How to hire a credit director

How to hire a credit director, step by step

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

What does a credit director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a credit 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

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

   Type of Credit Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Credit Director	Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	$36-105
   Accounts Payable Manager	An accounts payable manager is in charge of supervising a company's financial activities, particularly in all payable matters. Their primary responsibilities revolve around managing and assessing staff performances and overseeing check and payroll disbursements... Show more	$24-45
   Accounting Manager	An accounting manager is responsible for supervising and monitoring the overall accounting department operations. Duties of an accounting manager include reviewing account information and account statements, processing invoices, analyzing financial data, performing account reconciliations, assisting with tax processing and audit reports, and generating financial reports for presentation with the board... Show more	$28-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Credit Policy
   • Oversight
   • Credit Card
   • Process Improvement
   • Receivable Portfolio
   • Credit Risk Management
   • Internal Controls
   • DSO
   • Cash Flow
   • Cash Application
   • Credit Limits
   • Shared Services
   • Real Estate
   • Credit Reviews

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a staff of 50+ FTE.
   • Partner with small and entrepreneurial business to develop business plans and assist business owners with achieving payroll.
   • Communicate collection concepts to associates using FDCPA guidelines and the company training guide.
   • Developed/Share best practices, including collection practices and FDCPA rules/regulations training.
   • Approve and prepare attorney cases for processing, guardianship, Medicaid eligibility and/or litigation.
   • Major focus are on risk and DSO, integrating acquisitions, national accounts, high-risk customer visitations/negotiations, and trend identification/remediation.

   More credit director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the credit director job description is a good way to get more applicants. A credit 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 a credit director in Georgia may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level credit director. Additionally, a credit director with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average credit director salary

   $129,845yearly

   $62.43 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level credit director salary

   $76,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

   Average credit director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$185,662	$89
   2	New York	$166,928	$80
   3	Connecticut	$166,012	$80
   4	District of Columbia	$161,581	$78
   5	Washington	$157,299	$76
   6	Oregon	$153,623	$74
   7	Massachusetts	$148,438	$71
   8	Arizona	$145,660	$70
   9	North Carolina	$145,037	$70
   10	New Jersey	$144,950	$70
   11	Delaware	$143,795	$69
   12	Pennsylvania	$143,157	$69
   13	Illinois	$140,091	$67
   14	Wisconsin	$136,022	$65
   15	Utah	$135,028	$65
   16	Michigan	$133,031	$64
   17	Missouri	$128,441	$62
   18	Virginia	$126,916	$61
   19	Tennessee	$126,357	$61
   20	Minnesota	$123,174	$59

   Average credit director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Aspiration	$203,936	$98.05
   2	Current TV	$178,927	$86.02	1
   3	JUUL	$175,187	$84.22
   4	Barclays	$165,187	$79.42	1
   5	Citi	$158,276	$76.09	13
   6	Deutsche Bank	$154,727	$74.39	12
   7	J.P. Morgan	$152,865	$73.49
   8	Tradeweb	$150,895	$72.55
   9	Colfax Corporation	$150,148	$72.19
   10	Equifax	$146,333	$70.35	2
   11	Varo	$140,011	$67.31	36
   12	Benchmark Electronics	$139,825	$67.22
   13	Natixis North America LLC	$139,174	$66.91
   14	Westpac	$137,604	$66.16
   15	Merrill Lynch	$136,772	$65.76
   16	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$131,569	$63.25	63
   17	BDO USA	$130,460	$62.72
   18	BMO Capital Markets	$130,446	$62.71	16
   19	CIT Group	$127,649	$61.37
   20	Florida Power and Light	$126,624	$60.88	2

4. Writing a credit director job description

   A credit 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a credit director job description:

   Credit director job description example

   Live here. Play here. Bank here. Work here.
   If you're looking to build your career at a forward-thinking organization with deep community roots and a vision for growth, success, and giving back, you've come to the right place.
   
   This position is responsible for the overall management and supervision of the Credit Department. It involves frequent interaction with EVP of Commercial Lending, Chief Risk Officer, as well as all commercial lenders and retail managers.
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
   Oversee the production of small business loans either directly or through a CPU manager. Through the use of digital tools/solutions and active pipeline management, Commercial Production Unit (CPU) will produce business loans with turn times that are within the goals set for this area.Either directly or through a Credit Manager, oversee the production of commercial loans above the CPU level. It is expected that Credit Officer III level staff may report directly to the Director, while Credit Officers below that level may report through a Credit Manager. Through the use of digital tools/solutions and active pipeline management, the Director will ensure the Credit Officers are producing product within the goals set for this area.Responsible for overall Data Integrity within their department, including Coding, Risk Rating accuracy, and SOX reporting.Responsible for the Portfolio quality and risk management through a prudent and capable loan underwriting and approval process, as well as annual reviews of our larger relationships.Coaching and training of the Credit team, thereby deepening the team's expertise. Working in conjunction with the Director of Special Assets and Credit Risk department identify and report portfolio trends and specific credit problems which they will collaborate with Special Assets and Commercial Banking on to develop corrective actions.Responsible for compliance, policy monitoring and testing through the loan underwriting process.Write or support the development of new credit policies or revisions in existing policies.Collaborate with and advise commercial lenders on loan structure, policy and approval.Work effectively with those outside of Credit for positive impact on business performance.Influence the development of talent systemically across the company for a broader impact on the organization's capabilities, leading people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals.Promote an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   BA degree or equivalent10+ years of related experience and training; or equivalent combination of education and experience that includes extensive large Commercial Real Estate and Commercial & Industrial analyses Understanding of market(s) the business operates in to identify trends and anticipate market changes, with knowledge of the market related to such areas as talent pool, competitors, regulatory environment, etc.
   
   Skills and Abilities:
   Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents Ability to respond to common inquiries from regulatory agencies, internal examiners or members of the business community Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference.Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions Ability to interpret an extensive variety of information and data, and deal with several abstract and concrete variables Ability to think long-term and beyond area of oversight Ability to identify and introduce timely improvements to increase business results to meet organizational goals and customer expectations; driven to make decisions that produce high-quality impact by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
   
   Supervisory Skills:
   Manage team of exempt employees Carry out leadership, managerial and supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws Responsibilities include interviewing and hiring senior-level staff; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find credit 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 credit directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level credit 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 credit director job on Zippia to find and recruit credit director 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 credit 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. 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 credit director

   Once you've selected the best credit 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.

   To prepare for the new credit director first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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