How to hire a direct care supervisor

How to hire a direct care supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step direct care supervisor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your direct care supervisor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a direct care supervisor for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 direct care supervisor 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 shows salaries for various types of direct care supervisors.

   Type of Direct Care Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Direct Care Supervisor	Personal care aides help clients with self-care and everyday tasks. They also provide social supports and assistance that enable clients to participate in their communities.	$11-24
   Aide	Aides are personal employees of their clients who commonly have health issues that render them unable to do certain tasks. They help out their clients with activities they may need assistance in... Show more	$10-16
   Provider	Health care providers are health professionals and health organizations offering health care treatment and diagnosis services. These professionals play significant roles with patients through consultation, treatment, and advice... Show more	$17-50

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Mental Health
   • Substance Abuse
   • CPR
   • Social Work
   • Home Health
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Community Resources
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • HR
   • Medication Administration
   • Incident Reports
   • Meal Preparation
   • Operational Procedures
   • First Aid Training

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Keep coil tubing's frac tanks full of good filter water for duration of plug drill outs.
   • Prepare files for file audits, as well as keeping the file up to Medicaid and DDS standards.
   • Plug mill out and Frac assist.
   • Certify in CPR and perform several XS.
   • Rig in a junk catcher and sand trap.
   • Conduct lessons and run daily activities of the program.

   More direct care supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, direct care supervisors' average salary in kentucky is 37% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level direct care supervisors 52% less than senior-level direct care supervisors.
   • Certifications. A direct care supervisor 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 direct care supervisor's salary.

   Average direct care supervisor salary

   $35,451yearly

   $17.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level direct care supervisor salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average direct care supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$43,616	$21
   2	California	$41,653	$20
   3	Oregon	$41,463	$20
   4	Illinois	$38,735	$19
   5	Pennsylvania	$37,321	$18
   6	Connecticut	$37,168	$18
   7	New York	$36,014	$17
   8	Massachusetts	$34,080	$16
   9	Arizona	$32,911	$16
   10	Texas	$32,321	$16
   11	Indiana	$32,248	$16
   12	Colorado	$32,001	$15
   13	Florida	$31,303	$15
   14	Idaho	$29,927	$14
   15	Ohio	$29,275	$14
   16	Arkansas	$28,735	$14

   Average direct care supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ethos Veterinary Health	$41,284	$19.85	15
   2	Legacy Health	$38,574	$18.55	48
   3	The Children's Village	$38,527	$18.52
   4	Telecare	$38,337	$18.43	2
   5	Baptist Health Home Care	$38,145	$18.34	8
   6	The Philadelphia Coalition	$37,262	$17.91	1
   7	Northwell Health	$36,478	$17.54	2
   8	Lifesteps	$36,346	$17.47	185
   9	Spectrum Health	$35,186	$16.92
   10	The Mosaic Company	$35,164	$16.91	4
   11	Vinfen	$35,128	$16.89
   12	Triangle Services	$34,226	$16.45	3
   13	Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc	$34,226	$16.45	229
   14	San Ysidro Health Center	$34,127	$16.41
   15	Sierra Vista Child & Family Services	$33,493	$16.10	1
   16	AspenPointe Enterprises	$33,359	$16.04	1
   17	Heritage Care	$33,313	$16.02
   18	ITA Group	$32,610	$15.68	3
   19	Pathlight	$32,493	$15.62
   20	Publicis Health Media	$32,437	$15.59

4. Writing a direct care supervisor job description

   A direct care supervisor 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 direct care supervisor job description:

   Direct care supervisor job description example

   Program Supervisor Muncie Are you looking for a career opportunity where you can make a difference in the lives of others? Look no further! This role is critical to our success. As a mission-driven organization, we are intensely focused on expanding access to services and developing new and more effective ways of delivering supports and services to individuals with a range of intellectual and developmental disabilities.
   
   + Facilitate the implementation of Individual Service Plans (ISP) and participate in a range of administrative duties including staff hiring, training, scheduling, and oversight.
   + Supervise a team of Caregivers supporting individuals we serve in the program.
   
   + Provide support to individuals receiving services including: assistance with daily activities such as meal preparation and planning; medication administration; and personal care.
   
   + Duties are split between providing direct support, professional or program activities, and supervision.
   
   + Facilitate community involvement by accompanying individuals on outings in the community or providing transportation to work or other activities.
   
   Qualifications:
   
   + High School diploma or equivalent.
   
   + One year related work experience.
   
   + Must be 18 years or older.
   
   + Current driver's license, car registration, and auto insurance.
   
   + Other licensure or certification where required by regulatory authority.
   
   + Excellent communication skills with an ability to establish rapport with team members and those we serve.
   
   + Strong organizational abilities to ensure staffing and schedules are maintained.
   
   + This is a great opportunity to gain supervisory skills and experience while still directly making a difference in the lives of the people we serve on a daily basis.
   
   Why Join Us?
   
   + Full, Part-time, and As Needed schedules available.
   
   + Full compensation/benefits package for employees working 30+ hours/week.
   
   + 401(k) with company match.
   
   + Paid time off and holiday pay.
   
   + Rewarding work, impacting the lives of those you serve, working alongside a great team of coworkers.
   
   + Enjoy job security with nationwide career development and advancement opportunities.
   
   Come join our amazing team of committed and caring professionals. Apply Today!
   
   The Mentor Network is pleased to be an equal employment employer Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find direct care supervisors 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 direct care supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit direct care supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with direct care supervisor 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.

   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 direct care supervisor

   Once you've found the direct care supervisor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new direct care supervisor. 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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