How to hire an application development director

How to hire an application development director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step application development director hiring guide:

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

What does an application development director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an application development director, 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 application development director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, application development directors 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of application development directors.

   Type of Application Development Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Application Development Director	Computer and information systems managers, often called information technology (IT) managers or IT project managers, plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization. They help determine the information technology goals of an organization and are responsible for implementing computer systems to meet those goals.	$55-95
   Systems Manager	A systems manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the information technology department, evaluating staff performance, developing strategic procedures to maximize productivity, and identifying business opportunities that would generate more revenues and profitability for the company. Systems managers inspect company networks to ensure the efficiency of the technology systems, conducting regular diagnostic tests, and installing upgrades to boost optimization... Show more	$36-73
   Chief Technology Officer	The job of chief technology officers (CTOs) is to oversee the technological needs and research and development of an organization. The CTOs, who are like chief information officers, make decisions for a company's technology infrastructure that aligns with the organization's business goals... Show more	$50-136

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Application Development
   • Architecture
   • Java
   • Software Development
   • Project Management
   • Scrum
   • C++
   • SDLC
   • Web Services
   • JavaScript
   • API
   • Business Processes
   • CRM
   • QA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage IP portfolio including strategic partnerships, patents, and licensing.
   • Manage the implementation of a SharePoint base project and portfolio management solution and team intranet portal.
   • Manage a portfolio of linear and digital projects for multiple executive steering committees utilizing internal and external resources.
   • Program manage multiple Disney cross functional business unit teams through new enterprise wide ERP application implementations and custom design applications.
   • Manage infrastructure upgrade, replacement and capacity expansion for desktop and middle tier hardware and operating systems in geographically diverse locations.
   • Participate in establishing the company's strategic direction relative to the overall systems and technical architecture.

   More application development director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the application development director job description is a good way to get more applicants. An application development director salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an application development director in Iowa may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level application development director. Additionally, an application development director with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average application development director salary

   $151,898yearly

   $73.03 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level application development director salary

   $116,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average application development director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$182,953	$88
   2	California	$177,927	$86
   3	Massachusetts	$160,606	$77
   4	Ohio	$158,481	$76
   5	Connecticut	$158,050	$76
   6	New York	$150,155	$72
   7	New Jersey	$149,282	$72
   8	Maryland	$146,904	$71
   9	Arizona	$144,928	$70
   10	Illinois	$140,404	$68
   11	Oregon	$140,107	$67
   12	North Carolina	$136,646	$66
   13	District of Columbia	$136,457	$66
   14	Georgia	$134,980	$65
   15	Texas	$133,162	$64
   16	Minnesota	$132,721	$64
   17	Michigan	$132,048	$63
   18	Colorado	$128,308	$62
   19	Iowa	$119,826	$58
   20	Nebraska	$119,300	$57

   Average application development director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	ServiceNow	$193,159	$92.86	20
   2	Jo-Ann Stores	$179,497	$86.30
   3	First Republic Bank	$175,014	$84.14
   4	Brown-Forman	$171,307	$82.36
   5	Backoffice Associates	$164,134	$78.91
   6	Austin Industries	$163,439	$78.58	2
   7	ViacomCBS	$163,334	$78.53
   8	Citi	$161,144	$77.47	81
   9	StructuredWeb	$160,935	$77.37
   10	Arkansas Children's Hospital	$160,669	$77.24	8
   11	Pwc	$160,570	$77.20	538
   12	Druva	$156,413	$75.20
   13	Mohawk Industries	$155,856	$74.93	9
   14	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$155,823	$74.91	10
   15	MKP Capital Management	$155,178	$74.60
   16	Aetna	$153,879	$73.98
   17	Westlake Chemical	$152,837	$73.48	5
   18	DFS Corporate Services LLC	$152,689	$73.41
   19	cabi Clothing	$152,425	$73.28
   20	American College of Chest Physicians	$151,823	$72.99

4. Writing an application development director job description

   An application development director 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 application development director job description:

   Application development director job description example

   With us, you'll do meaningful work from Day 1. Our collaborative culture is built on three core behaviors: We Play to Win, We Get Better Every Day & We Succeed Together. And we mean it - we want you to grow and make a difference at one of the world's leading digital banking and payments companies. We value what makes you unique so that you have an opportunity to shine.

   Come build your future, while being the reason millions of people find a brighter financial future with Discover.

   Job Description

   The Director, Application Development DSL, plans, directs, and coordinates activities in such fields as data processing, information systems, systems architecture, and application development. Creates a culture of effective risk management, accountability, and demonstration of risk awareness across the organization.

   Responsibilities:

   • Directs daily operations of department, analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards, and setting deadlines.

   • Meets with department heads, managers, supervisors, vendors, and others, to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.

   • Reviews project plans to plan and coordinate project activity.

   • Assigns and reviews the work of systems analysts, programmers, and other computer-related workers.

   Qualifications:

   • Bachelor's degree preferred in Information Technology or Social Sciences.

   • 8+ years of technology and/or project management required.

   What are you waiting for? Apply today!

   All Discover employees place our customers at the very the center of our work. To deliver on our promises to our customers, each of us contribute every day to a culture that values compliance and risk management.

   The same way we treat our employees is how we treat all applicants - with respect. Discover Financial Services is an equal opportunity employer (EEO is the law). We thrive on diversity & inclusion. You will be treated fairly throughout our recruiting process and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status in consideration for a career at Discover.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right application development director for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with application development directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit application development directors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit application development directors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 application development director

   Once you've decided on a perfect application development director candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new application development director. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire an application development director?