Average Organizational Development Director Salary

Getting the most out of an organization's employees isn't simply a matter of filling empty slots with warm bodies and hoping for the best. Many organizations have entire teams dedicated to the task of training employees and getting the most out of them. The leader of this department is called the director of organizational development, and this director coordinates the entirety of the organization's employee development programs.

The director of organizational development manages junior organizational development officers, who are each delegated specific tasks and are often the direct contact between the organization and its employees. The director is responsible for making the organization's development goals and directives clear and for directing the creation of plans of action to implement developmental policies. The director of organizational development may also assist directly in the development of executives and others in the organization who show leadership potential. They are also responsible for creating a budget for organizational activities and staying within that budget.

The director of organizational development ranks highly within an organization and works primarily in an office environment. It is important for the director to be communicative to those under them to be able to address specific concerns of development. Excellent leadership skills will help to ensure cohesion in the team.

Most employers seek a director of organizational development that holds a master's degree or doctorate relevant to the fields of organizational development and behavior. Six to ten years of previous experience are also highly desired, and a sufficient level of experience may be substituted for a variable amount of formal education. (Copyright 2018 PayScale.com)

Organizational Development Director Tasks

• Develop and execute an organizational development process plan.
• Assess current organizational process and make recommendations for strategic changes.

For those looking to make money, Organizational Development Directors in San Francisco enjoy an exceptional pay rate, 68 percent above the national average. Organizational Development Directors can also look forward to large paychecks in cities like New York (+41 percent), Chicago (+31 percent), Dallas (+26 percent), and Houston (+24 percent). Place of residence plays a huge part in an Organizational Development Director's salary, with Milwaukee Organizational Development Directors earning salaries that are 37 percent less than the national average. Employers also pay below the national average in Baltimore (14 percent lower) and Los Angeles (9 percent lower).