How to hire a director, program manager

How to hire a director, program manager, step by step

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

What does a director, program manager do?

Post a director, program manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a director, program manager, 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?

   Yes

   No

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

   Here's a comparison of director, program manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Director, Program Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Director, Program Manager		$32-83
   Program Director	Program directors are employees who oversee all aspects of a specific program in the company. They usually work in nonprofit organizations or are assigned to a department doing corporate social responsibility activities... Show more	$24-62
   Aquatic Director	An aquatic director is a person who manages swimming pools used in a facility such as a school or a university. It is the aquatics director's task to ensure safety in and around any pool, adhere to health protocols, and help promote and create pool-related activities... Show more	$11-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Program Management
   • Project Management
   • Oversight
   • Digital Marketing
   • Rehabilitation
   • Patients
   • Service Delivery
   • Portfolio
   • Risk Management
   • Product Development
   • Medicare
   • Financial Management
   • Professional Development
   • PMO

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead SharePoint consulting projects and practice.
   • Lead the introduction and upgrade of wireless infrastructure at remote locations to ensure adherence with internal and international wireless standards.
   • Task with providing a gap analysis for the team in order to create a tighter structure and PMO within the organization.
   • Develop SharePoint site to communicate platform.
   • Provide oversight; develop national training center basic academy business/functional processes.
   • Provide weekly spiritual renewal groups where patients identify their assets and liabilities.

   More director, program manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average director, program manager salary

   $107,861yearly

   $51.86 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director, program manager salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average director, program manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$131,306	$63
   2	New York	$130,532	$63
   3	Connecticut	$130,076	$63
   4	District of Columbia	$129,137	$62
   5	Ohio	$125,566	$60
   6	Maryland	$124,291	$60
   7	California	$121,996	$59
   8	Texas	$113,057	$54
   9	Massachusetts	$112,848	$54
   10	Illinois	$105,200	$51
   11	Minnesota	$98,266	$47
   12	Colorado	$97,154	$47
   13	Georgia	$96,057	$46
   14	Pennsylvania	$95,993	$46
   15	Nebraska	$93,506	$45
   16	North Carolina	$93,221	$45
   17	Florida	$92,084	$44
   18	Indiana	$91,910	$44
   19	Arizona	$89,438	$43

   Average director, program manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Capgemini	$165,192	$79.42	75
   2	BNP Paribas	$156,259	$75.12
   3	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$153,576	$73.83	311
   4	RCR Technology	$150,523	$72.37
   5	Intel	$145,085	$69.75	4
   6	Cybersource	$143,376	$68.93
   7	Finastra	$141,035	$67.81	2
   8	UBS	$137,640	$66.17	3
   9	Federal Reserve Bank	$134,733	$64.78	1
   10	Booking Holdings	$134,709	$64.76	3
   11	frog	$133,398	$64.13
   12	Razorfish	$132,878	$63.88
   13	Federal Reserve	$132,709	$63.80
   14	Serco	$132,652	$63.77	72
   15	Visa	$132,549	$63.73	5
   16	Bering Straits	$131,440	$63.19	12
   17	Moody's	$128,953	$62.00	3
   18	CACI International	$128,138	$61.60	47
   19	Arch Capital Group	$128,022	$61.55
   20	Synchrony Rehab	$127,140	$61.13	1

4. Writing a director, program manager job description

   A job description for a director, program manager 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, program manager job description:

   Director, program manager job description example

   Keystone Autism Services is seeking a Program Director (House Manager) to join our team in making a positive difference in the lives of the individuals we support.
   Responsibilities Include:
   Supervisory role that oversees the supports of adults with Autism in a residential home Monitors work schedules to ensure adequate coverage within assigned home program Collaborates with clinical team to assist in development of Individual Support Plans (ISP) and individual goal progress Provides personal care, administers medications, and mentors individuals following their individual support plans Plans meaningful recreational activities and takes individuals into the community and to appointments as needed
   
   Benefits:
   $500 sign on bonus per incentive guidelines Pay starts at $24.00 per hour, may increase based on relevant work experience Competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401K and more Generous paid time off program Tuition reimbursement available per eligibility requirements Career development and advancement opportunities One hourly rate for training, direct care and administrative work
   
   Minimum Requirements:
   Bachelor's degree in human services or related field Two years of combined training and experience in the field of human services to include at least one year of direct experience in the Autism field Valid driver's license and daily access to a properly maintained and insured vehicle Successful completion of the pre-employment process, including motor vehicle record and criminal background checks
   
   Keystone Human Services is committed to an inclusive workplace that does not discriminate against race, nationality, religion, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other protected characteristic under federal, state or local law. We believe in diversity and encourage any qualified individual to apply.
   
   Disclaimer: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find director, program managers 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 director, program managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level director, program managers 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, program manager job on Zippia to find and recruit director, program manager 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 director, program managers, 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.

   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, program manager

   Once you've found the director, program manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new director, program manager. 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a director, program manager?