Director of Business Development: Facts, Skills, and Next Paths
A Director of Business Development identifies and pursues new business opportunities by calling on target accounts, building relationships with decision-makers, and managing a sales pipeline. Day-to-day work includes conducting market research, preparing proposals, delivering presentations, and using CRM software to track progress and forecast revenue.
The role sits within a company’s sales or growth team and reports to a Vice President or Chief Revenue Officer. For example, GNR is recruiting a director with a strong Navy rolodex to capture business for defense manufacturing, while Integral Care Home Care seeks someone to identify opportunities in healthcare. Other postings, such as PruTech Solutions, focus on selling IT consulting to federal agencies. Directors may also lead the design of solar energy projects or drive enterprise-level commercial solutions for life sciences firms like IQVIA.
Median salary for this role is approximately $240,360. The skills most frequently requested in current job postings are business development, sales strategy, presentation skills, CRM, market research, and project management.
$180,270 – $328,252
Avg. Salary
18 paths
Adjacent Paths
56% avg. match
Avg. Match Score
14.4 shared skills
Shared Foundation
The Skill Blueprint for Director of Business Development
The core competencies employers ask for. Use them to strengthen your resume, spot gaps, and compare related career options.
Business Development
technical 100% of live postingsSales Strategy
technical 30% of live postingsPresentation Skills
technical 30% of live postingsCRM
technical 30% of live postingsMarket Research
analytical 30% of live postingsProject Management
soft 30% of live postingsGo
technical 20% of live postingsAnalytics & Reporting
analytical 20% of live postingsAccount Management
technical 20% of live postingsWhere Else Can Director of Business Development Skills Take You?
Build toward this role and you may be building toward several others. Explore the paths that share the same foundation.
Adjacent Paths from Director of Business Development
Showing the top 18 of 45 transitions — explore the rest via the Network map.
Why People Explore Director of Business Development
High Impact Visibility
Director of Business Developments sit at a critical intersection in the organization. Your work directly ties to key business metrics — making your impact visible across teams and to leadership.
Resume Signal
The skills behind Director of Business Development — Business Development, Sales Strategy, Presentation Skills — give you concrete language for resumes, interviews, and adjacent roles.
Option Value
This is a high-demand function where strong performers can advance quickly. With 45+ adjacent paths available, your career options stay open.
Roles With Similar Day-to-Day Work
Ranked by how similar the day-to-day work reads in live job postings — not just shared skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See how Director of Business Development skills match with every career path in our network.