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The differences between directors, strategic initiatives and executive directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a director, strategic initiatives, becoming an executive director takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an executive director has an average salary of $127,956, which is higher than the $110,532 average annual salary of a director, strategic initiatives.
The top three skills for a director, strategic initiatives include project management, oversight and business development. The most important skills for an executive director are oversight, patients, and customer service.
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Executive Director | |
| Yearly salary | $110,532 | $127,956 |
| Hourly rate | $53.14 | $61.52 |
| Growth rate | 10% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 32,990 | 97,471 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 39 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
A director of strategic initiatives spearheads the business planning efforts in a company, ensuring efficiency and profit growth. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to determine the best practices for optimal operations, coordinating with analysts and other experts to devise strategies to improve existing systems and procedures, and managing budgets in adherence to the goals and needs of a company. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach new heights, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Executive directors are top management employees who usually function as a chief executive officer. This role is usually seen in non-profit organizations. Executive directors provide strategic direction to the organization, and they ensure that the organization's goals are actualized. They provide guidance to the employees and ensure that the employees have the organization's advocacies at the center of every project or program. They oversee the policies of the organization and create strategies that will bring the organization's programs forward. Executive directors are also responsible for making crucial decisions for the betterment of the organization.
Directors, strategic initiatives and executive directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Executive Director | |
| Average salary | $110,532 | $127,956 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $171,000 | Between $76,000 And $213,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Genentech |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a director, strategic initiatives and an executive director in terms of educational background:
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Executive Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between directors, strategic initiatives' and executive directors' demographics:
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Executive Director | |
| Average age | 39 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0% | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |