Most associate director job descriptions include hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating employees. Other tasks may include creating and implementing policies while overseeing multiple aspects of specific projects, depending on the nature of the project or company with which an associate director is working. Most assistant director jobs require individuals in this position to act as a liaison between program staff members, executive staff members, and other collaborative partners, and are frequently seen as an assistant to an executive director.
Some associate director job descriptions call for associate directors to be in charge of tax and accounting matters on behalf of a company or project. Some may be tasked with budgeting and tracking, as well as balancing bank accounts and preparing written reports for senior executives and board members. In addition to these duties, a senior associate director may be required to file tax returns on behalf of the company for which she or he works.
Associate director responsibilities also include planning, coordinating, and overseeing events aimed at increasing an organization’s visibility or raising funds to complete a project. In this position, a person will be responsible for not only managing a core group of staff members, but also for communicating with and coordinating the activities of outside sponsors, vendors, and others who are critical to the success of an event. As a result, it’s critical for someone in this position to be able to communicate effectively with others while also completing multiple tasks.
Other responsibilities of associate directors include assisting one or more directors on special projects, delegating responsibilities to specific employees, and ensuring that all communication critical to the success of a project or the company’s overall goals is seamless. As such, an assistant director keeps track of communication and progress toward strategic goals, compiling this data into special reports for directors, board members, and other principals to review.
To perform these activities, one needs to have strong analytical skills, strong problem-solving skills, and excellent written and verbal skills. Computers and other technology are increasingly being used to complete these tasks. This means that associate and assistant directors must be able to use or learn how to use a variety of technological tools, including email and specific software programs.