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The differences between senior directors, product development and development & program managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a senior director, product development and a development & program manager. Additionally, a senior director, product development has an average salary of $160,980, which is higher than the $102,824 average annual salary of a development & program manager.
The top three skills for a senior director, product development include project management, product development and digital marketing. The most important skills for a development & program manager are professional development, project management, and program management.
| Senior Director, Product Development | Development & Program Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $160,980 | $102,824 |
| Hourly rate | $77.39 | $49.43 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 160,867 | 186,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
A senior director of product development spearheads and oversees the product development operations of a company. They have the responsibility to manage product development teams, set goals, establish guidelines and timelines, liaise with key external parties, coordinate managers, and address issues and concerns, resolving them efficiently. They also have the authority to come up with decisions and delegate responsibilities among teams and staff. Moreover, as a senior director, product development, it is essential to implement policies and regulations, developing new ones that support the company's needs, vision, and mission.
The responsibilities of a development and program manager depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, they are in charge of overseeing the operations behind various projects and programs, ensuring everything is running smoothly and efficiently. They must also devise new strategies to improve workforce performance and services, identify new opportunities for profit growth, and determine the needs of clients. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team in the joint effort to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior directors, product development and development & program managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Director, Product Development | Development & Program Manager | |
| Average salary | $160,980 | $102,824 |
| Salary range | Between $107,000 And $241,000 | Between $76,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Foundation Medicine |
| Best paying industry | Media | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior director, product development and a development & program manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Director, Product Development | Development & Program Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between senior directors, product development' and development & program managers' demographics:
| Senior Director, Product Development | Development & Program Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% | Male, 58.3% Female, 41.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |