Directs and implements an organization's research and development policies, objectives, and initiatives.
Ensures research and development activities will maintain an organization's competitive position and profitability. Consults with top management and research and development team and makes recommendations based on research findings and product performance.
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Research and Development Director skill and competencie below to view definitions.
Skill definition-Applying management skills and engineering principles in overseeing technical projects and personnel.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Identifies the different fields or specialized areas of engineering management.
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Records the available resources to present critical information to the engineering management.
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Uses engineering management platforms to monitor engineering operations and deliverable programs.
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leverages data science techniques to make evidence-based decisions for engineering projects.
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops engineering management platforms for sound and effective decision-making.
Skill definition-Forecasting costs and resources to complete a project within a defined scope.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains resource requirements for project and cost estimation activities.
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Identifies the characteristics of credible cost estimates, including data availability and recognition of inflation.
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Provides insights on the pros and cons of various cost estimation approaches.
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Provides accurate estimations of benefit savings, project costs, and technical feasibility.
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes overall impact cost models to provide real-time cost estimations.
Skill definition-Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains how to interpret source code from a specific programming language.
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Gathers user requirements and defines system functionality for computer programming.
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Performs program tests to spot and resolve bugs and inconsistencies.
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Improves existing computer programs to maintain efficiency and reliability.
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes a standard programming framework to help the team design an executable computer program.
Skill definition-Insight into our organization's business, goals, and values. Ability to design and implement initiatives that facilitate successful outcomes.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of our products and services.
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Explains advantages and disadvantages of different organizational structures from an efficiency perspective.
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Evaluates supply chain efficiency with an eye toward improving shortcomings.
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leverages the latest technologies and tools that enhance business analytics.
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs and implements feedback loops to identify and promptly address business problems.
Skill definition-Applying specific policies, tools and practices to plan and prepare projected revenues, expenses, cash flows, and capital expenditures.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the different purposes and uses of our organization's budgets.
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Produces budget reports showing planned vs. actual variances highlighted and explained.
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Reviews and helps approve major budget adjustments to negotiate and reconcile line variances.
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Monitors budgeting processes to ensure adherence to our organization's financial practices and standards.
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes operating procedures to guide the consistency and repeatability of our budgeting processes.
There are 8 hard skills for Research and Development Director, Engineering Management, Cost Estimation, Engineering Change Management, etc.
1 general skills for Research and Development Director, Programming.
14 soft skills for Research and Development Director, Business Acumen, Budgeting, Planning and Organizing, etc.
While the list totals 23 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Research and Development Director, he or she needs to be skilled in Business Acumen, be skilled in Budgeting, and be skilled in Planning and Organizing.
