Post job

Human resources manager vs director

The differences between human resources managers and directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a human resources manager and a director. Additionally, a director has an average salary of $113,489, which is higher than the $80,442 average annual salary of a human resources manager.

The top three skills for a human resources manager include performance management, customer service and payroll processing. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.

Human resources manager vs director overview

Human Resources ManagerDirector
Yearly salary$80,442$113,489
Hourly rate$38.67$54.56
Growth rate7%8%
Number of jobs43,453230,711
Job satisfaction4.675
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4740
Years of experience66

What does a human resources manager do?

Human resources managers, or HR managers, are responsible for the overall conduct of the different facets of human resources in the organization. They oversee the different processes involved in recruitment, compensation and benefits, talent development, organizational development, employee relations, and employee engagement. It is important that HR managers are well-versed in the different facets of HR. They set policies and procedures, as well as guiding principles of the organization related to these facets. They must be able to balance the needs of the employees and the rules of the management team. HR managers should have strong decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, and management skills.

What does a director do?

Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.

Human resources manager vs director salary

Human resources managers and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Human Resources ManagerDirector
Average salary$80,442$113,489
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $113,000Between $66,000 And $192,000
Highest paying CitySacramento, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateWashingtonNew York
Best paying companyBain & CompanyMayo Clinic
Best paying industryTechnologyFinance

Differences between human resources manager and director education

There are a few differences between a human resources manager and a director in terms of educational background:

Human Resources ManagerDirector
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityStanford University

Human resources manager vs director demographics

Here are the differences between human resources managers' and directors' demographics:

Human Resources ManagerDirector
Average age4740
Gender ratioMale, 29.7% Female, 70.3%Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage18%14%

Differences between human resources manager and director duties and responsibilities

Human resources manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage audit efforts to ensure compliance with OFCCP and EEOC standards
  • Manage requisitions, rout candidates and determine the disposition of each candidate using iCIMS.
  • Manage all monthly and quarterly financial statement reviews by board as well as A/R, A/P and general ledger.
  • Manage, implement, and administer proper hiring process to reduce turnover in compliance with e-verify processes and federal law.
  • Manage and publish several cost-savings models for Sr. level management.
  • Manage system upgrades, testing and documentation of enterprise-wide PeopleSoft Payroll/HRMS system.
  • Show more

Director example responsibilities.

  • Manage water metering programs for NYC and national portfolio.
  • Collaborate with the CPA to manage financials and reporting / distribution to physicians.
  • Manage OEM manufacturing partners for making bulk solutions, product fills and final packaging.
  • Lead company's first deep-fill structural project, bring company into EPA compliance, establish effective QA-QC program.
  • Develop company website entirely as well as wrote and manage the SEO and upkeep for overall site maintenance.
  • Manage the company's hotel portfolio operations and assets, including renovation, new build, conversions, and rebranding.
  • Show more

Human resources manager vs director skills

Common human resources manager skills
  • Performance Management, 8%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Payroll Processing, 5%
  • HRIS, 5%
  • Employee Engagement, 5%
  • EEO, 4%
Common director skills
  • Healthcare, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Oversight, 7%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Human Resources, 4%
  • Business Development, 4%

Browse executive management jobs