How to hire an associate program director

How to hire an associate program director, step by step

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

What does an associate program director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your associate program director job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an associate program director for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 associate program director 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 associate program director that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of associate program directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Associate Program Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Program Director	Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.	$23-66
   Director Of After School Program	A director of after school programs oversees and directs childcare centers in communities. They take the lead in setting goals and guidelines, conducting research and analyses to identify the students' interests and needs, developing programs that provide recreational activities and academic support, supervising the recruitment and training of employees, and monitoring the daily operations to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently... Show more	$14-38
   Program Manager	A program manager is responsible for monitoring the project's progress, improving and developing new strategies, and coordinate various projects across the organization to ensure the success of the business objective. Program managers also manage the program's expenses, ensuring that the projects adhere to the budget goals without compromising the quality and accuracy of the result... Show more	$31-67

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Oversight
   • Project Management
   • SAS
   • Veterans
   • Alumni
   • FDA
   • Sops
   • PowerPoint
   • Program Management
   • Professional Development
   • Program Development
   • Mental Health
   • Curriculum Development
   • Social Work

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all aspects of program requirements according to contractual requirements base on DHS internal formal mandates.
   • Manage direct support professionals serving adult populations for persons with mental health, developmental disabilities and children with autism.
   • Execute major program reviews on SMC staff for DoD officials on critical program execution issues.
   • Integrate health team management of managers, coordinators, and clinical staff to promote regional programs.
   • Obtain CDL license to transport club members and gain certification for adult and child CPR and first aid.
   • Ensure that all employees receive appropriate training and remain up to date with CPR and CPI training and yearly health updates.

   More associate program director duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, associate program directors' average salary in louisiana is 52% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level associate program directors earn 65% less than senior-level associate program directors.
   • Certifications. An associate program director 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 associate program director's salary.

   Average associate program director salary

   $83,444yearly

   $40.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate program director salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average associate program director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$99,069	$48
   2	Massachusetts	$96,470	$46
   3	California	$95,219	$46
   4	Maryland	$92,512	$44
   5	Georgia	$92,171	$44
   6	District of Columbia	$85,354	$41
   7	Connecticut	$83,885	$40
   8	Vermont	$76,828	$37
   9	North Carolina	$73,992	$36
   10	Colorado	$72,015	$35
   11	Pennsylvania	$71,463	$34
   12	Illinois	$70,844	$34
   13	Ohio	$67,670	$33
   14	Washington	$65,945	$32
   15	Virginia	$65,835	$32
   16	Indiana	$63,721	$31
   17	Florida	$61,963	$30
   18	Minnesota	$61,941	$30
   19	Kansas	$59,076	$28
   20	Texas	$58,557	$28

   Average associate program director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Malaria No More	$163,236	$78.48
   2	Genentech	$161,941	$77.86	10
   3	Esperion Therapeutics	$158,628	$76.26
   4	Sarepta Therapeutics	$154,791	$74.42
   5	VMware	$148,772	$71.53
   6	The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research	$147,593	$70.96
   7	First Republic Bank	$143,836	$69.15
   8	Abbott	$140,750	$67.67	6
   9	Regeneron	$138,839	$66.75	12
   10	Amgen	$138,261	$66.47	7
   11	AstraZeneca	$137,649	$66.18	9
   12	Allergan plc	$137,581	$66.14	2
   13	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$137,423	$66.07	1
   14	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$136,630	$65.69	24
   15	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$136,295	$65.53	3
   16	PTC Therapeutics	$135,801	$65.29	1
   17	Merck	$135,474	$65.13	2
   18	Novartis	$132,597	$63.75	8
   19	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$131,121	$63.04	2
   20	Gilead Sciences	$130,710	$62.84	19

4. Writing an associate program director job description

   A good associate program director 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 associate program director job description:

   Associate program director job description example

   Key Human Services, Inc. is seeking Associate Program Directors to join our team of professionals in making a positive difference in the lives of our neighbors and the community.
   Responsibilities Include:
   Create a healthy, engaging, typical home for people with intellectual disabilities Teach and assist with daily living skills like cooking and light housekeeping Provide and assist with direct care such as personal care and hygiene Promote and advocate for the health and wellness of the people supported Support individuals to become independent, make decisions, and live a meaningful dignified life with valued social roles (ex: friend, neighbor, student, employee) Provide transportation within the community and to medical appointments as necessary Support Program Director with administrative and operational tasks including scheduling, training and mentoring staff, fire drills, medication checks, cleanliness of home, doctor appointments, etc.Provide back-up coverage as needed
   
   Position Details:
   $500 Sign On Bonus - eligibility per incentive guidelines$18.80 per hour Full-time position Competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401K, and more Generous paid time off program Extensive training and learning opportunities Career development and advancement
   
   Minimum Requirements:
   High School Diploma or equivalent Three years of work experience in human services or related field; Will consider higher education in lieu of experience Effective communication skills, both verbal and written Valid Connecticut driver's license with a three year clean driving history Daily access to a privately maintained and insured vehicle Successful completion of the pre-employment process, including motor vehicle record and criminal background checks
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Associate's or Bachelor's degree Supervisory experience
   
   Keystone Human Services is committed to an inclusive workplace that does not discriminate against race, nationality, religion, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other protected characteristic under federal, state or local law. We believe in diversity and encourage any qualified individual to apply.
   
   Disclaimer: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find associate program directors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any associate program directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level associate program directors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit associate program 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 associate program director

   Once you have selected a candidate for the associate program director 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new associate program director. 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire an associate program director?