How to hire a director of information

How to hire a director of information, step by step

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

What does a director of information do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the director of information you need to hire. Certain director of information 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

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

   Here's a comparison of director of information salaries for various roles:

   Type of Director Of Information	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Information	Computer and information systems managers, often called information technology (IT) managers or IT project managers, plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization. They help determine the information technology goals of an organization and are responsible for implementing computer systems to meet those goals.	$41-84
   Information Technology Technical Services Manager	An information technology/technical services manager is responsible for supervising the operations of the information technology team, assisting the technical staff in providing efficient performance by improving technology systems and network infrastructure to support business functions. This job requires extensive knowledge of the technology industry, as well as an excellent command of programming and system processes to ensure smooth navigation and consistent transitions... Show more	$41-72
   Information Technology Operations Manager	An Information Technology Operations Manager is responsible for the smooth running of the computer systems. They ensure the operation of computer systems in accordance with specifications, costs, and timelines.	$41-73

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Power Bi
   • Project Management
   • Data Management
   • Infrastructure
   • Direct Reports
   • Data Analysis
   • SharePoint
   • Strategic Direction
   • Process Improvement
   • HIPAA
   • BI
   • PCI
   • Data Quality
   • Athletics Website

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage firewall, wireless, and MDM technology evaluation and selection process.
   • Promote efficient, cost effective uses of advance cloud base storage technologies and manage migration to next-generation smart technologies.
   • Install, configure and maintain SIEM solution.
   • Encrypt all NOAA laptop and personal digital assistance (PDA) devices with FIPS 140-2 validate encryption software.
   • Develop best practices for collection, investigation, and retention of DLP activity results, events and incidents.
   • Implement and maintain the SharePoint corporate intranet.

   More director of information duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, directors of information' average salary in wyoming is 37% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of information 51% less than senior-level directors of information.
   • Certifications. A director of information 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 information's salary.

   Average director of information salary

   $124,361yearly

   $59.79 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of information salary

   $87,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average director of information salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$152,710	$73
   2	New York	$146,848	$71
   3	Massachusetts	$132,228	$64
   4	Michigan	$130,004	$63
   5	Arizona	$127,086	$61
   6	Rhode Island	$126,211	$61
   7	Georgia	$121,560	$58
   8	Illinois	$120,817	$58
   9	Ohio	$118,536	$57
   10	Pennsylvania	$118,316	$57
   11	District of Columbia	$117,879	$57
   12	Connecticut	$117,565	$57
   13	Virginia	$116,647	$56
   14	Maryland	$116,318	$56
   15	Florida	$113,469	$55
   16	Texas	$110,267	$53
   17	North Carolina	$104,647	$50
   18	Minnesota	$102,825	$49
   19	South Carolina	$101,836	$49
   20	Oklahoma	$94,642	$46

   Average director of information salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	$215,461	$103.59
   2	Genentech	$153,361	$73.73	12
   3	Regeneron	$139,586	$67.11	12
   4	Alexion Pharmaceuticals	$139,454	$67.05	1
   5	Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc	$137,809	$66.25
   6	Great American Insurance	$137,728	$66.22	2
   7	The Travelers Companies	$137,647	$66.18	1
   8	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$137,098	$65.91	255
   9	Gilead Sciences	$135,977	$65.37	15
   10	Organic	$133,671	$64.26
   11	Emory Healthcare	$133,262	$64.07	22
   12	Cherry Bekaert	$129,760	$62.38	1
   13	Helen of Troy	$125,346	$60.26	5
   14	Northrop Grumman	$125,009	$60.10	30
   15	Central National Gottesman	$123,030	$59.15
   16	Emory University	$122,825	$59.05	12
   17	University of Illinois Springfield	$122,082	$58.69
   18	Geisinger Medical Center	$119,692	$57.54	7
   19	Saint Francis Health System	$117,999	$56.73	3
   20	Raytheon Technologies	$116,902	$56.20	26

4. Writing a director of information job description

   A job description for a director of information role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a director of information job description:

   Director of information job description example

   With us, you ll do meaningful work from Day 1. Our collaborative culture is built on three core behaviors: We Play to Win, We Get Better Every Day & We Succeed Together. And we mean it we want you to grow and make a difference at one of the world's leading digital banking and payments companies. We value what makes you unique so that you have an opportunity to shine.

   Come build your future, while being the reason millions of people find a brighter financial future with Discover.

   Job Description

   Provides direction and oversight of the information security program risk management activities. Drives policies and standards to mature risk management and ensure compliances with laws and regulations. Leads third-party information security risk management efforts. Identifies information security risk to the organization and provides reporting that informs business decisions. Reports status, manages issues and mitigates risks. Provides supervision to employees and manages individual/team performance and development.

   • Provide oversight and effective challenge of DFS' information security program through controls testing, program and project reviews. Build KRI, KPI and other metrics to develop cyber risk posture and inform decisions
   • Author and annual information security risk assessment report on DFS cyber risk posture. Comply with all regulatory requirements. Present results of various assessments and risks to risk committees and appropriate regulatory agencies.
   • Set policy standard and provide oversight for information security risk management. Partner with and influence business leaders and key stakeholders to mature risk management and business resiliency.
   • Partner with lines of business and corporate functions to ensure appropriate due diligence is performed to manage third party information security risk.
   • Develop and lead a high-performing, cohesive and collaborative team focused on identifying opportunities to mitigate risk and mature the information security programs, including third party information security. Attract and develop technical talent, risk professionals and leaders across the department.

   Minimum Qualifications

   At a minimum, here s what we need from you:

   • Bachelor's Degree in Information security, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Risk Management, Business Administration or related field
   • 8+ years of experience in Cyber/Information security, Information Technology Security, Military, Financial Services or related field
   • 10+ years of experience leading teams and attracting/developing talent
   • In lieu of a degree, 15+years of experience Information security, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Risk Management, Business Administration or related field
   • CISSP, CISM, GSLC or CRISC certification

   Preferred Qualifications

   If we had our say, we d also look for:

   • 10+ years of experience in people management
   • 15+ years of experience in Information security, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Risk Management, Business Administration or related field
   • Strong understanding or risk frameworks and risk methodologies
   • Masters Degree in Cyber/Information Security, Engineering, Risk Management, Business Administration or related field

   What are you waiting for? Apply today!

   The same way we treat our employees is how we treat all applicants with respect. Discover Financial Services is an equal opportunity employer (EEO is the law). We thrive on diversity & inclusion. You will be treated fairly throughout our recruiting process and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status in consideration for a career at Discover.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find directors of information for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any directors of information they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level directors of information with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting directors of information 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.

   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 information

   Once you've selected the best director of information 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 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 director of information. 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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