At what point can one break 500k and 1MM in a Corporate role?
At what point in your career in Corp Dev/Fin/Strat could one generally expect to earn 500k? Is this Director level of comp or higher? Could a Senior Director in a profitable industry like tech expect to earn around this level?
And where can you expect to earn 1 MM? Could a VP in FIG, energy, tech or pharma/healthcare expect to earn this or is that reserved for C-level execs only?
Sr Director/jr VP and SVP/EVP/GM/Head of "BizDev/CorpDev/CorpStrat"
In most industries, I don't know if you even hit $500k all-in as head of Corp Dev, although probably not far from it (I'm guessing 250-300k base plus ~20% bonus and some RSUs). Maybe for the largest of the F500s and for some Tech firms you hit that below SVP. To hit $1MM all-in, I think you have to be C-level or perhaps the CFO of a big business unit within the parent company (still sort of C-level). I don't have any hard data to back this up, but that's based on my guess after working in multiple F500 firms (between 100-400 on list). Most F500 corp dev / strat teams are quite small, so they don't pay you like you're managing dozens or hundreds of people.
Someone on another thread said Tech directors make 350-400k and Senior VPs could make as much as 800k-1MM.
Another thread someone said Senior Directors and VPs in FIG could earn around 500-600k.
Sort of conflicting messages here, is earning 500k that rare in Corporate roles?
That’s possible, especially the tech one. But I don’t think it’s the norm outside Tech and maybe FIG? I think it’s quite rare to make a half million a year on the corporate side. You also have to remember most corporates aren’t HQd in NYC or SF
Data point: I work at a F500 CPG company. Directors at my company range from ~$270k-400k all-in (with the upper end being those who've been Directors for several years). To crack $500k you're looking at a VP role, and to crack $1MM you're looking at the most senior VPs - e.g. one rung below the C-suite (titles are usually "President of Europe", "President of North America"). We have 30,000+ employees, and there are maybe 10-15 who will break $1MM in a given year.
Spot on
I agree with Master above. Only person I know making more than 500k under VP level is a senior director of Business Development because of the fat cash bonus. Otherwise VP and up, but not all VPs make 500k either (looking at you HR, IT and "corporate branding"). That's all in with RSUs/Options etc.
This would not be quite accurate for tech. At my firm for non-technical (finance/operations etc.) roles you can crack $500K as a Senior Director and $1MM+ for certain VP roles. Non-Technical SVPs (1-level below C) are definitely looking at $1M+ in total compensation. (I've seen offers in the $1.5 - $2.0M range).
Additionally technical roles are paid significantly more than non-technical roles. Technical directors make significantly more than non-technical counterparts and would generally sit between $400K and $1MM depending on the role and company. If you think $1MM is crazy for a director pick up the phone and call any reputable third-party recruiter and ask them how much it would cost to recruit a Director of Engineering from FAANG. Guarantee the answer is north of $1MM.
Yes but as you pointed out that’s for technical roles.
I dabble in tech and this is correct.
Also at at F500 CPG- just had a friend promoted from Sr. Manager to Director and his base comp is $200k with target 30% bonus. This is in an operating unit (vs. Corp dev or other central corporate function)
That sounds spot-on.
For most industries this is spot on.
At my 2 F500s similar experience, maybe even slightly lower. For instance, I doubt any directors are $400k at either of the companies I know and no one below C-suite hits $1M. Even our "President of X" is likely $700-800k in a year, with occasional exceptions for tremendous performance.
I am completely sure that there are outliers and tech and FIG are probably higher, but unlike most speculation on this site I have seen the confidential #s.
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