How to hire a director of staff development

Director of staff development hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring directors of staff development in the United States:

In the United States, the median cost per hire a director of staff development is $1,633.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new director of staff development to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

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

To hire a director of staff development, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a director of staff development:

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

What does a director of staff development do?

Directors of Staff Development schedule and publicize staff development activities as per the established guidelines to promote professional development. They perform personnel functions to achieve budget objectives, enhance personnel productivity, and maintain adequate staffing. Furthermore, these professionals research crucial information to develop new programs matching staff training needs. Also, Directors of Staff Development monitor professional development services to achieve performance results as per the department and budget objectives. They develop plans and programs for the effective utilization of company resources.

Learn more about the specifics of what a director of staff development does

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Identify your hiring needs

Before you start hiring a director of staff development, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

Determine employee vs contractor status

Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

A director of staff development's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of staff development 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.

The following list breaks down different types of directors of staff development and their corresponding salaries.

Type of Director Of Staff Development	Description	Hourly rate
Director Of Staff Development	Training and development managers plan, direct, and coordinate programs to enhance the knowledge and skills of an organization’s employees. They also oversee a staff of training and development specialists.	$24-52
HSE Manager	A health, safety, and environmental (HSE) manager is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing a company's health and safety programs. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with different departments to gather data, assessing existing programs and policies to identify areas needing improvement, implementing solutions on issues and concerns, developing strategies to execute programs, and creating new safety policies as necessary... Show more	$28-58
Educational Manager	An educational manager is responsible for organizing educational strategies and managing learning resources, following the standard curriculum and guidelines. They coordinate with instructors and other educational institutions to develop teaching practices and adjust curriculum objectives as needed... Show more	$21-62

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Patients
- CPR
- Educational Programs
- Home Health
- Resident Care
- In-Service Training
- Quality Care
- Oversight
- Infection Control
- Rehabilitation
- Training Programs
- TB
- In-Service Education
- State Regulations
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Direct all aspects of online training and eLearning creation including conceptualizing and developing content and managing relationships with vendors.
- Safeguard corporate and employee interests while proactively averting potential litigation, redirecting and centralizing all payroll reporting including complaints.
- Maintain employee files up to date with state requirements such as CPR, RN, LVN and CNA current licenses.
- Direct facility management, internal and external communications, employee relations, law counsel, payroll, and document retention.
- Organize community education programs, diabetic education and CPR.
- Design PowerPoint presentations to communicate new innovative concepts for bi-annual franchise owner conferences.
More director of staff development duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your director of staff development job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A director of staff development salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

For example, the average salary for a director of staff development in Nebraska may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level director of staff development usually earns less than a senior-level director of staff development. Additionally, a director of staff development with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

Average director of staff development salary

$74,316yearly

$35.73 hourly rate

Entry-level director of staff development salary

$50,000 yearly salary

Updated January 23, 2026

Average director of staff development salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	California	$111,862	$54
2	Oregon	$102,329	$49
3	New Jersey	$93,149	$45
4	Washington	$90,590	$44
5	Nevada	$89,794	$43
6	Pennsylvania	$87,275	$42
7	Texas	$81,077	$39
8	Illinois	$80,169	$39
9	Minnesota	$78,782	$38
10	New York	$76,825	$37
11	Arizona	$76,507	$37
12	Massachusetts	$76,498	$37
13	Colorado	$75,344	$36
14	Michigan	$72,504	$35
15	New Mexico	$70,585	$34
16	Indiana	$69,705	$34
17	Florida	$64,080	$31
18	Georgia	$58,222	$28

Average director of staff development salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	Datadog	$118,967	$57.20	7
2	Cytokinetics	$117,819	$56.64
3	Mee Memorial Healthcare System	$97,798	$47.02
4	Olympia Convalescent Hospital	$97,166	$46.71
5	Palomar Health	$93,309	$44.86
6	Central Valley Medical Center	$91,540	$44.01
7	Lompoc Valley Medical Center	$91,152	$43.82	1
8	Oxford HealthCare	$86,849	$41.75
9	Supportive Concepts for Families	$85,830	$41.26
10	WinShape Teams	$85,650	$41.18
11	CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center	$83,256	$40.03
12	Coalition for Christian Outreach	$82,921	$39.87
13	Community Memorial Health System	$80,514	$38.71
14	Orchard View Manor	$80,327	$38.62
15	Apis	$79,232	$38.09	1
16	Avalon Health Care Group	$78,620	$37.80	10
17	Michigan State University	$78,350	$37.67
18	Eden Health	$77,840	$37.42	16
19	CareOne	$77,013	$37.03	13
20	SNF	$76,003	$36.54

Writing a director of staff development job description
A director of staff 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. Below, you can find an example of a director of staff development job description:
Director of staff development job description example
Two (2) years of full time experience as a licensed RN providing direct nursing care to chronically ill, or elderly patients in an acute care hospital, skilled nursing facility, or other long-term care setting
One (1) year experience of planning, implementing and evaluating nursing educational programs
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification
Obtain State approval as DSD within six (6) months of employment and prior to teaching CNAs

Preferred:

Current approval from CDPH as DSD

Community Memorial Health System was established in 2005 when Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura merged with Ojai Valley Community Hospital. It is comprised of these two hospitals along with a network of primary and specialty care health centers serving various communities across west Ventura County. Our health system is a community-owned, not-for-profit organization. As such, we are not backed by a corporate or government entity, nor do we answer to shareholders. We depend on - and answer to - the communities we serve.

Community Memorial Health System Benefits

To help heal, comfort, and promote health for the communities we serve, Community Memorial Health System (CMHS) takes care of our community of employees so our local community can be cared for. That's why we provide competitive benefits, along with great career choices, training, and leadership development. Our total rewards package provides benefits that support you and your family's health and wellness in all aspects of life. From our top tier insurance plans to our employee assistance program, take advantage of what CMHS has to offer so you and your loved ones can have peace of mind now and for years to come. CMHS is here for you and your family every step of the way.

Competitive Pay
Shift Differentials (Nights & Weekends)
In-House Registry Rates
Fidelity 403(b) Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off
Medical (EPO/PPO), Dental, & Vision Insurance Coverage
Voluntary Worksite Benefits
Employee Assistance Program Available 24/7 (EAP)
Tuition Reimbursement
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
Recognition programs
Employee service recognition events
Home, Retail, Travel & Entertainment Discounts
National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week celebrations

“We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled Employer”

Post your job

There are various strategies that you can use to find the right director of staff development for your business:

Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

Post your job online:

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

Interview candidates

To successfully recruit directors of staff development, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

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.

Send a job offer and onboard your new director of staff development

Once you've decided on a perfect director of staff development candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

To prepare for the new director of staff development first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

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

Before you start to hire directors of staff development, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire directors of staff development pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for directors of staff development is $74,316 in the US. However, the cost of director of staff development hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a director of staff development for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $24 and $52 an hour.

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Director Of Staff Development
How to hire a Director Of Staff Development

Updated January 23, 2026

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How to hire a director of staff development