How to hire a night shift manager

How to hire a night shift manager, step by step

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

What does a night shift manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the night shift manager you need to hire. Certain night shift manager 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

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

   The following list breaks down different types of night shift managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Night Shift Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Night Shift Manager	Lodging managers ensure that guests on vacation or business travel have a pleasant experience at a hotel, motel, or other types of establishment with accommodations. They also ensure that the establishment is run efficiently and profitably.	$12-20
   Manager On Duty	A manager on duty's role is to oversee operations in a store or a particular department, ensuring efficient workflow and workforce performance. They mainly evaluate and delegate tasks among employees, arrange schedules, set goals and budget, handle issues and concerns, and impose disciplinary actions... Show more	$12-25
   Shift Supervisor	Shift supervisors are responsible for the employees assigned to the shift that they are handling. Shift supervisors ensure that the employees who were expected to report to work at the specific shift came in... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Food Safety
   • Safety Standards
   • Safety Procedures
   • PET
   • Work Ethic
   • Inventory Management
   • Food Orders
   • HR
   • Customer Orders
   • Customer Service
   • Night Shifts
   • CPR
   • Quality Products

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage FOH to insure all guests are happy and well taken care of.
   • Maintain all databases, and POS systems, ensuring that they are up-to-date.
   • Operate POS and clean and maintain all areas of restaurant to promote a clean image.
   • Check all time sheets make sure all personal, vacation, and holiday are included before going to payroll.
   • Stock shelves and cooler as facings deplete, handle monetary transactions, and maintain store cleanliness when no customers are present.
   • Demonstrate strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.

   More night shift manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your night shift manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A night shift manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, night shift managers' average salary in alabama is 44% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level night shift managers 38% less than senior-level night shift managers.
   • Certifications. A night shift manager 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 night shift manager's salary.

   Average night shift manager salary

   $16.20hourly

   $33,705 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level night shift manager salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average night shift manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$41,864	$20
   2	Utah	$38,493	$19
   3	Wisconsin	$37,946	$18
   4	Indiana	$35,057	$17
   5	Washington	$34,959	$17
   6	New Jersey	$34,459	$17
   7	Pennsylvania	$34,317	$17
   8	Wyoming	$33,962	$16
   9	Ohio	$33,744	$16
   10	New York	$32,871	$16
   11	Michigan	$32,614	$16
   12	Texas	$32,318	$16
   13	Colorado	$31,087	$15
   14	Arizona	$31,083	$15
   15	Mississippi	$30,613	$15
   16	New Mexico	$30,386	$15
   17	South Carolina	$28,475	$14
   18	Tennessee	$27,755	$13
   19	North Carolina	$25,930	$12
   20	Georgia	$25,374	$12

   Average night shift manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BD	$39,718	$19.10	3
   2	Continental Carbonic Products	$39,526	$19.00
   3	Bechtel Corporation	$39,342	$18.91	2
   4	Northrop Grumman	$39,179	$18.84	2
   5	Vulcan Materials	$38,683	$18.60	7
   6	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$38,341	$18.43	6
   7	TreeHouse Foods	$38,224	$18.38
   8	Chewy	$38,098	$18.32
   9	Lippert Components	$38,052	$18.29
   10	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$38,042	$18.29	1
   11	Campbells	$37,821	$18.18	10
   12	Campbell Soup	$37,819	$18.18	12
   13	Hood Industries	$37,785	$18.17
   14	Fairmount Santrol	$37,767	$18.16	1
   15	Shaw Industries	$37,674	$18.11	3
   16	HD Supply	$37,630	$18.09	3
   17	Intel	$37,321	$17.94
   18	XPO Logistics	$37,241	$17.90
   19	Microsoft	$37,067	$17.82
   20	Brunswick	$36,764	$17.68	6

4. Writing a night shift manager job description

   A job description for a night shift 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 night shift manager job description:

   Night shift manager job description example

   A hospital in North Carolina is actively seeking a Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit to join their team. This is a full-time position working for a top-ranked health system that provides care to patients throughout the state.
   
   An opportunity to work for a renowned health system in North Carolina doesn't come around often. This health system is known for the acute care hospitals, clinics, outpatient programs, ongoing research, and speciality practices, throughout the state. The Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit will work for a 600+ bed, Magnet designated hospital known for their women and children services, oncology, surgical program, emergency services, rehabilitation, and behavioral health services.
   
   The Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit will work for an acute care hospital known for offering one of the largest inpatient units in the state that is dedicated to Pulmonary and Respiratory Care. This hospital is recognized for their board-certified pulmonologists, licensed respiratory-care practitioners, skilled nurses and therapists who provide diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and rehabilitation. Broad expertise includes asthma and COPD, as well as pneumonia, blood clotting and blockage of the pulmonary artery, smoking-related conditions and inflammatory lung disease.
   
   Joining the Medical-Surgical Services team and reporting to the Cardiac, Respiratory, Pulmonary, and Med/Surg Manager, the Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit will oversee the 48 bed inpatient unit and be supported by a team of specialized nurses, patient care technicians, and ancillary staff. Responsibilities of the Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit include staff scheduling, evaluations, payroll, updating policy procedure, and ensuring regulatory compliance across the unit.
   
   The Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit should have an active Registered Nurse RN license along with previous inpatient experience leading a team over a med-surg or pulmonary care PCU. The Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit should have recent clinical experience, be up to date on best practices and techniques, and be a visible, positive, motivating leader who is excited to support their team.
   
   Come work for a hospital located in Northern North Carolina, in a city that is home to many young working professionals and families. This area of North Carolina is known for their public schools-perfect for raising a family, parks, rich history, and surrounding nature. The Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit can easily reside in the city, or in one of the surrounding North Carolina or Virginia suburbs. With a great work life balance, the Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit will enjoy attending sporting events, visiting historic museums, dining at local restaurants, or taking weekend trips to the beach, mountains, and surrounding cities.
   The hospital is actively interviewing and preparing to offer the Night Shift Manager Pulmonary Care Unit a comprehensive compensation package that includes a competitive salary, full suite of healthcare benefits, a retirement plan, a generous paid time off accrual schedule, tuition reimbursement, employee discount programs, free parking, the opportunity to work for a growing health system alongside a dedicated team, and so much more. Plus, qualified candidates may be eligible for a generous sign on bonus along with relocation assistance. Don't wait, learn more and apply today!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find night shift managers 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 night shift manager job on Zippia to find and recruit night shift manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with night shift manager 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.

   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 night shift manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect night shift 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new night shift 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.)

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