How to hire a department manager

How to hire a department manager, step by step

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

What does a department manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a department manager, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a department manager 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 a department manager that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Department Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Department Manager	A Department Manager is responsible for all of the functions of a sales department. Their primary duties include managing staff, hitting sales targets, implementing strategies to improve sales, forecasting future sales, and recruiting and training new staff.	$18-55
   Manager On Duty	A manager on duty's role is to oversee operations in a store or a particular department, ensuring efficient workflow and workforce performance. They mainly evaluate and delegate tasks among employees, arrange schedules, set goals and budget, handle issues and concerns, and impose disciplinary actions... Show more	$12-25
   Store Manager And Buyer	A store manager is responsible for selecting and purchasing goods. They provide information on products, including prices and promotions... Show more	$20-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Inventory Management
   • Sales Promotions
   • Cleanliness
   • Customer Service
   • Sales Floor
   • Product Knowledge
   • Store Management
   • Payroll
   • Performance Reviews
   • Inventory Control
   • Loss Prevention
   • HR
   • Sales Associates
   • Direct Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Participate in company's ISO certification program, successfully achieving ISO [] and AS9100 certification.
   • Manage and delegate over lumber-building materials department including millwork department.
   • Manage electronics, wireless connection center, layaway and online order/pickup departments.
   • Develop schedules; manage payroll; multitask extensively to ensure competing requirements are complete.
   • Monitor and maximize sales and payroll by identifying sales opportunities and managing controllable expenses.
   • Manage geotechnical aspects of an EIR/EIS for a coastal development in an environmentally sensitive lagoon.

   More department manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, department managers' average salary in wyoming is 54% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level department managers 66% less than senior-level department managers.
   • Certifications. A department manager 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 department manager's salary.

   Average department manager salary

   $67,160yearly

   $32.29 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level department manager salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average department manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$86,890	$42
   2	California	$85,476	$41
   3	Virginia	$80,283	$39
   4	Maryland	$76,413	$37
   5	Wisconsin	$72,726	$35
   6	Texas	$71,708	$34
   7	Ohio	$71,695	$34
   8	Michigan	$70,232	$34
   9	Pennsylvania	$66,240	$32
   10	Georgia	$62,077	$30
   11	Florida	$61,010	$29
   12	Nevada	$60,547	$29
   13	Oregon	$60,071	$29
   14	Massachusetts	$58,519	$28
   15	North Carolina	$58,436	$28
   16	Indiana	$56,211	$27
   17	Nebraska	$54,441	$26
   18	Arizona	$53,684	$26
   19	Illinois	$53,198	$26
   20	Colorado	$52,745	$25

   Average department manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ralph Lauren	$150,371	$72.29	39
   2	Pace University	$141,124	$67.85
   3	Barry-Wehmiller	$137,340	$66.03	7
   4	Goldman Sachs	$133,578	$64.22
   5	University of Maryland Medical System	$131,933	$63.43	16
   6	Baystate Health	$129,221	$62.13	12
   7	Intel	$127,740	$61.41
   8	Mattel	$125,658	$60.41	2
   9	M&T Bank	$122,476	$58.88	2
   10	Abercrombie & Fitch Co	$121,074	$58.21	262
   11	Plastic Omnium Auto Exteriors	$119,378	$57.39
   12	Technip USA Corporation	$118,036	$56.75
   13	QuintilesIMS	$117,989	$56.73	1
   14	Magna International	$117,287	$56.39	1
   15	Qualcomm	$117,020	$56.26
   16	Intertek	$116,736	$56.12	10
   17	D.A. Davidson Companies	$116,501	$56.01
   18	MITRE	$114,700	$55.14
   19	CVS Health	$112,974	$54.31	2,528
   20	PepsiCo	$111,824	$53.76	13

4. Writing a department manager job description

   A good department manager 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 a department manager job description:

   Department manager job description example

   DEPARTMENT: Social Ministries SUPERVISES: All Housing program employees STATUS: Exempt SCHEDULE: Full Time
   FUNCTION: The Housing Manager is responsible to provide on-going daily supervision to ensure that operations of the various housing programs run efficiently and effectively. The Housing Manager will be resoonsible for preparing all reouired fundinq reports, budgets, and follow-up reports, as necessary.
   
   BENEFITS : A great place to work while helping some of Ohio and Kentucky's most vulnerable individuals. Generous paid time off every year that includes 13 Holidays, 10-20 days of accrued vacation, 3 personal days and 12 sick days Comprehensive health care coverage with low-cost, low-deductible employee premiums and co-pays Eligibility for supplemental insurance plans including Voluntary Long-Term Disability, AFLAC and Voluntary Term Life, Flexible Spending Account, Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan (TDA) Pension Plan, no employee contribution Responsibilities DUTIES:
   o Coordinate and supervise all housing programs in family services including Emergency Shelter, Rapid Re-Housing, Permanent Supportive, and any new housing initiatives.
   o Prepare, initiate, and submit all required state, federal, and local housing reports including United Way
   o Provide back up and support services for housing staff on an as needed basis.
   o Participate in appropriate housing community meetings, including Family Shelter Partnership, Strategies to End Homelessness, and Partnership Center.
   o Attend annual NEOSA/SWONEKY Social Service Conference, Territorial Social Service Conference, and necessary meetings for all Ohio housing programs, as scheduled
   o Conduct weekly emergency shelter housing inspections and provide oversight for necessary shelter maintenance requests.
   o Assist with program budgets and monitor accordingly. Conduct regular housing staff supervision and housing staff meetings.
   o Maintain VESTA system and communications pertaining to updates and changes
   o Perform other duties as requested. Qualifications o BSW or preferably MSW degree from an accredited School of Social Work.
   o Minimum of five years social work experience and two years supervisory experience.
   o Experience working with families at risk of homelessness preferred.
   o Ohio Social Work License. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. The Salvation Army's Mission Statement
   The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.
   Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.
   Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ
   and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find department managers 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 department managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level department managers 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 department manager job on Zippia to find and recruit department manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with department manager 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 manager

   Once you've selected the best department manager 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.

   To prepare for the new department manager 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 manager?