What Does a Director Do? (With Roles, Salary and Skills)

Updated 21 July 2023

A company director is a career advancement that offers you a wide range of opportunities. Business administration students often pursue a degree to apply for this position. If you're interested in becoming a director, learning what a director does can help you perform successfully in the position. In this article, we answer the question 'what does a director do?', discuss the qualifications, salary and skills of a director and explore frequently asked questions about the role.

What does a director do?

To answer 'What does a director do?', it helps to understand that one of their main functions is to supervise administration and implement strategies to improve the company. Directors create ideas and ways to manage the company's affairs effectively. They also organise annual stakeholder meetings and ensure they oversee conferences and events when necessary. Directors also improve the company's leadership team by hiring and training employees to achieve the company's vision.

Directors prepare and file important statutory documents with agencies and the organisation's office. They're part of the board of directors, and they hold a vital position in ensuring that each employee attains the company's mission and goals. Here are the duties and responsibilities of a director:

carries out independent judgment in making company policies
participates in budget planning and monitoring of income and expenses
develops the company's cultures and promotes transparency and teamwork in each department
identifies key sources of investment and organises fundraising events
represents the organisation at corporate and social events to network and improve the brand's image
reports and assesses progress in the company's meeting
oversees the company's hiring process by recruiting, interviewing and organising training for old and new employees
develops partnership with the organisation stakeholders, industry regulators, investors and other significant individuals in the business
collaborates with the board of directors to create and implement plans to attain the business objectives
identifies risks and opportunities in the business environment to avoid conflict and advance business interest
complies with internal policies and external regulations
ensures the safety and maintenance of all company records

What qualifications does a director need?

There are several career paths you can follow to get the required qualifications to become a company director. The following are the general qualifications needed:

Education

It's essential you have a bachelor's degree in business administration or any related field because it's the basic requirement for this position. It's also advisable that you acquire a master's degree, as the position of a company director is quite competitive. Having a master's degree may make you a more impressive candidate for employers. A bachelor's degree programme for business administration takes four years, while a master's degree takes an additional year to complete.

Training

The position of a director requires that you have significant work experience, particularly as a team director or in any similar position. Most companies expect a candidate for a director position to have at least 10 years of experience in a leadership position. It's important you undertake a Director Training Programme (DTP). This programme is for aspiring directors and existing directors to understand their duties and responsibilities. It makes you familiar with several industry regulations. This would help you develop expertise in leadership, decision-making and the operations of a business.

Certification

It's important that you undertake the certificate-level programme for company directors. The Singapore Institute of Directors provides that candidates have an Executive Certificate in Directorship programme. This programme has three modules. The first module covers the role of directors, their duties and responsibilities. The second module covers strategic business directions, while the third module discusses finance for directors. Each module lasts for three days. You can apply for this certification programme online.

Average salary of directors

The national average salary for a director is $11,784 per month. Keep in mind that apart from their annual salary, directors typically get other benefits as well. Some of the most common benefits include:

family leave
health insurance
vision insurance
dental insurance
retirement plan
flexible spending account

Essential skills for directors

The following are some important skills you can use to perform the duties of a director successfully:

Leadership and organisation skills: Directors know how to oversee the business processes and guide initiatives. This helps you organise and steer the company's employees to reach a shared goal.
Public speaking and communication skills: Because directors are in a leadership position, they know how to address their employees effectively. It's essential they speak clearly, maintain eye contact and demonstrate confusing terms when assigning a task.
Analytical and strategic skills: It's crucial to identify and provide solutions to complex projects or tasks. Directors also need these skills to improve the company's product, implement new strategies and identify their client's needs.
Management skills: Company directors understand each employee's strengths to assign duties and set achievable goals. They effectively oversee and delegate tasks to maximise the company's resources, productivity and time.
Decision-making skills: Directors make important decisions that affect the future and current state of the company, so it's essential they make well-informed decisions that would lead to growth opportunities and success for the business. Acting decisively and making prompt decisions would help you evaluate the company's aim and provide solutions to potential problems.
Empathy skills: Company directors understand the feelings or experiences of their employees to show them that the organisation values their input. This builds teamwork and fosters a supportive environment for employees.
Creativity skills: Creative thinking can improve productivity because it requires that you create fresh ways to promote the company's brand. This helps you to reshape the company's business to give it a competitive advantage in the market.

FAQs about becoming a director

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions you may have about what directors do:

What is the work environment of a director?

A company director works in a corporate environment. They perform their duties in a competitive atmosphere to ensure they meet daily deadlines. Most directors work full-time, while some work irregular hours as needed to meet company objectives.

What should be on a director's resume?

Directors are top employees of a company, so it's expected that they have a resume with an extensive work history. Employers look for candidates who showed commitment at their previous jobs because they need individuals who can work long-term and impact the company's success. A director's resume shows details on how they increased their company's profit, how they restructured the department and teams to suit the company's goal and how they refined the company's product and services.

Leadership experience and analytical thinking are also crucial. As a director, employers expect your resume to show your experience of supervising a large team of professionals.

What are the qualities of a good director?

Here are some of the most important qualities that make a good director:

Reliability

A good director is reliable and trustworthy. Your reliability in this position is essential to ensuring that every team member completes their tasks. It's crucial that a director performs their responsibility without the supervision of the board of directors. To improve your reliability, ensure you deliver quality work and you're punctual. Be proactive and take vital decisions to show that you're eager to improve the company.

Positive mindset

A director's attitude towards work can leave a significant influence on the employees' performance. This can also affect the culture and work environment of the company. This is particularly why it's important you show a high value of a positive mindset and optimism. An excellent mindset and attitude towards your work show resilience in solving difficult tasks.

Professionalism

The position of a director is essential for improving the company's image. Professionalism entails politeness, thoughtfulness and timeliness. It demands that you're self-motivated and capable of being accountable for your conduct and other employees. Professionalism shows that you take your work seriously and it enforces a respectful work culture.

Dedication

A good director has a strong sense of support, devotion and passion for achieving the company's goals. Dedication can help you advance your career because you're motivated to achieve the goals you've set for yourself. A dedicated company director is likely to solve problems and attend to the needs of the employees quickly.

Clarity of vision

It's essential you have a clear vision of what the company aims to achieve within a specific time. This helps you to attain the most important goals first. While the board of directors outlines the company's vision, a good director plays a significant role in realising the vision.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salary may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background, and location. Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

What Does a Director Do? (With Roles, Salary and Skills)