How to hire a director/operations manager

How to hire a director/operations manager, step by step

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

What does a director/operations manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your director/operations manager 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/operations manager 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/operations manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, director/operations managers 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 presents director/operations manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Director/Operations Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Director/Operations Manager	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.	$35-77
   Area Director	Area directors oversee the operations of the company in a particular area. They manage the company's presence in their assigned area... Show more	$26-87
   Operations Vice President	The responsibilities of an operations vice president will revolve around overseeing business operations and ensuring workforce and workflow efficiency through evaluations and providing strategic plans that would drive the company to meet its vision and mission. An operations vice president, in adherence to the company policies and regulations, also has the power to hire and train employees, even to execute disciplinary actions such as termination or suspension when necessary... Show more	$50-119

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Financial Statements
   • Payroll
   • Safety Program
   • ISO
   • Logistics
   • R
   • Oversight
   • Human Resources
   • A/P
   • Training Programs
   • Sigma
   • Inventory Control
   • Continuous Improvement

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead high-profile ERP implementation team and ISO 9001:2000 team, ensuring seamless technology and standards integration and conducting internal ISO audits.
   • Finance and billing accountability across Medicaid, manage care commercial insurance, insurance verification, contract management, and benefits administration.
   • Generate reports for divisional managers, and participate in reviews to ensure standards of safety and ISO compliance have been meet.
   • Coordinate equipment vendors, oversight of training, procedures, facility testing and transitional operation.
   • Submit bi-weekly timekeeping to corporate and follow up once payroll are received with resolutions to payroll relate problems.
   • Develop and implement learning strategies for educating staff to utilize a new windows base system for executive management approval.

   More director/operations manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the director/operations manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A director/operations manager 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/operations manager in Idaho may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level director/operations manager. Additionally, a director/operations manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average director/operations manager salary

   $108,519yearly

   $52.17 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director/operations manager salary

   $73,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average director/operations manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$127,263	$61
   2	New York	$126,359	$61
   3	Washington	$124,496	$60
   4	District of Columbia	$113,613	$55
   5	New Jersey	$109,628	$53
   6	Massachusetts	$105,043	$51
   7	Arizona	$104,511	$50
   8	Colorado	$103,186	$50
   9	Illinois	$102,694	$49
   10	Maryland	$99,913	$48
   11	North Carolina	$97,095	$47
   12	Texas	$92,762	$45
   13	Louisiana	$89,113	$43
   14	Minnesota	$86,397	$42
   15	Georgia	$83,257	$40
   16	New Hampshire	$81,207	$39
   17	West Virginia	$75,653	$36
   18	South Carolina	$74,964	$36
   19	Missouri	$73,509	$35
   20	Florida	$72,409	$35

   Average director/operations manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Novartis	$135,792	$65.28	15
   2	Blue Apron	$135,482	$65.14
   3	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	$121,227	$58.28	2
   4	Ernst & Young	$120,972	$58.16	1,262
   5	UBS	$118,374	$56.91	8
   6	Morgan Stanley	$111,973	$53.83	38
   7	Bank of America	$107,143	$51.51	62
   8	eClinicalWorks	$104,926	$50.45
   9	WernerCo	$102,268	$49.17
   10	Rocket Lab	$101,357	$48.73	5
   11	Policygenius	$101,028	$48.57
   12	Fidelity Investments	$98,266	$47.24	84
   13	Goodwin Recruiting	$97,306	$46.78
   14	The Salem News	$89,112	$42.84
   15	Diesel Driving Academy	$86,455	$41.56
   16	University of Colorado Boulder	$69,987	$33.65	4
   17	Georgetown University	$65,853	$31.66	9
   18	The City University of New York	$59,727	$28.71	20
   19	City of Somerville	$44,241	$21.27	2

4. Writing a director/operations manager job description

   A director/operations manager 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/operations manager job description:

   Director/operations manager job description example

   Are you an ambitious, hardworking, go-getter in the QSR/fast food world who loves the pace of high volume? Are you a dynamic GM who has a history of people development and running successful restaurants? WE WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK WITH YOU! Send us your resume today!
   
   The Operating Director is responsible for directing the daily operation of their restaurant, ensuring compliance with company standards in all areas of the operations, including guest service, inventory, financial accountability, food quality, repair and maintenance, hiring, training, and employee relations.
   Essential Functions of an Operating Director
   
   Team Members
   Reinforces and practices open communication with all Team Members and managers Fosters a Team Environment that supports our Purpose and Brand Values Is fully committed to providing the proper training for all Team Members hired into the brand Is committed to making their restaurant a great place to work by engaging with our Team Members, creating a fun environment, and always putting People first Partners with the Area Coach and HR to ensure resolution to all Team Member relation issues and maintain legal compliance in the restaurant
   Guest Service
   Is committed to providing our Guest s with a complete experience they can t find anywhere else Is committed to holding their team responsible in all areas of food quality and service standards Serves as a role model in resolving guest issues and complaints Ensures that food safety standards are met and ensures that teams are properly trained on these standards
   Financial
   Complete responsibility for store financial performance Knowledge on how to accurately read and dissect a full Profit vs. Loss Statement by period and able to create action plans around initiatives if needed Completes monthly inventory Is able to adapt and adhere to Company labor standards through scheduling and analysis
   Qualifications to be considered
   Minimum 2 - 3 years GM experience in the Fast Casual, Casual, and/or Fast Food industry Previous success with restaurant systems and tools POS and Back Office computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook) Knowledge of cost controls, labor targets, profit margins, and other controllable expenses
   Benefits and Compensation
   Medical, Dental, Vision Paid Vacation Time Competitive Salary pay with monthly bonus program Complete Comprehensive training program both online and in-store Master Class Leadership Training- Learn from some of the best leaders in the business Access to the Wellness program for both mental and physical health Access to Financial Planning System-COMING SOON!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right director/operations manager 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/operations manager job on Zippia to find and recruit director/operations manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting director/operations managers 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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/operations manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect director/operations manager 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 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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/operations manager?