How to hire a director of administration & finance

How to hire a director of administration & finance, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of administration & finance hiring guide:

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

What does a director of administration & finance do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the director of administration & finance you need to hire. Certain director of administration & finance 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 director of administration & finance 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 director of administration & finance salaries for various positions.

   Type of Director Of Administration & Finance	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Administration & Finance	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.	$35-77
   Controller, Vice President	A Controller, Vice President is focused on controlling and directing financial planning and budget management. They supervise the daily operations of the finance department, such as financial reporting, accounts payable, and payroll.	$52-113
   Finance Vice President	The vice president of finance is one of the highest-ranking executives in a company. He/She or she works under the chief financial officer, and both have similar duties that are often interchangeable... Show more	$47-106

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Payroll
   • Oversight
   • Financial Management
   • Administrative Functions
   • Internal Controls
   • Risk Management
   • Financial Analysis
   • Reconciliations
   • CPA
   • Financial Operations
   • Cash Management
   • General Ledger
   • GAAP
   • Cash Flow

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage payroll and HRIS system administration utilizing ADP and PeopleSoft applications and provide HRIS reports to employees and senior management team.
   • Lead the consolidation of financial and operational systems for non-acute services including rehabilitation and psychiatry services.
   • Provide organizational cash flow oversight as well as, update and implement inter-departmental policies.
   • Install ADP computerize payroll reporting with electronic tax deposits and federal/state reporting resulting in payroll processing cost savings.
   • Oversee the coordination of employee benefits and office administrative contacts and functions including direct monitoring of payroll processing.
   • Coordinate administrative operations including general oversight of office, computer and other equipment maintenance, and purchasing and vendor contact.

   More director of administration & finance duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of administration & finance job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A director of administration & finance salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, directors of administration & finance' average salary in nebraska is 33% less than in nevada.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of administration & finance earn 55% less than senior-level directors of administration & finance.
   • Certifications. A director of administration & finance with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a director of administration & finance's salary.

   Average director of administration & finance salary

   $109,366yearly

   $52.58 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of administration & finance salary

   $73,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average director of administration & finance salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$119,927	$58
   2	Illinois	$118,181	$57
   3	New York	$117,088	$56
   4	Connecticut	$115,746	$56
   5	Florida	$114,930	$55
   6	Virginia	$113,004	$54
   7	Massachusetts	$112,890	$54
   8	District of Columbia	$110,394	$53
   9	Washington	$109,426	$53
   10	Colorado	$102,671	$49
   11	Texas	$102,030	$49
   12	Utah	$101,658	$49
   13	Arizona	$100,932	$49
   14	South Carolina	$100,477	$48
   15	Michigan	$98,503	$47
   16	Maryland	$98,469	$47
   17	Pennsylvania	$95,944	$46
   18	Missouri	$89,873	$43
   19	Mississippi	$86,121	$41
   20	Georgia	$84,372	$41

   Average director of administration & finance salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UCI Health	$150,073	$72.15
   2	University of Washington	$138,204	$66.44	5
   3	alternatives	$136,393	$65.57
   4	Harvard University	$133,804	$64.33
   5	Morehouse School of Medicine	$132,749	$63.82
   6	Columbia University in the City of New York	$125,415	$60.30	8
   7	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$121,228	$58.28
   8	Allstate	$120,870	$58.11	27
   9	Crowley Holdings Inc.	$120,853	$58.10
   10	City of Sunrise	$119,997	$57.69	1
   11	University of Mississippi Medical Center	$118,733	$57.08	1
   12	Humane Society of Chittenden County	$117,967	$56.71
   13	Addison Group	$117,305	$56.40	9
   14	Omni Health Inc	$117,019	$56.26
   15	The-Panther-Group	$117,009	$56.25
   16	UC Santa Barbara	$115,322	$55.44
   17	University of Massachusetts Amherst	$115,031	$55.30	2
   18	Winrock International	$112,067	$53.88	2
   19	Liberty Utilities	$106,830	$51.36
   20	Aleut	$106,772	$51.33

