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Job outlook for directors, technical operations in the United States
Director, technical operations job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected director, technical operations job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 189,200 new jobs for directors, technical operations are projected over the next decade.
Director, technical operations salaries have increased 4% for directors, technical operations in the last 5 years.
There are over 23,865 directors, technical operations currently employed in the United States.
There are 166,100 active director, technical operations job openings in the US.
The average director, technical operations salary is $141,158.
Are director, technical operations jobs in demand?
Director, technical operations job and salary trends over time
Director, technical operations jobs over time
Director, technical operations job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,865 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 21,744 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 20,912 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 19,063 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 17,926 | 0.01% |
Average director, technical operations salary over time
Director, technical operations salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $141,158 | $67.86 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $137,250 | $65.99 | --0.1% |
| 2024 | $137,454 | $66.08 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $136,746 | $65.74 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $135,248 | $65.02 | +1.6% |
Director, technical operations jobs by state
Most common states for directors, technical operations
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 339 | 49% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 389 | 45% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 293 | 39% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 197 | 34% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 344 | 33% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 227 | 31% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,615 | 29% |
| 8 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,425 | 28% |
| 9 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 517 | 28% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 273 | 28% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,788 | 27% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 519 | 27% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 2,350 | 26% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,268 | 26% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 2,475 | 24% |
| 16 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 746 | 24% |
| 17 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 711 | 24% |
| 18 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 322 | 24% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,336 | 23% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 248 | 23% |
Most common cities for directors, technical operations
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 1 | 4% | $78,237 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $117,675 |
| 3 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $121,594 |
| 4 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $156,583 |
| 5 | Brea | 1 | 2% | $170,358 |
| 6 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $125,624 |
| 7 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $133,150 |
| 8 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $122,491 |
| 9 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $124,691 |
| 10 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $166,115 |
| 11 | San Francisco | 2 | 0% | $178,337 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $110,331 |
| 13 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $147,102 |
| 14 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $101,850 |
| 15 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $135,525 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $110,777 |
| 17 | Irvine | 1 | 0% | $169,460 |
Director, Technical Operations job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of director, technical operations experts
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of South Florida
Montgomery College
DePaul University
Pepperdine University, Seaver College
Sam Houston State University
Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York
Appalachian State University
The City College of New York
Belmont University
University of Illinois at Chicago
NCWIT
Loyola University Chicago
Travis Stouffer
Assistant Professor of Information Systems, ChairUniversity of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Department of Information Systems
What soft skills should all Directors, Technical Operations possess?
Travis Stouffer: -Conflict Resolution
-Attention to Detail
-Active Listening
What skills will help Directors, Technical Operations earn the most?
Travis Stouffer: -Agile Project Management
-Human-Centered Design
-Data Analytics
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.
ProfessorUniversity of South Florida
School of Information Systems and Management
What skills stand out on Director, Technical Operations resumes?
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Analytical and problem-solving skills, Strong technical skills, The ability to work well under pressure, attention to detail, teamwork skills, organization and time management, interpersonal and communication skills, management and leadership skills.
What soft skills should all Directors, Technical Operations possess?
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Leadership, motivation, communication, conflict management, trust-building, decision-making, organization, and time management.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Directors, Technical Operations?
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Negotiation, relevant technical skills, prioritization and goal setting, project planning, delegating, and budget management.
R. Scott Hengen
Technical Theatre Faculty/Production CoordinatorMontgomery College
Department of Performing Arts
What general advice would you give to a Director, Technical Operations?
R. Scott Hengen: Your studies and time in school are a good base and support for your production in the industry. As you begin, please consider that you will still be learning and, even though you have learned the essentials, you will be asked to apply your skills and experience in new ways and in a more competitive and practical atmosphere. Deadlines must be met, and the economy of time and effort will be crucial. Work hard, but try to keep a balance between time in the industry and your home life.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Directors, Technical Operations to find work opportunities?
Delvin Grant: It is not about the geographic area but more about the skills they possess. Many MIS/IT-related jobs could be done remotely, if you wanted to pin down areas that will include areas of the USA where technology is heavily used (NY, IL, CA, MA, Huntsville AL, Parts of the Midwest, and the south, with vibrant health care and manufacturing industries. Any where industries require a healthy dose of technology are good locations.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Directors, Technical Operations?
Steven Bauer: The coronavirus has accelerated the transformation to a digital world, and this effect will continue after the pandemic is behind us. Graduates will need to be able to navigate a hybrid business environment, with in-person and virtual meetings, interactions and platforms. There will also be increased opportunities to be entrepreneurial and innovative in the digital area. In addition, graduates will have to become more skilled at navigating a global environment since greater digitization will draw countries closer to each other.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of ManagementSam Houston State University
Department of Management & Marketing
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Director, Technical Operations job market given the pandemic?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Flexible working arrangements were considered a perk or benefit, but given the pandemic more and more jobs will be designed with flexible work arrangements in mind. We will continue to see trends in the labor market with a push towards personal services (e.g. virtual assistants, professional organizers) and professional services. There will also continue to be a demand for knowledge work. More and more, employers are looking to hire applicants that can provide concrete evidence of being "Day 1" ready.
Employers will focus more on identifying prospects with certain "soft skills" which were a nice-to-have pre-pandemic, but are now critical for organizational survival. These skills include: critical thinking, agility, ability to adapt to change, resilience, virtual team effectiveness, crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, data analysis and interpretation is a highly sought after skill even for jobs that historically did not require analytical ability.
