How to hire an acquisitions manager

How to hire an acquisitions manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step acquisitions manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an acquisitions manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new acquisitions manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an acquisitions manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an acquisitions manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An acquisitions manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, acquisitions managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of acquisitions managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Acquisitions Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Acquisitions Manager	Property, real estate, and community association managers take care of the many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties. They make sure the property is well maintained, has a nice appearance, and preserves its resale or leasing value.	$31-69
   Property Administrator	A property administrator is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties for real estate and property companies. Property administrators coordinate with prospective clients to inform them about the property and offers tours to give a better view of the location... Show more	$12-27
   Leasing Professional	A Leasing Professional is responsible for handling and coordinating with potential tenants for rental purposes. Leasing Professionals discuss the leasing terms and agreements with the clients, conduct property inspections, and identify possible repairs and renovations... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Due Diligence
   • Project Management
   • Digital Marketing
   • PowerPoint
   • Mergers
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Real Estate
   • DOD
   • Facebook
   • Business Development
   • Financial Analysis
   • Excellent Client
   • Marketing Campaigns
   • Acquisition Strategy

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and coordinate creation of all HOA documents and set-up.
   • Lead media strategy to acquire Facebook data and grow company's first social lead pool
   • Lead paid acquisition marketing efforts to achieve user volume, quality and ROI goals within budgets.
   • Manage segment's treasury function including equity forecasting and investment requests as well as lender relations in a difficult banking environment.
   • Compose RFP responses to new business inquiries.
   • Represent program to OSD staff, i.e.

   More acquisitions manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your acquisitions manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An acquisitions manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, acquisitions managers' average salary in colorado is 36% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level acquisitions managers earn 55% less than senior-level acquisitions managers.
   • Certifications. An acquisitions manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an acquisitions manager's salary.

   Average acquisitions manager salary

   $97,768yearly

   $47.00 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level acquisitions manager salary

   $65,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average acquisitions manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$118,529	$57
   2	Maryland	$115,069	$55
   3	Pennsylvania	$111,238	$53
   4	Michigan	$110,587	$53
   5	New York	$110,410	$53
   6	Minnesota	$107,932	$52
   7	Ohio	$107,298	$52
   8	New Jersey	$106,475	$51
   9	Washington	$106,387	$51
   10	California	$102,949	$49
   11	North Carolina	$102,643	$49
   12	Kansas	$100,871	$49
   13	Massachusetts	$100,508	$48
   14	Texas	$98,438	$47
   15	Georgia	$96,963	$47
   16	Arizona	$92,857	$45
   17	Missouri	$89,144	$43
   18	Illinois	$88,616	$43
   19	Utah	$86,632	$42
   20	Wisconsin	$86,351	$42

   Average acquisitions manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$147,630	$70.98
   2	Google	$128,110	$61.59
   3	Citi	$123,320	$59.29
   4	Pwc	$119,721	$57.56	271
   5	U.S. Pharmacopeia	$113,638	$54.63
   6	Microsoft	$112,848	$54.25	1
   7	Amazon	$112,357	$54.02	14
   8	Booz Allen Hamilton	$111,544	$53.63	4
   9	American Express	$111,372	$53.54
   10	Morgan Stanley	$111,021	$53.38	4
   11	Ernst & Young	$110,787	$53.26	581
   12	Audible	$110,313	$53.04
   13	Invoice2go	$110,139	$52.95
   14	Thomson Reuters	$109,782	$52.78
   15	The Walt Disney Company	$108,648	$52.23
   16	Accenture	$108,484	$52.16	1
   17	Deloitte	$108,031	$51.94	25
   18	Scientific Learning Corporation	$107,980	$51.91
   19	Mastercard	$106,886	$51.39	2
   20	HSBC Bank	$106,509	$51.21

4. Writing an acquisitions manager job description

   An acquisitions manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an acquisitions manager job description:

   Acquisitions manager job description example

   Abacus Technology is seeking a Sr. Acquisition Manager to support the planning, development, implementation and management of a comprehensive, affordable and effective systems support strategy at Robins AFB. This is a full-time position.
   
