How to hire an area manager

How to hire an area manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step area 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 area manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new area manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an area manager do?

Post an area manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an area 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an area manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an area manager that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of area manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Area Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Area Manager	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$24-51
   General Manager Of Operations	General managers of operations are employed to oversee the overall operations of businesses. Their responsibilities include the improvement of the efficiency of the operations and overall management... Show more	$23-79
   Operations Manager, District	A district operations manager is a managerial professional who manages the daily operations of stores within the assigned district as well as provides support to managers in ensuring quality and budget performance. The district operations manager must work with the store management to create and implement action plans to address deficiencies discovered during a store audit... Show more	$29-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Safety Standards
   • Logistics
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Business Plan
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Payroll
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Work Ethic
   • OSHA
   • Process Improvement
   • Performance Management
   • Corrective Action
   • Human Resources

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the recruitment, hiring, training and development of all depot distribution staff.
   • Used creativity and persistence to create new sales leads and run all provide leads.
   • Mark by achieving district s top shrink and performance (e.g., CPR) rates.
   • Manage Sortation area operations and escalate customer order fulfillment issues.
   • Manage operations in accordance with all regulatory (HSE) requirements and company procedures/guiding principles.
   • Implement and manage contracts for Medicaid while maintaining excellent relationships with key local agency executives.

   More area manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, area managers' average salary in mississippi is 39% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level area managers earn 53% less than senior-level area managers.
   • Certifications. An area 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 area manager's salary.

   Average area manager salary

   $73,472yearly

   $35.32 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level area manager salary

   $50,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average area manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$86,976	$42
   2	California	$85,361	$41
   3	District of Columbia	$84,276	$41
   4	Washington	$83,162	$40
   5	Massachusetts	$81,538	$39
   6	Delaware	$81,378	$39
   7	Colorado	$77,886	$37
   8	Wisconsin	$77,023	$37
   9	Nevada	$75,935	$37
   10	Virginia	$74,876	$36
   11	Maryland	$73,360	$35
   12	Minnesota	$72,577	$35
   13	Illinois	$72,319	$35
   14	North Carolina	$71,941	$35
   15	New Mexico	$70,141	$34
   16	Oregon	$69,978	$34
   17	Arizona	$69,013	$33
   18	Texas	$68,992	$33
   19	Indiana	$68,246	$33
   20	Nebraska	$67,447	$32

   Average area manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Clifford Chance	$149,637	$71.94
   2	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$138,773	$66.72	1
   3	Novo Nordisk	$130,896	$62.93	3
   4	Genentech	$129,668	$62.34	8
   5	Ball	$115,301	$55.43	1
   6	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$114,881	$55.23	3
   7	Bayer	$109,365	$52.58	4
   8	Boston Consulting Group	$108,096	$51.97	1
   9	General Motors	$107,914	$51.88	6
   10	Haynes International	$105,390	$50.67
   11	Weyerhaeuser International, Inc	$105,111	$50.53	9
   12	UGI	$104,658	$50.32	2
   13	Solenis	$104,583	$50.28	1
   14	Eastman	$103,291	$49.66
   15	Airgas	$102,477	$49.27	91
   16	Intel	$99,804	$47.98	4
   17	Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc	$99,784	$47.97
   18	BorgWarner	$99,487	$47.83	2
   19	Harvard University	$99,390	$47.78
   20	Oshkosh	$99,016	$47.60	13

4. Writing an area manager job description

   A good area manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an area manager job description:

   Area manager job description example

   Working with KinderCare Learning Companies means using your outstanding talents to help set the foundation for lifelong learners, where you can collaborate with colleagues, grow and learn, and positively impact the families we serve.
   
   With over 50 years of experience, 30,000 employees, and more than 2,000 early learning center programs, we are the most accredited leaders in early childhood education. Together, we create environments where kids grow and thrive. As one of only four companies to receive the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award six times, we're confident that you can grow and thrive here, too. We can't wait to meet you.
   
   If you're passionate about leading and coaching others to deliver on our brand's promise, the Area Manager role could be for you! Area Managers are responsible for a portfolio of teaching staff, providing them with the tools they need to succeed. Area Managers are critical leaders within our company who drive quality and consistency in the center experience to improve customer acquisition and retention.
   When you join our team as an Area Manager, you will:
   Recruit, develop, motivate, and engage a highly talented team of teaching staff. Drive consistent focus on quality and educational excellence throughout the market. Manage business portfolio, identify sales opportunities, and drive business decisions to improve revenue, customer retention, and acquisition. Cultivate positive relationships with families, teachers, schools and district leaders, state licensing authorities, community contacts, and corporate partners. Qualifications
   
   Required Skills and Experience:
   Minimum of 1 year of leadership experience, preferably in a multi-unit environment Outstanding customer service skills, strong organizational skills, and the ability to multi-task and lead multiple situations effectively Meet state specific guidelines for the role Physically able to use a computer, lift a minimum of 40 pounds, and work indoors or outdoors as needed Budget and financial accountability with revenue generation experience preferred NAEYC/NAC and state licensing knowledge preferred Our benefits meet you where you are. We're here to help our employees navigate the integration of work and life:
   Know your whole family is supported with discounted child care benefits. Breathe easy with medical, dental, and vision benefits for your family (and pets, too!). Feel supported in your mental health and personal growth with employee assistance programs. Feel great and thrive with access to health and wellness programs, paid time off and discounts for work necessities, such as cell phones. ... and much more. Working in local schools with our Champions before- and after-school programs means supporting hardworking families and giving back to your community. It also means having the chance to genuinely make an impact on future generations with your outstanding ability to inspire and delight.
   
   As the first national early childcare education provider to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute, we continue to follow the latest science-backed and evidence-based strategies for maintaining a safe and worry-free workplace.
   
   Our highest priority has always been to keep our employees, children, families, and communities as safe and healthy as possible. KinderCare highly encourages its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect themselves and their communities. We are proud to provide paid time off for employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We are also subject to state law, local ordinances, and Health Department requirements for employees working in child care, school facilities, and corporate work spaces.
   
   We truly believe that everyone belongs in our circle, and everyone deserves to be celebrated for who they are. By partnering with underrepresented groups and experts in DEI, we are identifying areas to improve and forging a path forward through accountability, compassion, accessibility, and inclusion.
   
   KinderCare Learning Companies is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right area manager 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 area managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit area managers 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 area manager job on Zippia to find and recruit area manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit area managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 area manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the area 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new area manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an area manager?