Directors of marketing and communications must be highly organized.
A director of communications and marketing is someone who handles promotions of a company. Directors of communications and marketing are employed in a variety of fields and perform a multitude of duties, from coming up with new ways to promote a product or service, to writing and editing press releases, to arranging interviews of key personnel with the media.
Basics
Directors of communications and marketing must understand their company's mission, aiming to get the word out about the company while highlighting its best attributes. They work in conjunction with other department heads, such as those in advertising and sales, to help set prices for their products and services, keeping a close eye on trends and what the competition is doing. Directors of communications and marketing also make sure the media and general public are aware of the company's latest developments by either overseeing the distribution of press materials, or putting it together themselves. They often hire, train and manage a staff.
Skills
A director of communications and marketing must be confident, organized, analytical, innovative and a capable problem-solver. She needs to be driven and possess effective written and verbal skills, as she regularly interacts with clients, reporters, upper management and her own staff. And since directors of communications and marketing can sometimes be considered the "face" of their company, they should be professional and courteous.
Background
Most companies seek candidates with a bachelor's or master's degree when hiring a director of communications and marketing. Along with marketing, areas of study typically include business, administration, communications and public relations and advertising. Rarely does anyone become a director of marketing and communications straight out of college. Instead, many directors spend time at the lower levels of marketing, or advertising or sales, before working their way into a supervisory position.
Prospects
Nearly 167,000 workers were employed as directors of marketing in May 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Jobs for directors are expected to increase by 13 percent through 2018, which is about average for all occupations, according to the BLS.
Earnings
Directors of marketing and communications earn from $30,000 to about $137,000 a year, according to PayScale.com, as of April 2010. Salary figures are based on the director's industry, experience and responsibilities. The BLS reported that the mean annual salary of marketing directors was more than $118,000, as of May 2008.
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