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What is a director of field operations and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Eric Olsen

The field operation director helps to merchandise and sell the company's products. This helps to organize the company's strategy. They are the backbone of any field team, making sure that essential skills and supports are available for a strategy to be well carried out. They are also in charge of hiring and training new field representatives. They help to communicate the team's progress towards a particular goal.

A bachelor's degree in any business-related field with years of experience is the educational level required for this job. Though some companies may require MBA or postgraduate qualification, this is not usually a necessity.

Also, some skills and qualities are required to fill this job position. Skills like organization skills and leadership ability are a must-have. Besides, past work experience in training members and management of budgets will go a long way in helping you function adequately in this capacity. Hence, many companies require them.

What general advice would you give to a director of field operations?

Eric OlsenEric Olsen LinkedIn profile

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.
ScoreDirector Of Field OperationsUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $98,418

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.29%

Black or African American 6.10%

Hispanic or Latino 14.91%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.91%

Gender

female 20.43%

male 79.57%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Director of field operations career paths

Key steps to become a director of field operations

  1. Explore director of field operations education requirements

    Most common director of field operations degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.4 %

    Master's

    12.9 %

    Associate

    11.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific director of field operations skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Oversight14.83%
    Project Management9.01%
    Human Resources6.51%
    Continuous Improvement5.67%
    Logistics5.51%
  3. Complete relevant director of field operations training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors of field operations learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a director of field operations based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director of field operations resumes.
  4. Gain additional director of field operations certifications

    Director of field operations certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific director of field operations certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for directors of field operations include Six Sigma Green Belt and Program Management Professional (PgMP).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research director of field operations duties and responsibilities

    • Finance and billing accountability across Medicaid, manage care commercial insurance, insurance verification, contract management, and benefits administration.
    • Provide oversight of construction projects for commercial mechanical contractor.
    • Provide finance oversight of territory real estate portfolio decision making.
    • Leverage extensive technical subject matter expertise to evaluate and improve image quality; develop models to demonstrate improvements in establish KPIs.
  6. Get director of field operations experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a director of field operations. The most common roles before becoming a director of field operations include project manager, operations manager team lead and general manager.
  7. Prepare your director of field operations resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director of field operations resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a director of field operations resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable director of field operations resume templates

    Build a professional director of field operations resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your director of field operations resume.
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
    Director Of Field Operations Resume
  8. Apply for director of field operations jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director of field operations job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first director of field operations job

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Average director of field operations salary

The average director of field operations salary in the United States is $98,418 per year or $47 per hour. Director of field operations salaries range between $70,000 and $137,000 per year.

Average director of field operations salary
$98,418 Yearly
$47.32 hourly

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How do directors of field operations rate their job?

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Director of field operations reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

The management side and being in control

Cons

When I have to solve other contractors problems in order to keep my people on ground working with no interruption.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Cons

I am responsible for everything be it any side of the business


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Cons

Operations never stops, its always up and running and you have to be available at any time


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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