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Technical Director or Manager

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Life As a Technical Director or Manager

Occupation Description Coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.

Daily Life Of a Technical Director or Manager

  • Collaborate with promotions directors to produce on-air station promotions.
  • Test equipment to ensure proper operation.
  • Train workers in use of equipment, such as switchers, cameras, monitors, microphones, and lights.
  • Discuss filter options, lens choices, and the visual effects of objects being filmed with photography directors and video operators.
  • Follow instructions from production managers and directors during productions, such as commands for camera cuts, effects, graphics, and takes.
  • Set up and execute video transitions and special effects, such as fades, dissolves, cuts, keys, and supers, using computers to manipulate pictures as necessary.

Technical Director or Manager Skills

Technical Directors/Managers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

  • Production Supervisor
  • Talent Engineer
  • Production Director
  • Broadcast Engineer
  • On-Air Director

Job Demand for Technical Directors/Managers

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 134,700 jobs in the United States for Technical Director or Manager. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,500 new jobs for Technical Director or Manager by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 14,100 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Technical Director or Manager are Utah, Georgia, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Technical Director or Manager

Technical Directors/Managers make between $34,450 and $163,540 a year.

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Technical Directors/Managers who work in California, New York, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.

How much do Technical Directors/Managers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $57,040
Alaska $61,280
Arizona $62,760
Arkansas $58,750
California $115,080
Colorado $68,290
Connecticut $84,900
Delaware $59,680
District of Columbia $89,390
Florida $70,630
Georgia $84,570
Hawaii $73,200
Idaho $55,600
Illinois $77,960
Indiana $48,300
Iowa $46,610
Kansas $56,680
Kentucky $60,530
Louisiana $56,290
Maine $51,310
Maryland $78,760
Massachusetts $70,480
Michigan $65,910
Minnesota $73,110
Mississippi $44,310
Missouri $65,560
Montana $51,920
Nebraska $51,620
Nevada $67,190
New Hampshire $59,830
New Jersey $92,180
New Mexico $75,110
New York $115,610
North Carolina $73,980
North Dakota $42,570
Ohio $60,590
Oklahoma $55,670
Oregon $68,280
Pennsylvania $76,050
Rhode Island $65,660
South Carolina $57,200
South Dakota $55,930
Tennessee $65,040
Texas $69,280
Utah $67,800
Vermont $58,760
Virginia $69,750
Washington $71,430
Wisconsin $57,110
Wyoming $45,930

Tools & Technologies Used by Technical Directors/Managers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Technical Directors/Managers may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Python
  • Word processing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Linux
  • Facebook
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • UNIX
  • C
  • Oracle software
  • Practical extraction and reporting language Perl
  • YouTube
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Atlassian JIRA
  • Social media sites

How do I Become a Technical Director or Manager?

What education is needed to be a Technical Director or Manager?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Where do Technical Directors/Managers Work?

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Below are examples of industries where Technical Directors/Managers work:

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Similar Careers

Those who work as a Technical Director or Manager sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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