How to hire a corporate development director

How to hire a corporate development director, step by step

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

What does a corporate development director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the corporate development director you need to hire. Certain corporate development 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

   Hiring the perfect corporate development director also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents corporate development director salaries for various positions.

   Type of Corporate Development Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Corporate Development Director	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.	$52-110
   Director Of Sales & Business Development	A director of sales business development is responsible for monitoring the business and project plans, ensuring that the sales targets are met, according to project requirements and specifications. Directors of sales business development perform data analysis to track business performance and identify opportunities to grow revenues and profits... Show more	$18-84
   Managing Director	A Managing Director oversees workflow and progress, making sure that all operations align within the company or organization's mission or set of goals. They are responsible for crafting strategies, devising effective business plans, and executing guidelines that would nurture a company's growth, and as well as to be the driving force that would direct employees to the company's objectives... Show more	$34-112

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Corporate Development
   • Project Management
   • Financial Models
   • Business Development
   • HR
   • Mergers
   • Business Cases
   • Financial Analysis
   • Discounted Cash Flow
   • Corporate Strategy
   • Due Diligence
   • Acquisition Targets
   • Market Research
   • Investment Bankers

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create a competitive advantage by streamlining the RFP, sales and contract processes.
   • Lead restructuring/divestiture analysis of underperforming and strategically challenge traditional and digital business units helping to dramatically decrease EBITDA and market declines.
   • Overhaul and optimize sales strategy, targeting, tactics, CRM, value proposition, training.
   • Work with sales teams to translate customer needs to winning solutions, RFP responses and deal structuring.
   • Support linguists and staff, providing sales and administrative tools (CRM) require to meet business objectives.
   • Liaise with healthcare providers to create provider-sponsore insurance product for small businesses.

   More corporate development director duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, corporate development directors' average salary in nebraska is 32% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level corporate development directors 52% less than senior-level corporate development directors.
   • Certifications. A corporate development 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 corporate development director's salary.

   Average corporate development director salary

   $159,614yearly

   $76.74 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level corporate development director salary

   $110,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average corporate development director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$175,002	$84
   2	Washington	$169,215	$81
   3	Minnesota	$165,818	$80
   4	New York	$165,645	$80
   5	Pennsylvania	$160,291	$77
   6	Massachusetts	$150,550	$72
   7	Arizona	$146,868	$71
   8	Florida	$142,002	$68
   9	Nevada	$141,225	$68
   10	Texas	$133,202	$64
   11	Georgia	$129,802	$62
   12	North Carolina	$128,343	$62
   13	Colorado	$127,398	$61
   14	Iowa	$126,879	$61
   15	Wisconsin	$125,812	$60
   16	Illinois	$125,395	$60

   Average corporate development director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mayo Clinic	$218,575	$105.08	14
   2	VMware	$187,519	$90.15
   3	Turo	$179,984	$86.53
   4	Aya Healthcare	$179,672	$86.38	5
   5	Deutsche Bank	$179,090	$86.10	8
   6	Aspiration	$178,051	$85.60
   7	Intelsat	$177,464	$85.32
   8	GNC	$177,207	$85.20
   9	Integrated DNA Technologies	$174,743	$84.01
   10	ADM	$174,320	$83.81	9
   11	Tech2	$173,196	$83.27
   12	Poshmark	$172,088	$82.73
   13	NOV	$170,967	$82.20	1
   14	Foundation Medicine	$170,833	$82.13	2
   15	Juniper Networks	$170,205	$81.83
   16	Medtronic	$168,607	$81.06	48
   17	Pico Holdings	$167,980	$80.76
   18	Uptake Technologies	$166,611	$80.10
   19	FMC	$166,262	$79.93	1
   20	Institute of Real Estate Management	$165,359	$79.50

4. Writing a corporate development director job description

   A job description for a corporate development director role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a corporate development director job description:

   Corporate development director job description example

   Equifax is where you can power your possible. If you want to achieve your true potential, chart new paths, develop new skills, collaborate with bright minds, and make a meaningful impact, we want to hear from you.
   
   The Corporate Development Group at Equifax is responsible for the company's worldwide merger and acquisition strategy and execution. Equifax is highly active in acquiring data & analytics, and ID & Fraud companies and strategic inorganic investing around the world. The Director will support the rapid pace of M&A as Equifax continues to expand its data assets, technology and capabilities worldwide.
   
   As part of the Corporate Development team, the Director will assist the VP and EVP of corporate development in efforts to evaluate and execute information solutions company acquisitions and investments worldwide. This role provides ongoing exposure to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team.
   What You'll Do:
   Provide deal execution leadership through creation of communication materials for board of directors and senior management and managing due diligence Perform industry, market and company specific research & analysis; assess industry trends, market size and structure, industry M&A activity, and competitive landscapes Identify and evaluate potential acquisition candidates, lead acquisition valuation and the due diligence process; contribute to Letters of Intent, definitive agreement negotiations, internal communications/presentations to the EFX Board of Directors and Senior LeadershipLead the deal execution process and project management Travel internationally and domestically 10% of time annually and often on short notice for M&A activities
   
   What You'll Bring:
   Minimum 5 years of experience in Corporate development or business development Minimum 2 years working in investment banking, private equity or corporate development environment Demonstrated business acumen and executive presence to work seamlessly with senior leadership across the EFX enterprise as well as present to CEO, CFO and BU PresidentsExperience in the mechanics of mergers and acquisitions with strong financial modeling skills Strong team player who can both be strategic and tactical depending on the situation Experience operating in an high pace environment and attention to detail
   
   What Could Set You Apart
   Prior experience working in both corporate and investment banking environments
   
   We offer comprehensive compensation and healthcare packages, 401k matching, paid time off, and organizational growth potential through our online learning platform with guided career tracks.
   
   Are you ready to power your possible? Apply today, and get started on a path toward an exciting new career at Equifax, where you can make a difference!
   
   Equifax is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
   
   Primary Location:
   USA-Atlanta Corporate
   
   Function:
   Function - Corporate Development
   
   Schedule:
   Full time

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find corporate development 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 corporate development directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level corporate development 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 corporate development director job on Zippia to find and attract quality corporate development director candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit corporate development 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.

   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 corporate development director

   Once you've selected the best corporate development 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 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new corporate 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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