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The differences between directors, strategic initiatives and planning directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a director, strategic initiatives and a planning director. Additionally, a planning director has an average salary of $131,978, 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 a planning director are project management, financial analysis, and business planning.
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Planning Director | |
| Yearly salary | $110,532 | $131,978 |
| Hourly rate | $53.14 | $63.45 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 32,990 | 51,861 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
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.
Planning Directors are members of the executive team or the top management of a company. They oversee the company's plans and the strategies involved in reaching company goals. They manage the resources of the company by reviewing the budget and by overseeing human resources activities. They ensure that the company works toward its goals and that the company follows through with its plans. That being said, Planning Directors do not necessarily police the company's actions, especially if it deviates from the original plans. Instead, they steer the company towards the fulfillment of such plans. If the plan is no longer viable, they should be flexible enough to pursue new plans to achieve their goals still.
Directors, strategic initiatives and planning directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Planning Director | |
| Average salary | $110,532 | $131,978 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $171,000 | Between $90,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Exelixis |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a director, strategic initiatives and a planning director in terms of educational background:
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Planning Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between directors, strategic initiatives' and planning directors' demographics:
| Director, Strategic Initiatives | Planning Director | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0% | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% |
| 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, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |