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How to hire a director, special projects

Director, special projects hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring directors, special projects in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a director, special projects is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per director, special projects on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 4,763 directors, special projects in the US and 45,103 job openings.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for directors, special projects, with 8 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of directors, special projects.

How to hire a director, special projects, step by step

To hire a director, special projects, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a director, special projects:

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

What does a director, special projects do?

The primary responsibility of a director of special projects is to ensure the successful conclusion of construction-related projects. Special project directors lead, organize, and perform corporate projects outside their duties. They utilize project management, business process management, and change management disciplines for timely and cost-effective initiatives delivery. It is part of their responsibilities to collaborate with business leaders and entrepreneurs to perform corporate programs and initiatives. They also manage process enhancements and various special programs.

Learn more about the specifics of what a director, special projects does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a director, special projects, 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?

    Hiring the perfect director, special projects 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.

    Here's a comparison of director, special projects salaries for various roles:

    Type of Director, Special ProjectsDescriptionHourly rate
    Director, Special Projects$43-88
    Program ManagerA program manager is responsible for monitoring the project's progress, improving and developing new strategies, and coordinate various projects across the organization to ensure the success of the business objective. Program managers also manage the program's expenses, ensuring that the projects adhere to the budget goals without compromising the quality and accuracy of the result... Show more$31-67
    Environmental Services DirectorWhen it comes to overseeing companies or hospitals' performances in line with environmental legalities, an environmental service director comes to mind. They exist primarily to develop and implement cleanliness, safety, maintenance, and prevention of infections... Show more$17-44
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Project Management
    • Website Content
    • Financial Statements
    • Strategic Plan
    • Strategic Direction
    • Oversight
    • Business Development
    • HIPAA
    • Data Analysis
    • Process Improvement
    • R
    • Logistics
    • Program Management
    • Product Development
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage and design worldwide testing on all ERP interface programs.
    • Create a coordinate university social media committee quadrupling engagement during campaigns and achieving a national twitter trend during commencement.
    • Replace RV/Marina management and increase occupancy to require revenue model for proper ROI.
    • Analyze, develop and implement successful marketing strategies to maximize ROI associate with business acquisition and retention.
    • Administer volunteer program which include volunteer recruiting, training, oversight of service qualifications and annual awards program.
    • Draft first agency state sustainability plan, provide oversight of environmental matters for the agency and monitor compliance actions.
    More director, special projects duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, directors, special projects' average salary in north dakota is 35% less than in rhode island.
    • Seniority. Entry-level directors, special projects 51% less than senior-level directors, special projects.
    • Certifications. A director, special projects 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, special projects's salary.

    Average director, special projects salary

    $129,916yearly

    $62.46 hourly rate

    Entry-level director, special projects salary
    $91,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 31, 2025

    Average director, special projects salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$150,325$72
    2Rhode Island$145,022$70
    3District of Columbia$141,738$68
    4Massachusetts$133,574$64
    5Illinois$133,154$64
    6Florida$129,591$62
    7New York$123,027$59
    8Texas$122,619$59
    9Washington$119,696$58
    10Virginia$116,697$56
    11Nevada$116,209$56
    12Tennessee$115,784$56
    13Missouri$109,634$53
    14Georgia$109,358$53
    15Kentucky$109,097$52
    16Arizona$108,611$52
    17Pennsylvania$106,693$51
    18North Carolina$103,658$50
    19South Carolina$102,306$49
    20Colorado$101,463$49

    Average director, special projects salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Palo Alto Networks$180,939$86.991
    2Kaiser Permanente$165,554$79.5913
    3Amazon$164,140$78.9114
    4UL$158,641$76.27
    5STRIDE Community Health Center$156,520$75.25
    6RH$153,909$73.993
    7One Brooklyn Health$151,223$72.70
    8NRG Energy$151,143$72.66
    9Los Angeles Times$150,543$72.38
    10Kemper$149,880$72.06
    11Ericsson$149,851$72.04
    12Cantor Fitzgerald$149,838$72.046
    13New York University$149,563$71.917
    14Signature Healthcare$149,298$71.78
    15Avantor$144,382$69.41
    16Evine$141,343$67.95
    17Envision$140,302$67.451
    18Dover$139,896$67.26
    19National Jewish Health$137,803$66.251
    20Balfour Beatty plc$137,371$66.041
  4. Writing a director, special projects job description

    A good director, special projects job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a director, special projects job description:

    Director, special projects job description example

    • Undergraduate degree with minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role (required).
    • CAP or CAAP licensed or LMHC, LCSW or LMFT licensed (required).
    • Must be able to pass background and drug screen prior to start date.

    Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

    • Ability to read, analyze and interpret journals, financial reports and legal documents. Ability to respond to inquiries from customers or members of the business community. Ability to write memos, reports, grants and articles that conform to prescribed style and format. Ability to effectively present information to management, public groups, and/or boards of directors. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Extensive knowledge of substance abuse field. Microsoft Office experience and ability to adapt to Express Scripts proprietary systems. Project management experience and proven ability to meet deadlines. Strong leadership skills and the ability to effectively influence key decision-makers. Ability to lead multiple, highly visible projects simultaneously. Ability to adapt in a dynamic work environment, learn quickly, solve problems and make decisions with minimal supervision. Excellent verbal and written communication/presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to coordinate people and teams cross functionally to resolve complex issues with designated time frames. Willingness to work a flexible schedule to accommodate business and travel requirements.

    Job Type: Full-time (Exempt).

    Benefits: • 403(b) with company match • Medical, Dental and Vision Eligibility 1st of month after 30 days • Employer Paid Short Term Disability • Paid time off • Life insurance • Up to 10 paid holidays • Pet insurance • Assistance with certification and licensure.

    Schedule : • 40-hour week / Normal Business Hours.

    Cove Behavioral Health is a nonprofit organization with over 48 years of providing behavioral health treatment services to the greater Tampa Bay area. COVE will offer you opportunities that you wouldn't have with other organizations, once you become one of our team mates. Cove Behavioral Health is a HRSA approved site and you may be eligible to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. We also offer free Clinical Supervision, Tuition Reimbursement, CEU's, and many other ways to show appreciation to our teammates! COVE is a full-service provider of SA services. We are Nationally Accredited and have won numerous national and state awards for premier services. We serve all ages and take all insurances. We have board certified MD's that will provide a consultation of what an individual plan might look like when people don't know what to do, much like other Doctor consultations. We have a private adult detox and are known for our specialties in pregnant women and women's services, Opiate Addiction treatment, residential treatment and community prevention as Centers of Excellence.

    At Cove Behavioral health we value diversity and inclusion. Cove Behavioral Health provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, in accordance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Employment decisions at Cove will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Cove does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any characteristic protected by law. Cove will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Cove is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug & Tobacco Free Facility.

  5. Post your job

    To find directors, special projects 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, special projects they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level directors, special projects 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, special projects job on Zippia to find and recruit director, special projects candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit directors, special projects, 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.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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, special projects

    Once you've decided on a perfect director, special projects 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, special projects?

Hiring a director, special projects comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting directors, special projects involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of director, special projects recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for directors, special projects is $129,916 in the US. However, the cost of director, special projects hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a director, special projects for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $43 and $88 an hour.

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