How to hire a director of client development

How to hire a director of client development, step by step

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

What does a director of client development do?

Post a director of client development job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your director of client development 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 director of client development 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a director of client development 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 director of client development that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of directors of client development.

   Type of Director Of Client Development	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Client Development	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$28-60
   Client Services Director	A client services director is responsible for maintaining healthy business relationships with clients, ensuring that operational teams provide the highest quality services for the clients, following their deliverables and business requirements. Client services directors oversee project management procedures, identifying inconsistencies, and revising business plans to improve outputs and achieve client satisfaction... Show more	$40-77
   National Director	A national director is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing strategic plans for an organization. As the national director, you are expected to oversee the organization's day-to-day operations that include developing business plans and managing departments and staff... Show more	$32-97

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Client Facing
   • Digital Marketing
   • Client Relationships
   • Account Management
   • Salesforce
   • Java
   • Software Development
   • Relationship Building
   • CRM
   • Sales Strategies
   • Business Relationships
   • Market Research
   • Client Service
   • Revenue Growth

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead centralized, electronic referral center coordinating post-acute service needs of patients discharging from multiple acute facilities in Arizona region.
   • Direct and secure all new business - from prospecting and cultivating relationships through RFP development and contract negotiations.
   • Full service marketing company with an emphasis on client's ROI for advertising.
   • Create proposals, presentations and RFP's to upper management base on specific needs and budgetary constraints.
   • Collaborate with senior leadership team on strategy to improve win rate, ROI and other growth goals.
   • Implement a CRM approach with focus on account profiling, tactical and strategic planning and elevating levels of relationship selling.

   More director of client development duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, directors of client development' average salary in florida is 36% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of client development earn 52% less than senior-level directors of client development.
   • Certifications. A director of client development 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 client development's salary.

   Average director of client development salary

   $87,570yearly

   $42.10 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of client development salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average director of client development salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$116,319	$56
   2	Utah	$105,045	$51
   3	New Jersey	$100,620	$48
   4	New York	$92,732	$45
   5	Illinois	$92,568	$45
   6	Indiana	$87,736	$42
   7	Arkansas	$87,688	$42
   8	Texas	$87,642	$42
   9	Washington	$87,074	$42
   10	Wisconsin	$86,978	$42
   11	Michigan	$86,354	$42
   12	Pennsylvania	$86,140	$41
   13	Georgia	$85,498	$41
   14	Colorado	$85,230	$41
   15	New Hampshire	$83,094	$40
   16	Ohio	$80,514	$39
   17	Connecticut	$80,442	$39
   18	North Carolina	$79,337	$38
   19	Virginia	$78,996	$38
   20	Maryland	$73,776	$35

   Average director of client development salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Shearman & Sterling	$149,636	$71.94
   2	Nomura Securities	$123,458	$59.35	6
   3	Northern Trust	$119,959	$57.67	14
   4	Neiman Marcus Group	$119,243	$57.33	21
   5	McKinsey & Company Inc	$116,690	$56.10	3
   6	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$115,967	$55.75	525
   7	The NPD Group	$115,267	$55.42
   8	Knightscope	$113,015	$54.33
   9	Hall & Evans	$109,269	$52.53
   10	Epsilon	$107,733	$51.79
   11	Alvarez & Marsal	$106,006	$50.96	31
   12	FactSet	$100,073	$48.11	7
   13	Conduent	$99,718	$47.94	3
   14	RGP	$98,211	$47.22	1
   15	Matrix Service Company	$97,925	$47.08	3
   16	Fidelity Investments	$97,672	$46.96	117
   17	Guidehouse	$97,614	$46.93	112
   18	Indeed	$96,706	$46.49	112
   19	Fractal	$96,564	$46.42	11
   20	Ryan	$96,417	$46.35	11

4. Writing a director of client development job description

   A director of client development 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 director of client development job description:

