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The differences between directors, technical operations and technical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a director, technical operations, becoming a technical director takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a director, technical operations has an average salary of $141,158, which is higher than the $131,719 average annual salary of a technical director.
The top three skills for a director, technical operations include project management, cloud and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a technical director are business development, architecture, and technical expertise.
| Director, Technical Operations | Technical Director | |
| Yearly salary | $141,158 | $131,719 |
| Hourly rate | $67.86 | $63.33 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 166,100 | 77,550 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A director of technical operations is in charge of spearheading the efforts in optimizing business operations. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to determine the best operational practices, setting goals and objectives, allocating budgets, coordinating different departments, and evaluating the performance of technicians and engineers. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to serve as a driving force that leads and encourages the workforce to meet goals and new heights, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A technical director is responsible for monitoring the technical efficiency of operations. Technical directors inspect audio and visual equipment, lighting systems for productions, and other technical processes. They ensure that all the equipment is in proper working condition, identify and troubleshoot defects, and deliver high-quality project results. They also monitor expenses, forecast sales reports, and create cost estimates for the systems needed for the project completion, following the clients' specifications to gain satisfaction. A technical director must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to manage operational processes with maximum accuracy.
Directors, technical operations and technical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director, Technical Operations | Technical Director | |
| Average salary | $141,158 | $131,719 |
| Salary range | Between $98,000 And $201,000 | Between $86,000 And $200,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Brookfield Properties | Nike |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a director, technical operations and a technical director in terms of educational background:
| Director, Technical Operations | Technical Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors, technical operations' and technical directors' demographics:
| Director, Technical Operations | Technical Director | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 14% |