4. Writing a director of administration & finance job description

   A good director of administration & finance 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 director of administration & finance job description:

   Director of administration & finance job description example

   Director of Finance and Administration
   
   Location: Los Angeles
   
   Love cars? Want to change the world? This is a unique opportunity to take a leading role at Plug In America, the national consumer voice for electric vehicles. Plug In America is a growing 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is centrally involved in our nation's shift to clean-fueled electric cars. A staff of 16 passionate professionals, plus numerous consultants and volunteers, make up our dynamic team who work on programs focused on government advocacy, consumer outreach, EV awareness and member services.
   
   As Director of Finance and Administration, you will play the lead role in ensuring the smooth day-to-day functioning of the organization, including financial management, accounting, human resources and the administration of the office, along with the annual audit. You will draft and manage a variety of contracts. You will use your accounting, financial management and administrative skills to ensure that the back office gets handled with ease, enabling the other division directors to focus on the success of their programs. You will work with the Executive Director on developing and implementing the annual budget and overall financial management of Plug In America, with annual revenues of approximately $2.5 million. You will oversee a part-time bookkeeper plus tech support, human resources management through a PEO provider, insurance and other vendors. In addition to staff, you will interface with a wide range of people from Plug In America's donors, Board of Directors and external auditors.
   
   Plug In America is seeking a professional with a bachelor's or other advanced degree and a sound understanding of accounting and finance, with an interest and/or experience in human resources in a non-profit or small business environment. The ideal candidate is someone who brings leadership to the job, enjoys a wide variety of challenges in a fast-paced environment, and can manage multiple competing priorities with grace and dedication.
   
   In FINANCE, you will:
   Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems, ensuring compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, implement internal control safeguards, and coordinate all audit activities. Oversee an inclusive budgeting process, implementation of the budget, manage cash flow and forecasting, and report to the Executive Director and Board of Directors. Manage the relationship with contracted accounting and bookkeeping vendors. Act as a resource to staff with finance and budgeting questions.
   In HUMAN RESOURCES and OPERATIONS you will:
   Manage relationships with contracted HR vendors, who you will work with to oversee the following functions: Management of payroll, recruitment, hiring, onboarding, compensation and benefits, compliance, personnel policies, performance evaluations, and training. Oversee risk management and compliance, including corporate filings, liability insurance, and contracts. Manage relationships with various vendors, including IT, property managers, telecommunications, and oversee facilities and general office functions.
   
   Required Qualifications:
   5+ years of relevant experience in nonprofit and/or small business finance, accounting, grants management, compliance, and reporting. 5+ years of progressively responsible management experience, including 3+ years developing and supervising staff. Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of experience Experience with managing human resource functions including hiring, terminations, employee relations, payroll, and benefits. Ability to present information and analysis clearly and concisely, especially technical or financial information. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite products, accounting and bookkeeping software.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Previous knowledge or work experience with EVs or in the automotive, sustainable transportation, renewable energy or energy efficiency sectors Six months experience driving a plug-in vehicle on a regular basis
   
   Plug In America is a hybrid work environment. Staff generally work remotely, but we have regular in-person staff meetings in the El Segundo area, plus other meetings and events that you will be expected to attend from time to time. We may return to an office in the Los Angeles area at some point when the situation permits it. For now, the Director may either work from home (if he/she/they has an appropriate remote office environment with Internet access and the ability to take phone calls) or we can provide space in a co-working facility.
   
   Plug In America is an equal opportunity employer and warmly welcomes applications from BIPOC candidates. The position will be open until filled.
   
   Benefits:
   
   Health Insurance Dental Insurance Paid Time Off 403(b) Matching Monthly benefit towards the lease or purchase of an electric vehicle
   
   Application Process: Applications should include a resume and a cover letter (PDF files preferred).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right director of administration & finance for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of administration & finance job on Zippia to find and recruit director of administration & finance candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit directors of administration & finance, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 director of administration & finance

   Once you've found the director of administration & finance 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 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 director of administration & finance. 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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