Become A Managing Director

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Working As A Managing Director

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Getting Information
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates

Deal with People
Make Decisions
Stressful
$160,000
Average Salary

What Does A Managing Director Do

Emergency management directors prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters and other emergencies. They also help lead the response during and after emergencies, often in coordination with public safety officials, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

Duties

Emergency management directors typically do the following:

Assess hazards and prepare plans to respond to emergencies and disasters in order to minimize risk to people and property
Meet with public safety officials, private companies, and the general public to get recommendations regarding emergency response plans
Organize emergency response training programs and exercises for staff, volunteers, and other responders
Coordinate the sharing of resources and equipment within the community and across communities to assist in responding to an emergency
Prepare and analyze damage assessments following disasters or emergencies
Review emergency plans of individual organizations, such as medical facilities, to ensure their adequacy
Apply for federal funding for emergency management planning, responses and recovery and report on the use of funds allocated
Review local emergency operations plans and revise them if necessary
Maintain facilities used during emergency operations

Emergency management directors are responsible for planning and leading the responses to natural disasters and other emergencies. Directors work with government agencies, nonprofits, private companies, and the general public to develop effective plans that minimize damage and disruptions during an emergency.

To develop emergency response plans, directors typically research “best practices” from around the country and from other emergency management agencies. Directors also must prepare plans and procedures that meet local, state, and federal regulations.

Directors must analyze the resources, equipment, and staff available to respond to emergencies. If resources or equipment are lacking, directors must either revise their plans or obtain the needed resources from another community or state. Many directors coordinate with fire, emergency medical service, police departments, and public works agencies in other communities to locate and share equipment during an emergency. Directors must be in contact with other agencies to collect and share information regarding the scope of the emergency, the potential costs, and the resources or staff needed.

After plans are developed, emergency management directors typically ensure that individuals and groups become familiar with the emergency procedures. Directors often use social media to disseminate plans and warnings to the general public.

Emergency management directors run training courses and disaster exercises for staff, volunteers, and local agencies to ensure an effective and coordinated response to an emergency. Directors also may visit schools, hospitals, or other community groups to update everyone on the emergency plans.

During an emergency, directors typically maintain a command center at which personnel monitor and manage the emergency operations. Directors help lead the response, making adjustments to or prioritizing certain actions if necessary. These actions may include ordering evacuations, conducting rescue missions, or opening up public shelters for those displaced by the disaster. Emergency management directors also may need to conduct press conferences or other outreach activities to keep the public informed about the emergency.

Following an emergency, directors must assess the damage to their community and must coordinate getting assistance and supplies into the community if necessary. Directors may need to request state or federal assistance to help execute their emergency response plan and provide support to effected citizens, organizations, and communities. Directors may also revise their plans and procedures to prepare for future emergencies or disasters.

Emergency management directors working for hospitals, universities, or private companies may be called business continuity managers. Similar to their counterparts in local and state government, business continuity managers prepare plans and procedures to help businesses maintain operations and minimize losses during and after an emergency.

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How To Become A Managing Director

Emergency management directors typically need a bachelor’s degree, as well as multiple years of work experience in emergency response, disaster planning, or public administration.

Education

Emergency management directors typically need a bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, accounting, finance, emergency management, or public health. Some directors working in the private sector in the area of business continuity management may need to have a degree in computer science, information systems administration, or another information technology (IT) field.

Some smaller municipalities or local governments may hire applicants who have just a high school diploma. However, these applicants usually need extensive work experience in emergency management if they are to be hired.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Applicants typically need multiple years of work experience, often with the military, law enforcement, fire safety, or in another emergency management field, before they can be hired as an emergency management director. Previous work experience in these areas enables applicants to make difficult decisions in stressful and time-sensitive situations. Such experience also prepares one to work with various agencies to ensure that proper resources are used to respond to emergencies.

For more information, see the profiles on police and detectives, firefighters, police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, and EMTs and paramedics.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Some states require directors to obtain certification within a certain timeframe after being hired in the position.

