NextChapter

Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Southeast

Gainesville leads the Southeast for director and executive jobs: 28% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 16% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Gainesville, FL: 28%
  • #2 Daytona Beach, FL: 28%
  • #3 Macon, GA: 28%
  • 87 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 16% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Gainesville FL28%
  2. 2Daytona Beach FL28%
  3. 3Macon GA28%
  4. 4Durham NC27%
  5. 5Brentwood TN25%
  6. 6Coral Gables FL25%
  7. 7Miami FL23%
  8. 8Jacksonville FL23%
  9. 9Lake Mary FL22%
  10. 10Charlottesville VA22%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Gainesville leads on 28%, and #10 Charlottesville is at 22%.
  • Macon reaches #3 on a sample of 105 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Miami is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,485 openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Director, VP and executive openings are rare and cluster in headquarters cities. Their share of local openings shows where leadership hiring happens.

How to use it

Senior searches depend on a small number of employers. Follow the employers listed under each city and watch their openings page.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Gainesville FL

    28%

    Director and above
    42
    All openings
    149
    Median posted pay
    $91k

    Hiring most here: UF Health, University of Florida, Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 149 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Gainesville

  2. 2

    Daytona Beach FL

    28%

    Director and above
    30
    All openings
    108
    Median posted pay
    $70k

    Hiring most here: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Brown & Brown

    Based on 108 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Daytona Beach

  3. 3

    Macon GA

    28%

    Director and above
    29
    All openings
    105
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Amazon

    Based on 105 openings.

  4. 4

    Durham NC

    27%

    Director and above
    214
    All openings
    804
    Median posted pay
    $122k

    Hiring most here: Duke University, Duke Health, GSK

    Based on 804 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Durham

  5. 5

    Brentwood TN

    25%

    Director and above
    48
    All openings
    194
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: LifePoint Health, Premise Health, Ardent Health

    Based on 194 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Brentwood

  6. 6

    Coral Gables FL

    25%

    Director and above
    65
    All openings
    264
    Median posted pay
    $108k

    Hiring most here: University Of Miami, Baptist Health South Florida, City National Bank of Florida

    Based on 264 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Coral Gables

  7. 7

    Miami FL

    23%

    Director and above
    578
    All openings
    2,485
    Median posted pay
    $138k

    Hiring most here: University Of Miami, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises / Holland America Line

    Based on 2,485 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Miami

  8. 8

    Jacksonville FL

    23%

    Director and above
    260
    All openings
    1,131
    Median posted pay
    $105k

    Hiring most here: Confidential, Intercontinental Exchange, UF Health

    Based on 1,131 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jacksonville

  9. 9

    Lake Mary FL

    22%

    Director and above
    32
    All openings
    146
    Median posted pay
    $134k

    Hiring most here: BNY, The Institute of Internal Auditors, The Bank of New York Mellon

    Based on 146 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lake Mary

  10. 10

    Charlottesville VA

    22%

    Director and above
    112
    All openings
    517
    Median posted pay
    $120k

    Hiring most here: UVA Health, University of Virginia, University of Virginia-Main Campus

    Based on 517 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Charlottesville

  11. 11

    Mc Lean VA

    21%

    Director and above
    52
    All openings
    242
    Median posted pay
    $163k

    Hiring most here: Capital One, Booz Allen Hamilton, Sunrise Senior Living

    Based on 242 openings.

  12. 12

    Atlanta GA

    21%

    Director and above
    1,243
    All openings
    5,877
    Median posted pay
    $138k

    Hiring most here: Emory University, Oxford College of Emory University, Capgemini Invent

    Based on 5,877 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Atlanta

  13. 13

    Columbus GA

    21%

    Director and above
    24
    All openings
    114
    Median posted pay
    $102k

    Hiring most here: Synovus, RPM International, ScionHealth

    Based on 114 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Columbus

  14. 14

    Jackson MS

    21%

    Director and above
    24
    All openings
    117
    Median posted pay
    $95k

    Hiring most here: Entergy, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Dewberry

    Based on 117 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Jackson

  15. 15

    Greenville NC

    20%

    Director and above
    25
    All openings
    122
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: ECU Health, Thermo Fisher Scientific

    Based on 122 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Greenville

  16. 16

    Chattanooga TN

    20%

    Director and above
    44
    All openings
    216
    Median posted pay
    $100k

    Hiring most here: Sargent & Lundy, Unum Group, University of Tennessee System

    Based on 216 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chattanooga

  17. 17

    Lexington KY

    20%

    Director and above
    45
    All openings
    230
    Median posted pay
    $100k

    Hiring most here: Xometry, Lockheed Martin, Veterans Health Administration

    Based on 230 openings.

