How to hire a department coordinator

How to hire a department coordinator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step department coordinator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a department coordinator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new department coordinator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a department coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a department coordinator, 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

   Hiring the perfect department coordinator 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of department coordinators and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Department Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Department Coordinator		$15-29
   Coordinator/Manager	A coordinator/manager is a professional who is responsible for supervising the day-to-day operations of a facility by following a set of policies and guidelines. Coordinators/managers collaborate with board members to ensure the overall quality of the facility and maintain inventory levels for all components and parts... Show more	$12-44
   Administrative Coordinator	An Administrative Coordinator oversees the line of communication and schedules within a company, ensuring that every necessary information is delivered and conveyed. An administrative coordinator's responsibilities include responding to inquiries and requests from workforce personnel or client, managing calls and correspondence, maintaining and rotating various forms of documentation, and designing or improving systems that would help the company's operating procedures... Show more	$13-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Data Entry
   • Payroll
   • PowerPoint
   • Data Collection
   • Purchase Orders
   • Coordinators
   • Administrative Tasks
   • HR
   • Expense Reports
   • Clerical Support
   • Office Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage RFP process; act as key liaison for corporate clients and corporate sales director.
   • Manage hotel database, Delphi, including assigning ballroom for events, issuing contracts and arranging menus.
   • Manage end-to-end request for proposal (RFP) process; from client presentation creation to demonstration via on-site or WebEx.
   • Implement financial monitoring systems and monitor cash management including controlling production expenditures, and managing payroll and petty cash.
   • Administer, organize, and file patient paperwork including HIPAA forms.
   • Facilitate bi-rotational meetings on various healthcare topics which includes HIPAA and culture of safety.

   More department coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average department coordinator salary

   $44,673yearly

   $21.48 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level department coordinator salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average department coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$60,507	$29
   2	California	$60,260	$29
   3	Rhode Island	$54,588	$26
   4	Massachusetts	$52,584	$25
   5	Connecticut	$51,665	$25
   6	New Hampshire	$49,685	$24
   7	Illinois	$48,853	$23
   8	Texas	$45,295	$22
   9	Colorado	$44,963	$22
   10	Florida	$44,707	$21
   11	Louisiana	$43,807	$21
   12	Maryland	$43,447	$21
   13	Georgia	$43,377	$21
   14	Missouri	$42,754	$21
   15	Minnesota	$42,703	$21
   16	Iowa	$42,211	$20
   17	Washington	$42,147	$20
   18	Oregon	$41,462	$20
   19	Alabama	$39,727	$19
   20	Wisconsin	$38,644	$19

   Average department coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GLG	$79,868	$38.40
   2	Vista Equity Partners	$69,720	$33.52	1
   3	Richmond American Homes	$64,714	$31.11	3
   4	City of San Diego	$64,088	$30.81
   5	Ameriprise Financial	$63,411	$30.49	2
   6	MannKind	$61,950	$29.78
   7	Health Alliance	$60,572	$29.12	15
   8	Ball	$58,849	$28.29	4
   9	The University of Chicago	$58,201	$27.98	21
   10	City of Baltimore	$57,168	$27.48	8
   11	Seattle Cancer Care Alliance	$57,084	$27.44
   12	Kiewit	$55,481	$26.67	16
   13	Instrumentation Laboratory	$54,285	$26.10
   14	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$53,953	$25.94
   15	Hillside Heights Rehabilitation Center	$53,350	$25.65
   16	VIVA USA	$53,153	$25.55
   17	Massachusetts General Hospital	$52,118	$25.06
   18	AdventHealth	$51,818	$24.91	110
   19	St. Charles Health System	$51,559	$24.79	6
   20	Michigan Technological University	$50,672	$24.36

4. Writing a department coordinator job description

   A department coordinator 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 department coordinator job description:

   Department coordinator job description example

   Job DescriptionRespond by Date 10/24/2022
   
   FOX EXPERIENCES + DESIGN, is an all-inclusive business and client facing agency that services every division of the FOX Corporation, is looking for an energetic, detail-obsessed, and organized Design Department Coordinator to join & enhance its award-winning Design team. The Design team is an in-house creative think tank that curates premium corporate gifting and develops experiential marketing mailers for FOX network, and the Corporation's Entertainment, News, Sports, and Tubi, as well as produces collateral for FOX Events.
   
   The Job
   As the Design Department Coordinator, you will oversee all department administrative needs: update status reports, provide administrative support, answer phones, schedule meetings and keep all art and office supplies well stocked and organized. You will be responsible for processing and following up on invoices, assisting the Project Lead in entering estimated costs into project budgets and recapping final costs. Assist in sourcing and ordering product samples and merchandise, placing production orders, and tracking deliveries. The right candidate will be able to successfully multi-task, prioritize department needs, react with the appropriate urgency, and learn new businesses strategies as needed.
   
   The Daily
   " Code and recap vendor invoices through our Finance COUPA system
   " Admin support for the Design Department of 6 people
   " Update weekly Design and Creative Services project and event status report, ensuring that all information is current, consistent, and accurate
   " Research new and emerging trends within retail and the promotional products industry
   " Brainstorm new and innovative packaging and print techniques to be applied to projects
   " Maintain Design team vendor lists, login details and contact sheets
   " Assist managing Creative Service's fulfillment needs and product inventory
   " Taking meeting notes and recapping for the team
   
   The Essentials
   " 1 2 years office administration experience
   " Detail oriented with strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks
   " Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
   " Must be able to handle multiple projects and tight deadlines
   " Able to thrive in a high-volume, fast paced, deadline driven work environment
   " Must be a self starter, able to take initiative and work independently
   " Highly motivated with strong work ethic
   " Keen attention to detail and an aptitude for problem-solving
   " Collaborative working style and team-player attitude
   " Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
   " MAC Proficient
   " Must be punctual and available for overtime
   " Print production or design background preferred
   " Experience with PPAI and ASI a plus

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find department coordinators for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with department coordinator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 department coordinator

   Once you've selected the best department coordinator 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 department coordinator 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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How much does it cost to hire a department coordinator?