   Apply knowledge and experience in acquisition program management philosophy, policies, and procedures to Air Force, Navy, and Army systems, subsystems, equipment procurement activities, post award project/program management tasks, and acquisition programs throughout their life cycles. Manage and organize resources and personnel needed to efficiently and effectively meet the objectives of each task, as well as explore new approaches as applicable within the performance of these tasks. Assign personnel to provide services as described below in execution of the Mobility Directorate Acquisition Management Support requirements. Reside in the assigned Mobility Directorate program offices. Support the acquisition program management of full life cycle requirements, subsystems, and equipment. Assist with the development of documents, such as, but not limited to: Memorandum of Agreements/Memorandum of Understandings (MOA/MOU), Statements of Objectives (SOO), Performance Work Statements (PWS), Statements of Work (SOW), Requests for Proposal (RFP), Mission Needs Statements (MNS), Operational Requirements Documents (ORD), Initial Capabilities Documents (ICD), Capability Development Documents (CDD)/Capability Production Documents (CPD), and Analysis of Alternatives (AOA). Support the review of proposals as assigned by the customer. Assist in: the coordination of documentation between functional resources (to include: financial, management, procurement, engineering, and logistics); the consolidation of their inputs into common documents; and in planning for the accomplishment of various program milestones. Provide assistance in risk management, project management, process improvement support, and logistics support. Participate in process improvement activities as members of, or advisors to, Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and Product/Process Improvement Working Groups (PIWGs). Assist in the collection of programmatic inputs from weapons systems program offices for defining, developing, and managing the acquisition and development/upgrades to the various Mobility Directorate aircraft configurations. Perform, as required, a non-voting advisory role for program source selections on all acquisition related requirements. Assist in determining program progress and effectively communicate recommendations, orally and in writing, to higher organizational management. Apply program knowledge for developing and coordinating responses to taskers in response to internal and external program inquiries.
   
   15+ years experience in acquisitions including at least 5 years working in a DoD environment. Bachelor's degree in a related field. Possess the knowledge, experience and recognized ability in the technical/professional field, possess the ability to perform tasks and oversee the efforts of junior personnel within the technical/professional discipline. Knowledge and previous experience with USAF acquisition and DoD 5000.2 Series. Understanding of current Department of Defense (DoD) and Air Force acquisition regulations, guidelines and processes. Demonstrate knowledge of technical/professional discipline as well as possess a comprehensive understanding and ability to apply associated standards, procedures and practices in their area of expertise. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Applications, Adobe Acrobat, and applications for access to the world wide web including Microsoft Internet Explorer. Knowledge of logistics policy and guidance to include Title 10 United States Code Section 2466, Limitations on the Performance of Depot-Level Maintenance of Materiel (as amended by the National Defense Authorization Acts [NDAAs]), and all applicable AF systems. Understands the theories and principles of ILS planning, development, and execution sufficient to coordinate and integrate functions into a total, well structured, and viable program. Demonstrate a working knowledge of logistics and maintainability programs to include, but not be limited to, product support RAM-C program test and evaluation planning and execution, technical evaluation and identification of weapon systems logistics requirements and resources. Demonstrate an understanding of budgetary or financial analysis and control and life cycle cost analysis and control. Must be a US citizen and hold a current Secret clearance.
   
   Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
   
   Applicants selected will be subject to any Executive Orders regarding vaccination mandates for Federal government contractors.
   EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled
   
   ID: 2022-6225
   
   External Company URL: www.abacustech.com
   
   Street: 215 Page Road
   
   Telecommute: No

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find acquisitions managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your acquisitions manager job on Zippia to find and recruit acquisitions manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting acquisitions managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new acquisitions manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the acquisitions manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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