How to hire a director of programs and operations

How to hire a director of programs and operations, step by step

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

What does a director of programs and operations do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The director of programs and operations hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 programs and operations 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 programs and operations salaries for various positions.

   Type of Director Of Programs And Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Programs And Operations	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$20-60
   District Director	A district director is an executive professional who is responsible for managing staff members of an organization in a particular district. This director is required to conduct store visits to ensure that store employees are following store procedures and maintain inventory levels... Show more	$27-82
   Division Director	A division director is a professional who is responsible for managing team members and business operations that are assigned in his/her or her division to achieve the goals of a company. Division directors are required to evaluate division performance and ensure that the team's work complies with the company policies and procedures... Show more	$32-102

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Oversight
   • Project Management
   • Program Operations
   • Program Management
   • Clinical Operations
   • Professional Development
   • Program Development
   • Human Resources
   • Process Improvement
   • Strategic Direction
   • Social Work
   • Business Development
   • Budget Management
   • Risk Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Educate and conduct a yearly training on manage care updates for all Medicare OTC plans.
   • Manage internal accounting control and oversee quarterly CPA audits to maintain accounting integrity.
   • Provide oversight, supervision, and support to the development, management, and evaluation of projects and training.
   • Identify administrative and temporary staffing requirements; recruit and provide oversight as necessary.
   • Provide technical oversight and input to joint investigations with other DoD investigative agencies.
   • Design and implement a DoD program to improve transparency and accountability of combat equipment.

   More director of programs and operations duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the director of programs and operations job description is a good way to get more applicants. A director of programs and operations salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a director of programs and operations in Idaho may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level director of programs and operations. Additionally, a director of programs and operations with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average director of programs and operations salary

   $73,132yearly

   $35.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of programs and operations salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average director of programs and operations salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$129,350	$62
   2	New York	$122,739	$59
   3	Pennsylvania	$100,505	$48
   4	New Jersey	$96,120	$46
   5	California	$88,840	$43
   6	Massachusetts	$87,925	$42
   7	Maryland	$85,541	$41
   8	Georgia	$83,060	$40
   9	Illinois	$82,625	$40
   10	Indiana	$82,261	$40
   11	South Dakota	$80,390	$39
   12	Missouri	$74,355	$36
   13	Texas	$74,192	$36
   14	Minnesota	$72,205	$35
   15	North Dakota	$70,365	$34
   16	South Carolina	$68,862	$33
   17	New Mexico	$68,681	$33
   18	Louisiana	$63,033	$30
   19	Washington	$61,925	$30
   20	Utah	$55,881	$27

   Average director of programs and operations salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$183,419	$88.18	132
   2	Google	$179,821	$86.45	63
   3	New York University	$167,404	$80.48	4
   4	Amazon	$163,124	$78.42	788
   5	Moderna	$156,504	$75.24	4
   6	AstraZeneca	$152,953	$73.54	2
   7	Alexion Pharmaceuticals	$149,651	$71.95	6
   8	Regeneron	$146,499	$70.43	36
   9	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$135,179	$64.99	498
   10	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$134,362	$64.60	142
   11	General Electric	$134,200	$64.52	48
   12	Baton Rouge General Medical Center	$131,402	$63.17
   13	Sanofi US	$128,755	$61.90	41
   14	Agilent Technologies	$128,123	$61.60	2
   15	Northwestern Medicine	$124,496	$59.85	5
   16	Qualcomm	$122,265	$58.78
   17	Federal Reserve	$120,028	$57.71	3
   18	Federal Reserve Bank	$118,246	$56.85	2
   19	CareerArc	$113,112	$54.38
   20	Jefferies	$111,973	$53.83

4. Writing a director of programs and operations job description

   A job description for a director of programs and operations 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 programs and operations job description:

   Director of programs and operations job description example

   New trends and expectations are reshaping the automotive industry. Inspired by the exciting new challenges associated with this revolution, Faurecia anticipates the future of mobility developing cutting-edge solutions for smart life on board and sustainable mobility. If you're willing to contribute and create value for tomorrow's cleaner and smarter mobility, Faurecia is the place to be.
   
   Position Summary: Faurecia North America is looking for an associate who is committed to their long-term growth and development with Faurecia. The Operational Development Program (ODP) focuses on three functions: Production Supervision, Faurecia Excellence System (process and manufacturing standardization and efficiency), and Material Management. The program's content is built off of the academic knowledge received by the ODP Associate while completing their master's degree as well as the individual needs, capabilities and objectives of the apprentice. The program is designed to be a three-year commitment, consisting of (3) 9-12 month rotations that are cross functional. These rotation cycles and entry points are flexible to account for changes in staffing. Upon completion of the program, the ODP Associate will take on a demanding and challenging role in their core field
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Develop your leadership and decision-making skills through assignments including inventory analysis, material planning, and production scheduling.
   * Gain exposure and experience working on various improvement shop floor improvement projects.
   * Spend time working with several different experienced members of the PC&L organization.
   * Build an extensive network within the organization (transportation, suppliers, customers)
   * Attend training sessions and workshops, both at Fraser and another plant.
   * Obtain a full-time offer of employment at the completion of the program based on your performance
   * Receive competitive tutition assistance towards the completion of a Masters Degree
   * Propose continuous improvement ideas in business efficiency and cost reduction
   * Capitalizes on knowledge and shares best practices / lessons learned across organization and within the site
   * Commitment to the highest ethical standards and adherence to:
   * Faurecia Group Code of Ethics
   * Faurecia Group Code of Management
   * Faurecia Group Environmental Policy
   * Faurecia Group Quality Policy

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right director of programs and operations for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with directors of programs and operations they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit directors of programs and operations who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of programs and operations job on Zippia to find and recruit director of programs and operations 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 programs and operations, 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.

   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 programs and operations

   Once you have selected a candidate for the director of programs and operations 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of programs and operations. 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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