Interim director vs department director

The differences between interim directors and department directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an interim director and a department director. Additionally, an interim director has an average salary of $104,142, which is higher than the $97,804 average annual salary of a department director.

The top three skills for an interim director include healthcare, patient care and oversight. The most important skills for a department director are patient care, patients, and healthcare.

Interim director vs department director overview

	Interim Director	Department Director
Yearly salary	$104,142	$97,804
Hourly rate	$50.07	$47.02
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	49,433	73,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does an interim director do?

An interim director is responsible for supporting business operations, organizing training, as well as specific department programs for staff to maximize their productivity and improve optimal performance to meet project deliverables and achieve client satisfaction. Interim directors coordinate with the management and board executives on corporate decisions, implementing company guidelines and procedures, and identifying business opportunities to generate more revenues and profitability. They also analyze financial statements and business transactions, developing strategies to reduce expenses and minimize loss without sacrificing the organization's quality services.

What does a department director do?

A Department Director spearheads and oversees the operations of a department, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Although their responsibilities vary upon the functions of a department, they typically have the power to decide on projects and programs. Their responsibilities include setting goals, establishing budgets and guidelines, representing the department at meetings and media coverages, liaising with external business partners, managing staff, and monitoring the progress of operations. Moreover, a Department Director leads and encourages staff to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Interim director vs department director salary

Interim directors and department directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Interim Director	Department Director
Average salary	$104,142	$97,804
Salary range	Between $66,000 And $162,000	Between $64,000 And $148,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	UPMC	Anna Jaques Hospital
Best paying industry	Professional	Finance

Differences between interim director and department director education

There are a few differences between an interim director and a department director in terms of educational background:

	Interim Director	Department Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Interim director vs department director demographics

Here are the differences between interim directors' and department directors' demographics:

	Interim Director	Department Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5%	Male, 52.8% Female, 47.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.9% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between interim director and department director duties and responsibilities

Interim director example responsibilities.

Manage and direct department operations and staffing for the invasive and non-invasive cardiology department.
Establish and develop relationships with ERP and consulting vendors with the goal of maximizing comparative advantage and cost efficient solution development.
Increase patient satisfaction on scores relate the cleanliness through employee engagement and through close collaboration with the management team.
Program development, quality improvement, JCAHO preparation, and hospital disaster preparedness.
Pet restraint, blood draws, catheter placement, vaccine administration.
Put hospital on growth trajectory, reversing negative EBITDA within first year.

Department director example responsibilities.

Manage and direct bureau operations, and provide oversight of criminal investigations of statewide importance.
Establish and develop relationships with ERP and consulting vendors with the goal of maximizing comparative advantage and cost efficient solution development.
Ensure compliance with all CMS regulations.
Provide public education in the areas of fire department capabilities and history as well as CPR classes.
Follow up and coordination of rehabilitation services.
Cross-Train pre-operative and PACU staff to optimize efficiency.

Interim director vs department director skills

Common interim director skills

Healthcare, 13%
Patient Care, 11%
Oversight, 9%
Patient Safety, 6%
Financial Management, 6%
Bed Facility, 5%

Common department director skills

Patient Care, 15%
Patients, 14%
Healthcare, 13%
Oversight, 8%
Human Resources, 5%
Payroll, 4%

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Interim Director
Interim Director vs Department Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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