What's a good job out of college for Directors, Technical Operations?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Good jobs out of college are those that offer structured training, development, and job rotation. While some college students identified their career at age 5 and never veered away, some are still figuring out what they want to do after college. A job opportunity that recognizes the potential of new talent, willing to invest in training and development, and provides opportunities for new employees to experience different job functions enables new graduates to gain a realistic job preview that pays and allows them to identify an opportunity within the company that best aligns with skills and interests. Positions that are for a specific job function but have an apprenticeship model, like a "sales trainee" position, are also great for career stepping stones right out of college.
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorZicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York
Narendra P. Loomba Department of Management
What's a good job out of college for Directors, Technical Operations?
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.: - Any job where you have an opportunity to learn is a good job. Ideally, I hope to see my students working in organizations that prioritize professional development opportunities and mentoring relationships, as these provide the opportunities and feedback critical for growth.
What general advice would you give to a Director, Technical Operations?
Lubna Nafees Ph.D.: Be flexible and adapt to change. Enjoy the ambiguity and that will help you thrive in these uncertain times. Most importantly stay positive and focussed.
What type of skills will young Directors, Technical Operations need?
Prabal Kumar De Ph.D.: I think the necessary skills remain the same. One modification that would stay is greater virtual engagement. Therefore, newly essential skills such as acing a virtual interview, making a mark during a Zoom meeting, or managing or being a valuable part of a remote working group would be useful long after the immediate threats from the COVID-19 crisis be gone.
Nina Woodard
Senior Career Development SpecialistBelmont University
Office of Career & Professional Development
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Director, Technical Operations job market given the pandemic?
Nina Woodard: The pandemic hasn't impacted all areas of the entertainment industry in the same way. Anything related to live events and touring has been placed on an extended pause, which has been very difficult for graduates hoping to work in those fields. On an encouraging note, consumers will always find a way back to live experiences, so that segment of the industry will absolutely recover; the timing is just still a bit unknown. Other areas such as record or publishing companies have held steady. And, digital marketing and content creation companies are as busy, if not busier, than they've ever been as artists seek alternative ways to stay connected to their fans. Technology has intersected with entertainment in exciting, creative ways that will continue even as some of the more traditional avenues become available again. For many companies, ideas that started as pivots are now vibrant components of their long-term strategies.
The way we work may have also permanently changed. Companies have realized that remote working is a truly viable option for most businesses. While maintaining company culture, and the social nature of an entertainment-based organization, may still require some level of in-person interaction, it seems likely that many organizations may continue with remote/hybrid office models.
What Director, Technical Operations skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nina Woodard: For entertainment, digital marketing and content creation skills are critical. Even if a role isn't specifically connected to digital marketing, social media is almost always involved in most entry-level roles. We strongly encourage students and recent graduates to learn basic graphic design platforms, video editing and audio editing. Learning how to maximize impact on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok is also a worthy investment of time. There's a wide range of self-paced training resources online, many available for free or at reduced costs for students.
What general advice would you give to a Director, Technical Operations?
Nina Woodard: Any job search strategy comes down to a combination of education, experience and relationships. Many students and graduates have mistakenly believed that that gaining experience or networking isn't an option during this season, but that's simply not the case. We encourage our job seekers to build their strategy and then identify ways to translate certain elements into the virtual realm. Most companies are now offering remote internships, which allows students to explore options without physical limitations. We've also found industry professionals to be extremely accessible and willing to connect with students/recent grads for a quick Zoom chat or phone call. Anyone working in entertainment is there because someone helped them along the way. Most people are genuinely eager to repay that favor by investing in others just beginning the professional journey.
What Director, Technical Operations skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Matthew Liotine Ph.D.: If a student decides to take time off before moving on to a job or graduate school, they should use that time to develop skills in which you may not receive formal training while in college. For example, skills like leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication are going to be more vital than ever in the new norm.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Directors, Technical Operations to find work opportunities?
Adriane Bradberry: Technology increasingly permeates every aspect of society and provides the foundation for most modern innovation. Young graduates with computing skills will be able to apply to some of the most fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs over the next decade-jobs that are available in nearly every industry, including art, finance, healthcare, and entertainment. Students can establish and develop necessary skills by exploring computing programming apps, taking Computer Science or IT courses (online or at a local community college, if these classes are not offered at school), taking math classes, and joining after-school computing clubs. Graduates who develop these skills will contribute to meaningful work-developing innovative solutions that save lives, solve health problems, improve the environment, and keep us connected.
What type of skills will young Directors, Technical Operations need?
Peter Dordal Ph.D.: I'm leaving off software developers, and answering about our Information Technology graduates.
IT students entering the business world will need to know how to get the maximum leverage out of business systems. In many cases, this will mean writing their own specialized queries to extract the precise business intelligence needed; general-purpose "canned" queries just won't cut it. They will need a broad understanding of what software can accomplish for the enterprise and how to deploy new software effectively; this applies to software used in the office as well as to software used in manufacturing and shipping. And they will need to understand how to lease storage and computing resources from the cloud to meet not only predictable, long-term demands but also sudden short-term business projects.
Students working in database administration and management will need to be able to manage much larger volumes of data than a few years ago. They will need to be familiar with the great variety of new databases in order to pick the best tool for the job.
Students working in network management will need to be able to ensure that everyone has the bandwidth and server access they need, as those demands expand to include extensive video, low-latency real-time connectivity, and the regular transfer of huge amounts of data.
Students in cybersecurity will need to be fully acquainted with all the recommended best practices. However, they will also have to be able to anticipate and guard against potential new vulnerabilities. "By the book" protection is no longer sufficient.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Directors, Technical Operations to find work opportunities?
Peter Dordal Ph.D.: For software developers, yes, there are advantages in working in places where there is a high concentration of other developers. But for students interested in applying IT to business, there are opportunities everywhere.