies and regulations, implementing new ones as needed.

Director of special events vs vice president of public relations salary

Directors of special events and vice presidents of public relations have different pay scales, as shown below.

Director Of Special EventsVice President Of Public Relations
Average salary$63,671$143,172
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $113,000Between $88,000 And $232,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CALas Vegas, NV
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNevada
Best paying companyNRDCWe Communications
Best paying industryProfessionalHealth Care

Differences between director of special events and vice president of public relations education

There are a few differences between a director of special events and a vice president of public relations in terms of educational background:

Director Of Special EventsVice President Of Public Relations
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 84%
Most common majorBusinessCommunication
Most common collegeStanford UniversityNorthwestern University

Director of special events vs vice president of public relations demographics

Here are the differences between directors of special events' and vice presidents of public relations' demographics:

Director Of Special EventsVice President Of Public Relations
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 25.1% Female, 74.9%Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between director of special events and vice president of public relations duties and responsibilities

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.
  • Show more

Vice president of public relations example responsibilities.

  • Manage club website, Facebook and club bulletin board.
  • Manage communications with students, alumni and faculty, including distribution of all social media
  • Manage all aspects of business operations that include sales and marketing, advertising, administration, financial oversight and inventory/procurement management.
  • Conduct a rebranding of the co-op s logo.
  • Negotiate media buys and analyze market trends and campaign ROI.
  • Supervise budget allocation and media spend to ensure optimum ROI.
  • Show more

Director of special events vs vice president of public relations skills

Common director of special events skills
  • Event Planning, 13%
  • Alumni, 11%
  • Event Management, 7%
  • Event Logistics, 6%
  • Audio Visual, 4%
  • Press Releases, 3%
Common vice president of public relations skills
  • Press Releases, 12%
  • External Communications, 9%
  • Business Development, 6%
  • Professional Development, 6%
  • Communications Strategies, 5%
  • Crisis Management, 4%

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