  18. 18

    Roanoke VA

    20%

    Director and above
    36
    All openings
    184
    Median posted pay
    $78k

    Hiring most here: Carilion Clinic, Carilion Medical Center, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 184 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Roanoke

  19. 19

    Nashville TN

    19%

    Director and above
    338
    All openings
    1,737
    Median posted pay
    $139k

    Hiring most here: Oracle, Amazon, Vanderbilt University

    Based on 1,737 openings.

  20. 20

    Franklin TN

    19%

    Director and above
    27
    All openings
    139
    Median posted pay
    $113k

    Hiring most here: Enablecomp, Community Health Systems, Mars

    Based on 139 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Franklin

  21. 21

    Tallahassee FL

    19%

    Director and above
    163
    All openings
    840
    Median posted pay
    $125k

    Hiring most here: State of Florida, L3HARRIS Technologies, NextEra Energy

    Based on 840 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Tallahassee

  22. 22

    Memphis TN

    19%

    Director and above
    136
    All openings
    708
    Median posted pay
    $100k

    Hiring most here: ALSAC / St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, SpaceX, University of Memphis

    Based on 708 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Memphis

  23. 23

    Knoxville TN

    19%

    Director and above
    89
    All openings
    466
    Median posted pay
    $82k

    Hiring most here: University of Tennessee System, University of Tennessee, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

    Based on 466 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Knoxville

  24. 24

    Palm Beach Gardens FL

    19%

    Director and above
    32
    All openings
    171
    Median posted pay
    $140k

    Hiring most here: Nextera Energy, Brighter Signals, Kaufman Rossin

    Based on 171 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Palm Beach Gardens

  25. 25

    Cary NC

    19%

    Director and above
    45
    All openings
    242
    Median posted pay
    $213k

    Hiring most here: Epic Games, Wake County Public School System, Garmin

    Based on 242 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cary

Full ranking

All 87 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Gainesville FL28%149
2Daytona Beach FL28%108
3Macon GA28%105
4Durham NC27%804
5Brentwood TN25%194
6Coral Gables FL25%264
7Miami FL23%2,485
8Jacksonville FL23%1,131
9Lake Mary FL22%146
10Charlottesville VA22%517
11Mc Lean VA21%242
12Atlanta GA21%5,877
13Columbus GA21%114
14Jackson MS21%117
15Greenville NC20%122
16Chattanooga TN20%216
17Lexington KY20%230
18Roanoke VA20%184
19Nashville TN19%1,737
20Franklin TN19%139
21Tallahassee FL19%840
22Memphis TN19%708
23Knoxville TN19%466
24Palm Beach Gardens FL19%171
25Cary NC19%242
26Winston Salem NC18%104
27Frankfort KY18%187
28St. Petersburg FL18%144
29Falls Church VA18%172
30Tampa FL18%1,845
31Fort Myers FL18%158
32Fort Lauderdale FL17%624
33Charlotte NC17%3,402
34McLean VA17%1,182
35Birmingham AL17%617
36Fayetteville NC17%121
37Fairfax VA16%421
38Louisville KY16%2,319
39Naples FL16%205
40Rock Hill SC16%100
41Boca Raton FL16%369
42Augusta GA16%208
43Raleigh NC16%1,515
44Melbourne FL16%317
45Marietta GA16%280
46Charleston SC15%323
47Alpharetta GA15%614
48Duluth GA15%166
49Alexandria VA15%618
50Reston VA15%828
51Richmond VA15%1,209
52Wilmington NC15%204
53Norcross GA15%150
54Morrisville NC15%164
55Pensacola FL15%193
56Columbia SC14%331
57Arlington VA14%2,079
58Orlando FL14%1,343
59Clearwater FL14%167
60Lynchburg VA14%117
61Oak Ridge TN14%205
62Greenville SC13%350
63Doral FL13%145
64Savannah GA13%193
65Chesapeake VA13%140
66Greensboro NC13%446
67Kennesaw GA11%175
68Sarasota FL10%202
69Asheville NC10%139
70Huntsville AL10%1,196
71Virginia Beach VA9%275
72Montgomery AL9%193
73Ashburn VA8%259
74Norfolk VA8%342
75Sterling VA8%312
76Newport News VA8%130
77Vienna VA8%171
78Tysons VA7%191
79Mobile AL7%131
80Herndon VA7%849
81Manassas VA7%236
82Hampton VA7%120
83Fort Belvoir VA6%197
84Dulles VA5%127
85Chantilly VA4%553
86Springfield VA4%277
87Cape Canaveral FL3%176

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles at director, senior manager, vice president, head-of or C-suite level, read from the full posting text.

Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted.

A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles on employer career sites, verified in the last week. Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which city ranks first: best cities for director and executive jobs in the southeast?
Gainesville leads the Southeast for director and executive jobs: 28% of its professional openings are director level or above, against 16% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
87 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 87 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles at director, senior manager, vice president, head-of or C-suite level, read from the full posting text. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs-in-the-southeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-director-and-executive-jobs-in-the-southeast">Best cities for director and executive jobs in the Southeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it