Business development directors plan, modify, implement and oversee marketing strategies geared toward reaching sales goals, accumulating clients and growing the business. Directors create marketing plans, pursue relations with clients and work to grow their accounts. Most companies seek directors for business development in an effort to stay on top of their competitors. Employers rely on directors to find, evaluate and take advantage of new business opportunities to help their companies thrive.

Educated and Experienced

Employers have widely varying requirements for business development directors, but most require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business administration, human resources or a similar field. They require experience in relationship-focused sales, project management or a related area. Directors are analytical, decisive and client-focused. They excel in time, operations and financial management. Some candidates obtain certification from the International Society for Performance Improvement or the American Society for Training and Development, but it's not a requirement.

Analyzing and Selling

Business development directors maintain an updated log of potential clients in all fields, such as travel and tourism, consumer, retail, high tech, health care, financial and telecommunications. They introduce the company to promising markets through product or service management and advertising. Directors supervise the sales process and close important deals, such as those with clients from major corporations. They also work with the company's top executives to establish goals and implement procedures to help achieve them.

Monitoring and Informing

The Society for Marketing Professional Services notes that business development directors act as representatives from their firm when dealing with similar organizations, business associates and clients. According to the Society for Marketing Professional Services, directors also monitor the effectiveness of their development actions. Depending on the employer, directors have different additional duties. They may hold seminars, manage client satisfaction efforts, give sales presentations or meet with external vendors and clients.

Earning and Working

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics recognizes business development directors under the broader category of training and development managers, who earned a median annual income of $115,640, as of May 2020. The BLS expects employment opportunities to increase 11 percent between 2012 and 2022, which is about as fast as the average of all occupations. According to the BLS, candidates with related certification or a master's degree may have better job prospects than those with only a bachelor's degree.

Training and Development Managers salary

• Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $200,210 ($96.25/hour)
• Median Annual Salary: $115,640 ($55.60/hour)
• Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $66,270 ($31.86/hour)

Development Managers Employment and Labor Information 2023

Development Managers Employment Brief:

Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.

Development Managers Job Description

Here is a Job Description an employer might post for potential Development Managers.

Development Managers Responsibilities and Duties:

• Plan, develop, and provide training and staff development programs, using knowledge of the effectiveness of methods such as classroom training, demonstrations, on-the-job training, meetings, conferences, and workshops.
• Develop testing and evaluation procedures.
• Conduct or arrange for ongoing technical training and personal development classes for staff members.
• Confer with management and conduct surveys to identify training needs based on projected production processes, changes, and other factors.
• Conduct orientation sessions and arrange on-the-job training for new hires.
• Review and evaluate training and apprenticeship programs for compliance with government standards.
• Coordinate established courses with technical and professional courses provided by community schools, and designate training procedures.
• Train instructors and supervisors in techniques and skills for training and dealing with employees.
• Analyze training needs to develop new training programs or modify and improve existing programs.
• Prepare training budget for department or organization.

Typical Daily Tasks of Development Managers:

• Training and Teaching Others: Conduct employee training programs.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.
• Getting Information: Conduct opinion surveys or needs assessments.
• Coaching and Developing Others.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Coordinate special events or programs. Manage human resources activities. Prepare operational budgets.
• Developing and Building Teams.
• Working with Computers.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

Development Managers Skills and Requirements:

• Equipment Selection Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
• PresentationsUsing a computer application to create, manipulate, edit, and show virtual slide presentations.
• Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Systems Analysis Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Management of Personnel Resources Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
• Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Instructing Teaching others how to do something.
• Equipment Maintenance Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
• GraphicsWorking with pictures in graphics programs or other applications, including creating simple graphics, manipulating the appearance, and inserting graphics into other programs.
• NavigationUsing scroll bars, a mouse, and dialog boxes to work within the computer's operating system. Being able to access and switch between applications and files of interest.

Development Managers Salary and Wages:

Average Salary: 58,450. Education: typical education requirements include High school diploma or equivalent.

Data from May 2023 courtesy of U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program.