What is a senior director of business development and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Parfait Kouassi PhD.

Senior directors of business are also known as senior business directors. They have the responsibility of increasing the company's revenue. They do this by identifying new opportunities and exploring them. Senior business directors also capitalize on the business' brand presence to increase sales.

Senior business directors often build and maintain strong relationships with customers, vendors, and other business stakeholders. They also develop an in-depth understanding of the business and its offerings to identify hidden opportunities.

As a senior business director, you will also work with the marketing team to effectively develop strategies. When the organization receives a request for a proposal, senior business directors are usually at the forefront, ensuring that the information submitted is accurate and suited for its destination.

To become a senior business director, you need a bachelor's degree in business administration, marketing, finance, or related fields. You'll also need a proven track record in business development or marketing.

What general advice would you give to a Senior Director Of Business Development?

P

Parfait Kouassi PhD.Parfait Kouassi PhD. LinkedIn Profile

Associate Teaching Professor, Drexel University

In the next 3-5 years, bilingual and multicultural skills will likely become as indispensable as having access to transportation. Just as individuals without access to a personal vehicle can rely on public transit or ridesharing services, those lacking multilingual abilities will find themselves at a severe disadvantage in their careers. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and the ability to communicate across languages and navigate different cultural contexts will be essential for professional growth, success, and mobility.
ScoreSenior Director Of Business DevelopmentUS Average
Salary
8.9

Avg. Salary $151,656

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.5

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 8.15%

Black or African American 3.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.67%

Unknown 5.32%

White 74.58%

Gender

female 21.20%

male 78.80%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress Level
7.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Senior Director Of Business Development career paths

Key steps to become a senior director of business development

  1. Explore senior director of business development education requirements

    Most common senior director of business development degrees

    Bachelor's

    70.1 %

    Master's

    23.0 %

    Associate

    3.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior director of business development skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Healthcare11.24%
    CRM5.77%
    Client Facing4.64%
    Logistics4.46%
    Sales Strategy3.62%
  3. Complete relevant senior director of business development training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior directors of business development learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior director of business development based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior director of business development resumes.
  4. Research senior director of business development duties and responsibilities

    • Negotiate first ever manage Medicaid contract base on new method of reimbursement.
    • Lead centralized, electronic referral center coordinating post-acute service needs of patients discharging from multiple acute facilities in Arizona region.
    • Solicit search service to clients in the healthcare, financial and medical devices industries.
    • Approve contract negotiations, pricing approvals, RFP, RFI response and technical requirements.
  5. Get senior director of business development experience

    Generally, it takes 8-10 years to become a senior director of business development. The most common roles before becoming a senior director of business development include business development director, vice president, business development team lead and business development manager.
  6. Prepare your senior director of business development resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior director of business development resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior director of business development resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Senior Director Of Business Development Resume templates

    Build a professional Senior Director Of Business Development resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Senior Director Of Business Development resume.
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    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
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    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
    Senior Director Of Business Development Resume
  7. Apply for senior director of business development jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior director of business development job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Senior Director Of Business Development Job

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Average senior director of business development salary

The average Senior Director Of Business Development salary in the United States is $151,656 per year or $73 per hour. Senior director of business development salaries range between $106,000 and $215,000 per year.

Average Senior Director Of Business Development Salary
$151,656 Yearly
$72.91 hourly

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Senior Director Of Business Development reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Pros

Rule of thumb with international travel is be ready for serious jet-lag!

Cons

rule of thumb with international travel is to have jet-lag non-stop!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

Innovating a business model is key for a profitable business and growth. Without a proper and sustainable business model, even the best product or technology innovations will not flourish. Learn the skills and knowledge needed to start improving your business as you learn through real-life examples from fellow entrepreneurs, innovators and leading experts on business model innovation. Benefit business owners, entrepreneurs, business consultants or business developers who seek better understanding of business models and the tools to develop them.

Cons

There's nothing much not to like about this role.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

B2B Communication and Building Relationships, Product\Strategy Development and Implementation, Solving Problems

Cons

Deal Negotiations


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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