Many agencies and states offer voluntary certificate programs to help emergency management directors obtain additional skills. Some employers may prefer or even require a Certified Emergency Manager^® (CEM^®), Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), or equivalent designation. Emergency management directors can attain the CEM designation through the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM); the certification must be renewed every 5 years. The CBCP designation is given by the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI) and must be renewed every 2 years.

Both associations require applicants to complete a certain number of continuing education courses prior to recertification.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Emergency management directors must write out and communicate their emergency preparedness plans to all levels of government, as well as to the public.

Critical-thinking skills. Emergency management directors must anticipate hazards and problems that may arise from an emergency in order to respond effectively.

Decisionmaking skills. Emergency management directors must make timely decisions, often in stressful situations. They must also identify the strengths and weaknesses of all solutions and approaches, as well as the costs and benefits of each action.

Interpersonal skills. Emergency management directors must work with other government agencies, law enforcement and fire officials, and the general public to coordinate emergency responses.

Leadership skills. To ensure effective responses to emergencies, emergency management directors need to organize and train a variety of people.

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Managing Director jobs

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Managing Director Demographic

Gender

Male
68.6%
Female
28.6%
Unknown
2.7%

Ethnicity

White
79.3%
Hispanic or Latino
8.9%
Asian
8.5%
Unknown
2.5%
Black or African American
0.9%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
34.8%
French
16.4%
German
7.8%
Portuguese
5.6%
Italian
4.9%
Chinese
4.4%
Mandarin
4.3%
Russian
3.3%
Japanese
3.3%
Arabic
3.1%
Korean
2.1%
Thai
1.4%
Hebrew
1.3%
Dutch
1.2%
Carrier
1.2%
Hindi
1.1%
Greek
1.1%
Cantonese
1.0%
Turkish
0.9%
Polish
0.9%

Managing Director

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Managing Director Typical Career Paths

Average Length of Employment

President And Managing Director 5.1 years
Managing Partner 5.0 years
Founder And Managing Partner 5.0 years
Executive Vice President 5.0 years
President & Chief Operating Officer 4.9 years
Director/Manager 4.8 years
Vice President/Managing Director 4.5 years
Vice President 4.3 years
Director, Program Manager 4.1 years
Co-Founder, Managing Partner 4.0 years
Managing Member 4.0 years
Managing Director 4.0 years
Corporate Director 4.0 years
Senior Director, Operations 4.0 years
Senior Director 3.9 years
Chief Operating Officer 3.8 years
Associate Vice President 3.7 years
Director 3.7 years
Group Director 3.6 years
Regional Director 3.5 years
Commercial Director 3.5 years
National Director 3.5 years
Associate Director 3.5 years
Division Director 3.5 years
Director, Special Projects 3.3 years
Business Director 3.3 years
Senior Associate 3.2 years

Top Careers Before Managing Director

Top Careers After Managing Director

Vice President 14.7%
Consultant 7.5%
Director 7.2%
Chief Executive Officer 6.5%
Senior Vice President 6.2%
President 6.1%
General Manager 5.6%
Principal 5.0%
Executive Director 4.6%
Chief Operating Officer 4.1%
Business Developer 4.0%
Project Manager 3.9%
Chief Finance Officer 3.7%
President/Chief Executive Officer 3.3%
Vice President, Business Development 3.1%
Manager 3.1%
Director Of Sales 3.0%
Operations Director 2.9%
Senior Director 2.7%
Managing Partner 2.7%

Managing Director Education

Schools

New York University
10.3%
University of Phoenix
9.5%
Harvard University
6.2%
Northwestern University
5.9%
University of Pennsylvania
5.6%
Columbia University
5.5%
George Washington University
5.4%
University of Chicago
5.2%
Cornell University
4.8%
University of Southern California
4.5%
University of Texas at Austin
4.2%
Fordham University
4.1%
Syracuse University
3.8%
Michigan State University
3.8%
Boston University
3.8%
Villanova University
3.7%
Temple University
3.6%
Northeastern University
3.6%
Georgetown University
3.3%
University of Florida
3.2%

Majors

Degrees

Bachelors
36.8%
Masters
36.7%
Other
14.5%
Doctorate
5.0%
Certificate
3.0%
Associate
2.8%
Diploma
1.0%
License
0.2%

