What does an external relations director do?
An external relations director is responsible for helping a company or entity establish good public relations by creating a good market perception. The professional's responsibilities include giving communications counseling to the leadership team and ensuring compliance with appropriate facility conditions and sanitation standards. The job requires good communication, leadership, and organizational skills to accomplish such responsibilities. The job's education requirements include possessing a college degree in business, public relations, marketing, or other related fields.
External relations director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real external relations director resumes:
- Program development includes managing and building strong relationships with corporate and affinity partners to secure sponsorship and career enhancement for alumni
- Ensure target ROI with feasibility studies on potential acquisitions, identifying optimum projects requiring rezoning and entitlement approvals for development.
- Develop and implement company-wide QA and delivery procedures.
External relations director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of External Relations Directors are proficient in Project Management, External Relations, and Oversight. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Leadership skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of External Relations Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Project Management, 13%
Direct project development, implementation, and assessment of Erie-GAINS projects and initiatives, and provide higher-level administration and project management.
- External Relations, 11%
Ensured proper synchronization from BANC to Millennium databases External Relations and Development Coordinator.
- Oversight, 10%
close oversight of the Somerset Medical Center's behavioral health program through Site Director.
- Press Releases, 9%
Developed station press releases and quarterly newsletters.
- GAAP, 8%
Perform accounting research as needed to ensure the organization is in compliance with US GAAP.
- Financial Statements, 7%
Conducted research, compiled data and prepared financial statements for consideration and presentation at executive board meetings.
Most external relations directors use their skills in "project management," "external relations," and "oversight" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential external relations director responsibilities here:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for an external relations director to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what external relations directors do because "managers deal with the public regularly; therefore, they must be friendly enough to build a rapport with, and receive cooperation from, their media contacts and donors." Additionally, an external relations director resume shows how external relations directors use communication skills: "crafted strategy and budgets for development, community relations, and communications. "
Leadership skills. Many external relations director duties rely on leadership skills. "public relations and fundraising managers often lead large teams of specialists or fundraisers and must be able to guide their activities.," so an external relations director will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways external relations director responsibilities rely on leadership skills: "provided leadership and strategic vision for development and stakeholder management efforts. "
Organizational skills. external relations directors are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to external relations director responsibilities, because "public relations and fundraising managers are often in charge of running several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills." An external relations director resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "assist iero director in essential internal office leadership activities (human resources, administration, and organizational planning). "
Problem-solving skills. For certain external relations director responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of an external relations director rely on this skill, as "managers sometimes must explain how the company or client is handling sensitive issues." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what external relations directors do: "implemented a project management and helpdesk solution. "
Speaking skills. Another crucial skill for an external relations director to carry out their responsibilities is "speaking skills." A big part of what external relations directors relies on this skill, since "public relations and fundraising managers regularly speak on behalf of their organization." How this skill relates to external relations director duties can be seen in an example from an external relations director resume snippet: "maximized organizational exposure by facilitating speaking engagements and attending community events and health fairs. "
Writing skills. Lastly, "writing skills" is an important element of what an external relations director does. External relations director responsibilities require this skill because "managers must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches." This resume example highlights how external relations director duties rely on this skill: "thisincluded writing press releases and updating web content. "
The three companies that hire the most external relations directors are:
- Glaxosmithkline7 external relations directors jobs
- Circle K6 external relations directors jobs
- Netflix3 external relations directors jobs
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Compare different external relations directors
External relations director vs. Campaign manager
Campaign managers are responsible for developing, executing, and managing marketing campaigns for events, products, and services targeting consumers or organizations. These professionals typically collaborate with external agencies in the preparation and execution of campaigns. They perform other duties that may include managing the measurement and tracking of marketing campaigns, writing, proofreading, and editing copy for promotional materials, and maintaining regular measurement of the campaigns' ROI. Campaign managers are also expected to evaluate existing marketing campaigns and be up-to-date on the latest marketing trends.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, external relations director responsibilities require skills like "external relations," "oversight," "gaap," and "financial statements." Meanwhile a typical campaign manager has skills in areas such as "digital marketing," "email marketing," "email campaigns," and "integrated marketing." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Campaign managers really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $86,390. Comparatively, external relations directors tend to make the most money in the energy industry with an average salary of $141,704.The education levels that campaign managers earn slightly differ from external relations directors. In particular, campaign managers are 11.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an external relations director. Additionally, they're 2.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.External relations director vs. Vice president of communication
A vice president of communication is in charge of overseeing and implementing internal and external communication programs. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, allocating budgets, delegating tasks, liaising with key clients, and managing the workforce to ensure an efficient workflow. They may also produce progress reports for the president and other executives, prepare presentations, develop business plans, and devise strategies to optimize services and operations. Furthermore, as vice president, it is essential to implement the company's policies and regulations, creating new ones as needed.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real external relations director resumes. While external relations director responsibilities can utilize skills like "external relations," "gaap," "financial statements," and "social media marketing," vice president of communications use skills like "strategic communications," "powerpoint," "real estate," and "corporate communications."
On average, vice president of communications earn a higher salary than external relations directors. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, vice president of communications earn the most pay in the media industry with an average salary of $152,749. Whereas external relations directors have higher pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $141,704.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Vice president of communications tend to reach lower levels of education than external relations directors. In fact, they're 8.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.External relations director vs. Director of special events
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.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from external relations director resumes include skills like "project management," "external relations," "oversight," and "gaap," whereas a director of special events is more likely to list skills in "alumni," "event logistics," "audio visual," and "event budgets. "
Directors of special events earn the best pay in the professional industry, where they command an average salary of $67,284. External relations directors earn the highest pay from the energy industry, with an average salary of $141,704.directors of special events typically earn lower educational levels compared to external relations directors. Specifically, they're 11.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.External relations director vs. Manager of special events
A manager of special events is responsible for organizing events and programs for a company and various organizations. Managers of special events monitor the event procedures from conceptualization to the actual execution. They analyze the event purpose, manage participants' list, coordinate with suppliers for resources, allocate budget accurately, and ensure that the program outlines and agendas are polished on time. A manager of special events must have excellent communication and organizational skills to deliver a successful event and resolve complications as they arise.
Types of external relations director
Updated January 8, 2025
