What Do Directors of Workforce Development Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for directors of workforce development?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what directors of workforce development do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Directors of Workforce Development Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about directors of workforce development by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Directors of Workforce Development plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.
Popular Job Titles For Directors of Workforce Development
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Learning and Development Managers
- Training Managers
- Managers-in-Training
- Training and Development Managers
- Directors of Staff Development
- Onboarding Managers
- Operations Managers
- Directors of Training
- Directors of Workforce Development
- Learning Managers
- Learning Program Managers
- Learning and Development Leads
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for directors of workforce development can be found.
Best Industries for Directors of Workforce Development
Directors of Workforce Development Jobs By Industry
- Federal Government, Military: 16.3%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 12.5%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 3.2%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 3%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 2.9%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 2.9%
- Other: 59.2%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of directors of workforce development can be found working in the Federal Government, Military sector. In 2023, about 16.3% of all jobs for directors of workforce development were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management of Companies and Enterprises (12.5%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (3.2%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (3%), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (2.9%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (2.9%).
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What Do Directors of Workforce Development Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what directors of workforce development do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work directors of workforce development do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that directors of workforce development tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of workforce development, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Workforce Development
Based on 37,279 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Workforce Development
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 7,156 | 19% |
| Learning Management Systems | 5,436 | 15% |
| Marketing | 4,936 | 13% |
| Instructional Design | 4,290 | 12% |
| Adult Education | 3,987 | 11% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Workforce Development
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 19,193 | 51% |
| Communication | 17,589 | 47% |
| Management | 16,225 | 44% |
| Operations | 10,385 | 28% |
| Training And Development | 10,191 | 27% |
Based on 37,279 job postings related to directors of workforce development, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 19% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for learning management systems, marketing, instructional design, adult education and curriculum development were also highly sought.
As for common skills, leadership was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of workforce development, followed by communication, management, operations, training and development and sales.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 7,156 | 19% |
| Learning Management Systems | 5,436 | 15% |
| Marketing | 4,936 | 13% |
| Instructional Design | 4,290 | 12% |
| Adult Education | 3,987 | 11% |
| Curriculum Development | 3,276 | 9% |
| Operations Management | 2,577 | 7% |
| Organizational Development | 2,530 | 7% |
| Continuous Improvement Process | 2,490 | 7% |
| Selling Techniques | 2,175 | 6% |
| Performance Appraisal | 2,097 | 6% |
| Adult Learning Principles | 2,082 | 6% |
| Auditing | 1,969 | 5% |
| Finance | 1,868 | 5% |
| Profit And Loss (P&L) Management | 1,790 | 5% |
| Performance Management | 1,732 | 5% |
| Process Improvement | 1,723 | 5% |
| Change Management | 1,685 | 5% |
| Data Analysis | 1,682 | 5% |
| Learning Strategies | 1,671 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 19,193 | 51% |
| Communication | 17,589 | 47% |
| Management | 16,225 | 44% |
| Operations | 10,385 | 28% |
| Training And Development | 10,191 | 27% |
| Sales | 8,646 | 23% |
| Planning | 8,164 | 22% |
| Coaching | 8,114 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 7,877 | 21% |
| Presentations | 6,268 | 17% |
| Problem Solving | 6,185 | 17% |
| Leadership Development | 6,142 | 16% |
| Writing | 6,015 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 5,368 | 14% |
| Microsoft Excel | 5,225 | 14% |
| Detail Oriented | 5,069 | 14% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 4,842 | 13% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 4,806 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 4,650 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 4,540 | 12% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Directors of Workforce Development
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Learning and Development Managers | 4,123 | 14.7% |
| Training Managers | 3,139 | 11.2% |
| Managers-in-Training | 2,711 | 9.7% |
| Training and Development Managers | 2,231 | 8% |
| Directors of Staff Development | 5,449 | 19.5% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was learning and development managers, with 1,919 unique job postings. Training managers were second, with 1,075 postings, followed by managers-in-training, training and development managers and directors of staff development.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to directors of workforce development.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Learning and Development Managers | 4,123 | 14.7% |
| Training Managers | 3,139 | 11.2% |
| Managers-in-Training | 2,711 | 9.7% |
| Training and Development Managers | 2,231 | 8% |
| Directors of Staff Development | 5,449 | 19.5% |
| Onboarding Managers | 1,015 | 3.6% |
| Operations Managers | 914 | 3.3% |
| Directors of Training | 933 | 3.3% |
| Directors of Workforce Development | 671 | 2.4% |
| Learning Managers | 485 | 1.7% |
| Learning Program Managers | 520 | 1.9% |
| Learning and Development Leads | 509 | 1.8% |
| Assistant Event Managers | 686 | 2.5% |
| Program Managers | 642 | 2.3% |
| Directors of Learning and Development | 704 | 2.5% |
| Directors of Leadership Development | 676 | 2.4% |
| Directors of Leadership | 783 | 2.8% |
| Training Program Managers | 522 | 1.9% |
| Field Training Managers | 725 | 2.6% |
| Learning and Development Program Managers | 520 | 1.9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for directors of workforce development? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of workforce development.
How much do directors of workforce development make?
Directors of Workforce Development: How do you become one?
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