   Director of client development job description example

   You thrive on creating and maintaining valuable relationships. Your ability to actively listen makes you a “go-to” person for peers, colleagues or clients. You have a constant desire to solve problems and won't rest until to find the right solution for all parties involved. Though you derive energy through your relationships and working with others, you prefer to manage tasks and projects versus people. You are excellent at project management and staying organized. You understand the importance of responsiveness and follow-through. You are an avid learner and absorb new information with ease, which allows for shorter learning curves. Ultimately, you're seeking a role that allows you to build on your strong client strategy skills, while driving expansion and revenue growth.
   Influence (50%)
   Manage a portfolio of accounts, including participating in the overall strategy to execute on the account plan Lead and ensure contract negotiations and ongoing contract management and renewals are on time with incremental growth in revenue Create innovative networking skills to drive pipeline growth at the highest decision making level (c-suite) Grow the revenue, and where applicable profit, across client territory Collaborate with client on product and service extensions that could deliver incremental value and bring Product Management into those discussions as necessary Work closing with client strategy, client services and account management to ensure execution of the campaigns
   
   Strategic (30%)
   Responsible for providing new product/service ideas based on client needs and being an information source with regard to how Inmar's products can provide a competitive advantage Responsible for understanding the strategic goals and objectives of each client and developing sales strategies that align with Inmar's clients' strategies Build and maintain internal networks, garnering support and getting appropriate buy-in
   
   Administrative (20%)
   Maintain Salesforce.com records for all key account activity Manage travel expenses and budgets, in line with Inmar policies Performs other duties as assigned
   
   Required Qualifications:
   Bachelor Degree in Business or a related fieldA minimum of 5 years of consultative sales or account management experience within the CPG Brand or Agency environment, specifically focused on Digital Media Solutions and ProgramsProficient with Salesforce.com Proficient with Microsoft OfficeProficient with Google SuiteWillingness to travel up to 60-70% of the time Individual Competencies:Teamwork: Builds relationships and works cooperatively with others, inside and outside the organization, to accomplish objectives to build and maintain mutually-beneficial partnerships, leverage information and achieve results.Innovative: Ability to develop, sponsor, or support the introduction of new and improved methods, products, procedures or technologies.Establish Focus: The ability to develop and communicate goals in support of the business' mission.Analytical and Critical Thinking: Ability to tackle a problem by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.Problem Solving: Gathers and analyzes information to generate and evaluate potential solutions to problems, issues and challenges while weighing the accuracy and relevance of the facts, data and information.Communication: Giving and receiving messages and information in written, oral, and visual formats in a clear and concise way for a complete understanding of meaning and intent.Effective Execution: Translates broad conceptual understanding of the company's strategy into a tactical plan of how it will happen including who will take on which tasks in what sequence, how long those tasks will take, how much the tasks cost, and how each task affects subsequent activities.Taking Initiative: Takes charge and capitalizes on opportunities.
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the major job responsibilities (essential functions) of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the major job responsibilities. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the associate is:
   Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, and reach with hands or arms.Regularly required to talk or hear and read instructions on a computer monitor and/or printed on paper.Occasionally required to stand, kneel or stoop, and lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.Regularly required to view items at an extremely close range and must be able to adjust and readjust focus.
   
   Safety:
   Support a safe work environment by following safety rules and regulations and reporting all safety hazards.
   
   As an Inmar Associate, you:
   Put clients first and consistently display a positive attitude and behaviors that demonstrate an awareness and willingness to listen and respond to clients in order to meet their short-term and long-term needs, requirements and exceed their expectations. Treat clients and teammates with courtesy, consideration and tact; you also have the ability to perceive the needs of internal and external clients and communicate effectively with the objective of delighting and retaining the client. Build collaborative relationships and work cooperatively with others, inside and outside the organization, to accomplish objectives, develop and maintain mutually-beneficial partnerships, leverage information and achieve results. Set and attain achievable, yet aggressive, goals with a sense of urgency and accountability. Understand that results are important and focus on turning mission into action to achieve results following the principles of Flawless Execution while consistently complying with quality, service and productivity standards to meet deadlines and exceed expectations by giving our clients the best possible outcome.
   
   #LI-JG1 #LI-Remote

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find directors of client development 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 director of client development job on Zippia to find and recruit director of client development candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting directors of client development requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 director of client development

   Once you've selected the best director of client development 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of client development. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a director of client development?