How to hire an executive director of operations

How to hire an executive director of operations, step by step

Here's a step-by-step executive director of operations hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an executive director of operations job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new executive director of operations
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an executive director of operations do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the executive director of operations you need to hire. Certain executive director of operations roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An executive director of operations's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, executive directors of operations 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 shows salaries for various types of executive directors of operations.

   Type of Executive Director Of Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Executive Director Of 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.	$40-97
   Operations Director	Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates... Show more	$31-78
   Operations Manager	Operations managers are in charge of running the main business of the organization. They ensure that the business is running smoothly from an operations standpoint... Show more	$22-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Operations Management
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Financial Management
   • Oversight
   • Medicare
   • Home Health
   • Rehabilitation
   • Project Management
   • Nursing Home
   • Business Development
   • Risk Management
   • Payroll
   • Human Resources
   • Strategic Plan

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Finance and billing accountability across Medicaid, manage care commercial insurance, insurance verification, contract management, and benefits administration.
   • Design, implementation and parental oversight of local operational policies and processes.
   • Assure high-level supply chain management for distribution logistics purposes and direct clientele relations.
   • Advance to increasingly responsible positions, culminating in management role with oversight of company operations.
   • Direct $2.4 billion facility with over 1,200 associates to administer effective technology distribution and third-party logistics functions.
   • Develop numerous tactics, techniques and procedures necessary for the successful employment of reconnaissance aircraft supporting military combat forces.

   More executive director of operations duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average executive director of operations salary

   $131,945yearly

   $63.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level executive director of operations salary

   $85,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average executive director of operations salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$185,518	$89
   2	New Jersey	$169,886	$82
   3	New York	$168,437	$81
   4	Massachusetts	$157,975	$76
   5	District of Columbia	$154,393	$74
   6	Rhode Island	$151,635	$73
   7	Pennsylvania	$139,956	$67
   8	California	$137,918	$66
   9	Washington	$133,375	$64
   10	Colorado	$127,356	$61
   11	Virginia	$127,060	$61
   12	Texas	$122,296	$59
   13	Illinois	$121,893	$59
   14	Florida	$117,076	$56
   15	North Carolina	$115,071	$55
   16	Arizona	$114,455	$55
   17	Georgia	$111,211	$53
   18	Louisiana	$101,602	$49
   19	Kansas	$101,152	$49
   20	Iowa	$97,946	$47

   Average executive director of operations salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Billings Clinic	$178,078	$85.61	1
   2	Novartis	$172,734	$83.05	128
   3	Kaiser Permanente	$172,123	$82.75	83
   4	Santander Private Banking International	$171,367	$82.39	12
   5	Piedmont Healthcare	$167,131	$80.35	10
   6	Amgen	$166,683	$80.14	34
   7	McFarland Clinic	$164,442	$79.06	2
   8	Regeneron	$163,716	$78.71	54
   9	ONR	$162,054	$77.91
   10	J.P. Morgan	$160,022	$76.93
   11	Iovance Biotherapeutics	$158,498	$76.20	1
   12	UnityPoint Health	$156,023	$75.01	5
   13	Trinity Health	$155,799	$74.90	39
   14	Moderna	$154,964	$74.50	7
   15	USAA	$149,490	$71.87	30
   16	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$149,390	$71.82	1,253
   17	Catalyst Pharmaceuticals	$149,136	$71.70
   18	Washington and Lee University	$148,549	$71.42	2
   19	Care New England Health System	$148,372	$71.33	4
   20	Purdue Pharma L.P.	$147,280	$70.81

4. Writing an executive director of operations job description

   An executive director of operations 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. To help get you started, here's an example of an executive director of operations job description:

   Executive director of operations job description example

   The GW Medical Faculty Associates is the largest multispecialty physician-led practice in Washington, DC. We have a rich heritage in academics and research and are proud to be part of the first medical school in the nation's capital and the 11th oldest in the United States.
   GW MFA is seeking an experienced operations leader to optimize our ambulatory service lines . This role will collaborate with executive, clinical, and physician leaders to develop and implement strategies, manage key initiatives, and projects for department(s).
   
   Along with a collaborative, team-oriented work environment, our outstanding employment package includes: competitive salaries, excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits, paid time off (PTO), a generous 403(b) retirement plan, short-term and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, wellness programs, and tuition assistance. Looking for leaders who are passionate about excellence, results-focused, and who want to make a difference. Come join our team and be part of the future!
   
   Position Summary
   
   Together with the Chief Administrative Officer and Chair of the Department, the Executive Director will align with the GWU Medical Faculty Associates vision to be the pre-eminent source of clinical care, though leadership, patient, staff, and physician experiences.
   
   Responsibilities include recruiting and managing highly qualified managers across multiple locations and functions, along with providing administrative oversight and support to a division, department, or combination of service lines. The ED is accountable for implementing growth strategies, establishing goals and measurable KPI's, improving operational effectiveness, and driving positive financial performance in areas of responsibility. This position involves intense and intentional collaboration with clinical operational leaders, physicians, executive management, and revenue cycle vendors. Other duties include optimizing physician capacity to improve patient access. In addition, reducing friction in the patient care process by promoting value-based initiatives and implementing continuous quality improvement initiatives.
   
   Business, finance, and day-to-day operations, at the department level, are the responsibilities of the incumbent. This role has high visibility and engagement with key internal and external stakeholders.
   
   Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
   
   Planning:
   
   Determines and sets the direction for the department. Focuses on priorities and establishes alignment Establishes measurable key performance indicators and performance targets. Creates performance scorecards or other reports to measure and track performance.
   
   Organizing:
   
   Assesses the appropriate organizational structure for the administrative and operations areas and aligns their reporting relationships. Establishes expectations, authority distribution, and scope of decision-making. Develops staffing plans for administrative positions.
   
   Staffing:
   
   Onboards staff and makes clear expectations and definition of success. Provides regular feedback and meetings during the 90-day introductory period. Conduct performance evaluations, set goals, and monitor staff progress toward goals. Coaches and mentors' staff to develop a culture of continuous feedback, recognition and improvement, driving accountability and standard work; selects and develops future leaders Implements retention strategies and develops succession planning.
   
   Controlling:
   
   Analyzes and monitors financial reports to identify trends and variances. Formulates action plans to improve performance. Recommends ways to control costs and maximize revenue to key stakeholders. Affects changes to increase physician and staff productivity. Prepares business plans and proformas to support the hiring of physicians, capital investment, and enhancements to the service line.
   
   Directing:
   
   Initiates actions to affect improvements and changes. Motivates staff to a higher level of performance and responsibility. Manages staff to resolve business problems in a timely and efficient manner, while cascading communication and documenting processes.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Education Bachelor's degree required; Master's in business or health care strongly preferred. 7+ years of successfully demonstrated operational experience with progressively higher levels of responsibility preferably working in an academic practice.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find executive directors of operations for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with executive director of operations candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new executive director of operations

   Once you have selected a candidate for the executive director of 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.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new executive director of operations. 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.)

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