How to hire a cardiac rehabilitation program director

How to hire a cardiac rehabilitation program director, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the cardiac rehabilitation program director you need to hire. Certain cardiac rehabilitation program director roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A cardiac rehabilitation program director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, cardiac rehabilitation program 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 presents cardiac rehabilitation program director salaries for various positions.

   Type of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director	Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs that help patients recover from chronic diseases and improve cardiovascular function, body composition, and flexibility.	$12-49
   Clinical Exercise Physiologist	Clinical exercise physiologists, or CEP, are health professionals who utilize scientific rationale for designing, enforcing, and supervising exercise programming. The physiologists set exercise programs for people with conditions, diseases, and/or physical issues... Show more	$13-45
   Exercise Physiologist	An exercise physiologist is a health professional who analyzes the fitness of patients to help them improve their health or maintain good health. Exercise physiologists are required to help patients with heart diseases and other chronic conditions such as diabetes or pulmonary disease to regain their health... Show more	$13-39

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Rehabilitation
   • Cardiac Rehabilitation
   • Heart Rate

   Responsibilities:

   • Recruit support of cardiologists for referral to cardiac rehabilitation programs.
   • Educate physicians and community about the benefit of cardiac rehabilitation.
   • Coordinate cardiac rehab/wellness program classes including patient program orientation, individual program design, EKG interpretation, program progression and reassessment.
   • Establish and implement standard of care protocols for clients with heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and pulmonary diseases.
   • Conduct monitoring/quality assurance/site reviews for CRP's to ensure quality of services.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your cardiac rehabilitation program director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A cardiac rehabilitation program director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, cardiac rehabilitation program directors' average salary in arkansas is 64% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level cardiac rehabilitation program directors 74% less than senior-level cardiac rehabilitation program directors.
   • Certifications. A cardiac rehabilitation program director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a cardiac rehabilitation program director's salary.

   Average cardiac rehabilitation program director salary

   $53,502yearly

   $25.72 hourly rate

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   Entry-level cardiac rehabilitation program director salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a cardiac rehabilitation program director job description

   A cardiac rehabilitation program 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 a cardiac rehabilitation program director job description:

   Cardiac rehabilitation program director job description example

   What You Will Do:
   
   University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a physician-led, internationally recognized healthcare system offering uniquely rewarding careers in major Maryland marketplaces. Create your future in a healthcare setting that is right for you and your practice. Become part of something greater by applying your experience, input, and leadership-as a clinician and healthcare expert.
   
   UM Capital Region Medical Center, a member of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), is seeking a Advanced Practice Practitioner, Cardiac Interventional EP Lab RMC, to join its thriving practice. You can become a part of a growing cardiac surgery team and get in on the ground floor of a new complex PCI and Structural Heart programs. You will directly impact the care team, develop advanced evidence-based practices, and support the educational programs.
   
   Job Specifics:
   
   + Provides day-to-day organizational and clinical direction of the healthcare provider team serving interventional, electrophysiology patients to ensure continuity of patient care by facilitating and coordinating communication between the healthcare team, patient, and patient's family
   
   + Management of pre and post-procedure patients for interventional cardiology and electrophysiology patients including discharging and admitting patients
   
   + Management of both outpatient and inpatient areas
   
   + Performs examination, evaluation, assessment, and interpretation of clinical data to provide care to patients requiring a variety of interventional and electrophysiology cardiac surgical interventions, including PCIs, EP devices, ablations and more.
   
   + Monday through Saturday 6:30- 4:30 roughly; 4 ten-hour shifts with rotational coverage of Saturdays (for consults and post-procedure patients only)
   
   + Patient load approximately 5-10/day, including new cases for the day and management of in-patients
   
   + Involvement in establishing an improved, modern, evidence-based Cath and ep program with large volume growth projections in the next several years
   
   + Experienced cardiology APP, experienced with radial and femoral site management; experience with pre-and post-procedural management of Cath and EP patients
   
   + A non-procedural area (ie the APP will not be performing any procedures)
   
   + Work with 5-6 interventional cardiologists, 2-3 EP physicians
   
   + No Call associated with this position
   
   As a UMMS provider, you can expect
   
   + Competitive Salary
   
   + Medical, dental, and vision insurance
   
   + Paid malpractice insurance
   
   + Generous paid time off
   
   + CME leave and CME allowance
   
   + Retirement plan - 403-B with employer match
   
   Be part of a rich tradition of Medicine while shaping the future of care delivery.We are not accepting inquiries or solicitations from 3rd party recruiters/search firms.
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
   
   What You Need to Be Successful:
   
   Current Maryland license in good standing as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician. National Certification within the respective area of responsibility. NPI, DEA, and CDS are required. Basic Life Support-Health Care Provider(BLS-HCP) Advanced Cardiac Life Support(ACLS) is required. Completion of an approved Nurse Practitioner or Physician's Assistant program and appropriate certification, including approved attestation on file at the appropriate Maryland Board.
   
   3 years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant providing direct care to patients, preferably in a surgical program setting. Other Required Attributes 1. Demonstrated ability to promote professionalism through involvement in professional organizations, teaching, research, publishing, and/or certification in area of specialty. 2. Ability to demonstrate competency in knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the patient population(s) served. Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her population specific and age-specific needs. 3. Highly effective verbal and written communication skills are required to interact with patient families, departmental units, and medical and nursing staff on all essential matters. Demonstrated/documented effective interpersonal skills. 4. Maintains updated hospital safety and other mandatory training. 5. Maintains updated immunizations as recommended per practice area. 6. Maintains all licensure, certification and credentialing, and competencies required to perform the job and maintain clinical appointments.
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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5. Post your job

   To find cardiac rehabilitation 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 cardiac rehabilitation program directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level cardiac rehabilitation 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 cardiac rehabilitation program director job on Zippia to find and recruit cardiac rehabilitation program director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit cardiac rehabilitation program directors, 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 cardiac rehabilitation program director

   Once you've selected the best cardiac rehabilitation program director candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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 cardiac rehabilitation program 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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