How to hire a director of human resources

How to hire a director of human resources, step by step

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

What does a director of human resources do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your director of human resources 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 human resources 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

   A director of human resources's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of human resources from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of directors of human resources.

   Type of Director Of Human Resources	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Human Resources	Human resources managers plan, direct, and coordinate the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff; consult with top executives on strategic planning; and serve as a link between an organization’s management and its employees.	$32-70
   Director	Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life... Show more	$31-92
   Human Resources Administration Manager	A human resources administration manager performs multiple roles, one of which is to maintain and review all human resources, administrative systems, and procedures. They give guidance on HR to the office... Show more	$25-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Performance Management
   • HRIS
   • Employee Engagement
   • Payroll Processing
   • Customer Service
   • Succession Planning
   • EEO
   • Workers Compensation
   • Labor Relations
   • Personnel Policies
   • Organizational Development
   • Oversight
   • Workforce Planning
   • OSHA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Recruit, negotiate new benefit contracts, manage compensation budget with department managers, process and oversee payroll.
   • Develop a structure interview process, implement online background investigation, integrity surveying applications, and manage the HRIS system.
   • Adopt mediation as a prefer means of reduce cost employee dispute resolution.
   • Design performance management training program and develop and deliver sexual harassment and EEO training to production show staff.
   • Maintain affirmative action and OSHA documentation.
   • Lead responsibility for all employment litigation and administrative charges.

   More director of human resources duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, directors of human resources' average salary in kansas is 40% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of human resources 54% less than senior-level directors of human resources.
   • Certifications. A director of human resources 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 director of human resources's salary.

   Average director of human resources salary

   $100,601yearly

   $48.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of human resources salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average director of human resources salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$133,765	$64
   2	New York	$122,115	$59
   3	Connecticut	$118,144	$57
   4	Massachusetts	$114,191	$55
   5	Nevada	$111,838	$54
   6	District of Columbia	$111,681	$54
   7	Pennsylvania	$109,054	$52
   8	Washington	$104,785	$50
   9	Maine	$104,372	$50
   10	Virginia	$102,527	$49
   11	Michigan	$101,082	$49
   12	Oregon	$99,560	$48
   13	Maryland	$95,924	$46
   14	Illinois	$92,350	$44
   15	Texas	$91,432	$44
   16	North Carolina	$90,439	$43
   17	Ohio	$88,993	$43
   18	Wisconsin	$86,697	$42
   19	Minnesota	$85,874	$41
   20	Arizona	$85,558	$41

   Average director of human resources salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$205,439	$98.77
   2	Meta	$179,194	$86.15	59
   3	School of Visual Concepts	$175,318	$84.29
   4	Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners	$173,445	$83.39	2
   5	Etsy	$170,269	$81.86	1
   6	SLCH President	$169,230	$81.36
   7	Square Enix	$164,271	$78.98
   8	Cohesity	$160,883	$77.35
   9	Valley Medical Center	$159,980	$76.91
   10	Barclays	$159,898	$76.87
   11	Payoneer	$157,571	$75.76
   12	BD	$157,082	$75.52	1
   13	KLA	$155,455	$74.74	4
   14	Acadia Pharmaceuticals	$153,281	$73.69
   15	Ormat Technologies	$153,262	$73.68
   16	Regal Beloit	$152,602	$73.37	2
   17	Sherpa	$152,199	$73.17	4
   18	Baltimore City Community College	$151,928	$73.04
   19	Capgemini	$150,667	$72.44	10
   20	Presbyterian	$149,987	$72.11

4. Writing a director of human resources job description

   A director of human resources 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. Below, you can find an example of a director of human resources job description:

   Director of human resources job description example

   This role serves as the HR Partner and primary point-of-contact to Regional and/or Service line GMs, Operational and/or Functional leaders (large and complex). Member of respective leadership teams. Active participant in the development of Business and Functional strategies, and developing and delivering the supporting HR solutions to support short and long term business goals. Effectively navigates the HR organization to ensure quality and timely delivery of all HR services to meet Business needs Internal organizational development consultant and coach to Business and HR teams.
   
   The ideal candidate will be located at or near one of our Phase 1 clinics, to include Dallas, Madison WI, Daytona FL, or near our corporate offices in Durham NC. This is considered a "hybrid" work location as the majority of time can be remote, but candidate will need to make monthly site visit.
   
   Builds strong working relationships, underpinned by trust, credibility and respect with business and HR leaders
   Seeks to understand business strategies and translates into long-term people strategies and agendas
   Actively supports the development of short and long-term People strategies with HR BU, COE and business leaders to enable and support business strategies
   Actively supports the development of HR initiatives and priorities
   Supports HR and Business organizations and cultures to drive innovation, employee engagement, process improvement and commitment to service excellence
   With business leaders support strategies to improve business and organizational performance and change management
   Partners closely with HR COEs and advises on business/functional strategies to enable pro-active development and delivery of quality HR services and solutions to meet current and future business needs
   Oversees local implementation of global and standardized HR processes
   Ensure BU and HR strategies are aligned with the global and/or regional HR plans and strategies
   Provide coaching and development practices in support of business strategy and growth agendas
   Oversee BU execution of core HR process including Talent Management, Development and Performance
   Actively involved in the recruitment, development, growth and retention of talent
   Applies consistency and fairness in adherence to regulations, compliance, laws, policies, procedures and issue escalation Minimum Experience Required: 8+ Years of HR experience Experience in at least 2 HR Disciplines 3 years Supervisor Experience Minimum Education Required: Required: Degree and/or HR Certification/qualification (e.g. SHRM/CIPD) Preferred: Advanced degree, MBA Level of education required Labcorp is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer: As an EOE/AA employer, the organization will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status. For more information about how we collect and store your personal data, please see our Privacy Statement .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit directors of human resources, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 human resources

   Once you have selected a candidate for the director of human resources position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of human resources. 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a director of human resources?