Managing Director

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Real Managing Director Salaries

Job Title	Company	Location	Start Date	Salary
Senior Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations	Lone Star Americas Acquisitions, L.L.C.	New York, NY	Jun 29, 2016	$775,000 - $900,000
Managing Director	Dyal Co. LLC	Armonk, NY	Sep 06, 2016	$650,000
Managing Director	Vivo Capital, LLC	Palo Alto, CA	Sep 21, 2016	$600,000
Managing Director, Head of Latam Derivatives Trading	Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.	New York, NY	Jul 27, 2016	$525,000
Managing Director	Bregal Energy, Inc.	New York, NY	Apr 24, 2016	$500,000
Extended Managing Director	Goldman, Sachs & Co.	New York, NY	Feb 08, 2015	$500,000
Managing Director Head of Digital Business	Jpmorgan Chase & Co.	New York, NY	Feb 09, 2015	$500,000
Extended Managing Director	Goldman, Sachs & Co.	New York, NY	Jul 12, 2015	$500,000
Extended Managing Director	Goldman, Sachs & Co.	New York, NY	Mar 22, 2016	$500,000
Managing Director	RSL Investments II Corporation	New York, NY	May 13, 2016	$500,000
Managing Director	Vici Capital Partners, LLC	Concord, MA	Jan 04, 2016	$480,000
Managing Director	Jpmorgan Chase & Co.	New York, NY	May 14, 2016	$450,000
Senior Managing Director	MacQuarie Holdings (USA) Inc.	New York, NY	Mar 15, 2015	$450,000
Extended Managing Director	Goldman, Sachs & Co.	New York, NY	Sep 16, 2016	$450,000
Managing Director	Deluxe Media Creative Services, Inc.	Santa Monica, CA	Oct 20, 2015	$245,000 - $255,000
Managing Director/Marketing-Americas	Global Paper Solutions, Inc.	Atlanta, GA	Sep 09, 2015	$245,000
Managing Director	EPI-Use America, Inc.	Atlanta, GA	May 01, 2016	$244,691
Managing Director	TSAR USA LLC	New York, NY	Aug 19, 2016	$240,005
Managing Director, Latam Markets	Dinosaur Securities LLC	New York, NY	Sep 15, 2015	$240,000
Managing Director, MCO	Sic Consulting, LLC	South Riding, VA	Mar 19, 2015	$240,000
Managing Director	KPMG LLP	Dallas, TX	Sep 18, 2015	$235,000 - $515,000
Managing Director	Capstone Investment Advisors, LLC	New York, NY	Oct 24, 2016	$231,899 - $400,000
Managing Director, Projects	The AES Corporation	Arlington, VA	Jun 01, 2015	$176,000 - $264,000
Senior Managing Director and Fund Manager	MGM Innova Capital LLC	Miami, FL	May 10, 2016	$175,038
Managing Director	RQ Media Group, Inc.	Los Angeles, CA	Mar 14, 2016	$175,000
Managing Director (Real Estate Market Analyst)	Taurus Investment Holdings, LLC	Boston, MA	Jun 09, 2016	$175,000
Managing Director, Investment Team	Seven Harbour Global, LP	New York, NY	Sep 03, 2015	$175,000
Managing Director	Coverall Gaming LLC	Dallas, TX	Sep 19, 2015	$175,000
Managing Director	FTI, LLC	Denver, CO	Sep 02, 2015	$172,141 - $225,000
Managing Director	Technology Reserve USA	Longmont, CO	Sep 19, 2015	$172,037

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Top Skills for A Managing Director

Top Managing Director Skills

Financial Services
Business Strategy
Product Development

You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:

Provided expert services and other litigation support to banks and financial services firms, in ongoing mortgage and credit related matters.
Improved organizational effectiveness by aligning the organization with it business strategy.
Formulated sales strategies and directed product development initiatives.
Lead aviation security regulatory compliance and member security directors and support personnel to ensure a safe and secure operation.
Served on advisory board of major partnership funds and participated at board level for portfolio companies.