Director

Community Director

The leader who owns the community function for a brand, platform, or member organization — the people, programs, and platforms that turn an audience into something that feels like belonging. Half strategy, half hands-on programming.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
E
C
S
A
I
R
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Community Directors
Employment concentration · ~400 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Community Director

Most days tend to involve a mix of program planning, member engagement, and team leadership — reviewing engagement data, joining a member call or AMA, working with the team on event programming, and partnering with marketing, product, or advocacy on cross-functional initiatives.

The hardest part is often proving the value of community to leaders who measure in pipeline and revenue. You'll typically need to translate engagement, retention, and advocacy into language that resonates in an executive review, while still protecting the cultural conditions that make a community feel genuine rather than transactional.

People who tend to thrive here are relational, strategically minded, and unusually good at reading a room — online or in person. The trade-off is the always-on nature of community work and the emotional labor of being the public face of something that matters to people. If you find satisfaction in building spaces where the right people find each other, this role can be deeply rewarding.

IndependenceAbove avg
AchievementAbove avg
Working ConditionsModerate
RecognitionModerate
RelationshipsModerate
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Community Directors (SOC 11-2032.00, 11-9141.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Exploring the Community Director career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$39K–$208K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
373K
U.S. Employment
+4.3%
10yr Growth
46K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$74K$71K$68K$65K$62K201920202021202220232024$62K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

SpeakingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingCoordinationNegotiationCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionMonitoring
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
11-2032.0011-9141.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.