What does a research/program director do?
Research/program director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real research/program director resumes:
- Lead social path-to-purchase study, incorporating social media analytics into insight community to identify spectrum of social engagement among customers.
- Implement process improvements and Medicare department reorganization that establish a foundation for improve member outcomes and satisfaction and increase product margins.
- Achieve superior customer results by improving and integrating proprietary chemistry tests.
Research/program director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Research/Program Directors are proficient in Research Program, Oversight, and Clinical Research. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Leadership skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Research/Program Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Research Program, 15%
Developed and managed research program instructing mindful relaxation techniques to hospital patients
- Oversight, 13%
Managed the Global Quality and Compliance department that provided auditing, incident/inspection management and validation oversight for all enterprise computerized systems.
- Clinical Research, 11%
Direct and manage a rare disease patient registry designed to integrate human subjects into clinical research projects.
- Research Projects, 11%
Prepare all documents and submissions to COI, GCO and IRB for research projects.
- Professional Development, 7%
Implemented a training curriculum for professional development and regulatory compliance for adolescents, adults and families for outpatient and residential programs.
- Clinical Trials, 7%
Functioned as the Principal Investigator on 4 industry-sponsored clinical trials.
Most research/program directors use their skills in "research program," "oversight," and "clinical research" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential research/program director responsibilities here:
Creativity. The most essential soft skill for a research/program director to carry out their responsibilities is creativity. This skill is important for the role because "because a script may be interpreted in different ways, directors must decide on their approach and on how to represent the script’s ideas for the production." Additionally, a research/program director resume shows how their duties depend on creativity: "designed and produced research data in a creative style to be used in media kit, sales proposals and presentations. "
Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform research/program director duties is leadership skills. Research/program directors responsibilities require that "directors instruct actors and help them portray their characters in a believable manner." Research/program directors also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "direct the central research administration office and provide leadership to create an infrastructure that supports and stimulates research activity. "
Communication skills. For certain research/program director responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a research/program director rely on this skill, as "producers and directors must convey information and ideas clearly in order to coordinate many people to finish a production on time and within budget." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what research/program directors do: "maintained close contact and communication with research subjects (patients). "
The three companies that hire the most research/program directors are:
- Glaxosmithkline4 research/program directors jobs
- Loyola University Maryland3 research/program directors jobs
- Intel2 research/program directors jobs
Compare different research/program directors
Research/program director vs. Director of after school program
A director of after school programs oversees and directs childcare centers in communities. They take the lead in setting goals and guidelines, conducting research and analyses to identify the students' interests and needs, developing programs that provide recreational activities and academic support, supervising the recruitment and training of employees, and monitoring the daily operations to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Moreover, a director of after school programs empowers staff to reach program goals and implements policies and standards to provide a safe and healthy environment for the students.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, research/program director responsibilities require skills like "research program," "oversight," "clinical research," and "research projects." Meanwhile a typical director of after school program has skills in areas such as "social work," "youth development," "child care," and "doh." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Directors of after school program earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $47,587. On the other hand, research/program directors are paid more in the media industry with an average salary of $103,176.The education levels that directors of after school program earn slightly differ from research/program directors. In particular, directors of after school program are 5.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a research/program director. Additionally, they're 11.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Research/program director vs. Director of senior programs
In the healthcare industry, a director of senior programs is primarily in charge of overseeing the daily operations at senior centers, aiming to give residents a quality and efficient service. It is their duty to set objectives and guidelines, spearhead the development of programs and services, manage staff and delegate tasks, liaise with external parties such as sponsors and vendors, and address problems or concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, a director of senior programs must enforce the establishment or facility's safety policies and regulations to maintain a healthy and safe environment for everyone.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, research/program director responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "research program," "clinical research," "research projects," and "clinical trials." Meanwhile, a director of senior programs has duties that require skills in areas such as "crm," "lead generation," "roi," and "project management." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Directors of senior programs earn similar levels of education than research/program directors in general. They're 4.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 11.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Research/program director vs. Research manager
A Research Manager performs research, data collection, and economic, statistical, and demographic analysis. They also determine and implement research and development strategies, policies, and plans.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, research/program directors are more likely to have skills like "clinical research," "research projects," "professional development," and "research administration." But a research manager is more likely to have skills like "market research," "analytics," "quantitative research," and "patients."
Research managers earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $93,534. Research/program directors earn the highest pay from the media industry, with an average salary of $103,176.When it comes to education, research managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to research/program directors. In fact, they're 2.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 8.5% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Research/program director vs. Director of program development
A director of program development is an executive professional who is responsible for managing an information technology (IT) department that is involved in the creation of an entire information system and all related software. This director must provide project management for clients and submit proposals regarding the structure of its units. The director must coordinate professional development with staff members who are working offsite. This director must also develop community outreach campaigns to meet the company grant funding initiatives.
Types of research/program director
Updated January 8, 2025
