How to hire a physical director

How to hire a physical director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step physical director hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the physical director you need to hire. Certain physical director 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

   Hiring the perfect physical director 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 physical director salaries for various roles:

   Type of Physical Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Physical Director	Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians... Show more	$18-59
   Director, Facilities & Operations	Directors of facilities operations plan, organize and maintain the operations of an organization's infrastructure systems and facilities. They hire, evaluate, train, discipline, and recommend staff dismissal... Show more	$15-47
   Director Of Professional Services	A director of professional services is responsible for evaluating and improving the professional services offered by the firm. Directors of professional services assess the operational processes and systems to ensure high-quality outputs and deliverables... Show more	$45-99

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HVAC
   • Plumbing
   • Rehabilitation
   • Facilities Maintenance
   • OSHA
   • Maintenance Management System
   • Building Maintenance
   • NFPA
   • Construction Projects
   • Physical Therapy
   • Federal Regulations
   • Regulatory Compliance
   • Facility Operations
   • CMMS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage, delegate and perform facility repairs, apartment renovations, preventive maintenance and inventory control utilizing CMMS program for maintenance.
   • Initiate training program for personnel in general maintenance and repair of HVAC, electrical, and plumbing areas.
   • Create site specific written safety program for OSHA compliance.
   • Plant operations include maintaining H.V.A.C, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing carpentry needs, and irrigations systems
   • Maintain care of twelve HVAC units and one dehumidifier and care of all equipment used within facility.
   • Manage, delegate and perform facility repairs, apartment renovations, preventive maintenance and inventory control utilizing CMMS program for maintenance.

   More physical director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your physical director job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A physical director salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a physical director in Nebraska may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level physical director usually earns less than a senior-level physical director. Additionally, a physical director with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average physical director salary

   $70,099yearly

   $33.70 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level physical director salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average physical director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$97,982	$47
   2	Massachusetts	$95,815	$46
   3	New Jersey	$84,883	$41
   4	Minnesota	$83,576	$40
   5	Illinois	$81,567	$39
   6	South Carolina	$81,349	$39
   7	Pennsylvania	$78,759	$38
   8	Georgia	$73,104	$35
   9	Washington	$72,061	$35
   10	Wisconsin	$70,743	$34
   11	Arizona	$68,151	$33
   12	Indiana	$64,665	$31
   13	Nebraska	$56,063	$27

   Average physical director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Fiserv	$107,093	$51.49
   2	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	$95,042	$45.69
   3	Planned Parenthood	$93,356	$44.88	13
   4	Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine	$88,857	$42.72	3
   5	University of Illinois Springfield	$81,887	$39.37	2
   6	UW-Milwaukee	$76,919	$36.98
   7	Touro College	$71,329	$34.29	4
   8	Coyote Logistics	$68,753	$33.05
   9	Highline Physical Therapy	$68,651	$33.01	2
   10	Paxos	$66,811	$32.12
   11	Chainalysis	$66,678	$32.06
   12	Iron County Medical Care Facility	$66,292	$31.87
   13	Coyote Construction	$65,884	$31.68
   14	Clinical Management Consultants	$59,827	$28.76
   15	University of Wisconsin System	$57,572	$27.68	6
   16	The Work	$55,323	$26.60
   17	Minnesota State Fair	$54,649	$26.27	3
   18	U.S. Physical Therapy	$45,763	$22.00	192
   19	Indiana State Police	$33,191	$15.96	4

4. Writing a physical director job description

   A job description for a physical director 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 physical director job description:

   Physical director job description example

   LC State invites applications for the position of Physical Plant Director
   
   Salary and rank based on experience and qualifications: $83,000 to $99,000
   
   Degree Required:
   
   * Master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
   
   Required Qualifications:
   
   * Experience with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
   * Leadership and supervisory experience.
   * Project management experience.
   * Ability to review and interpret construction drawings.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   
   * Bachelor's degree to be in a related field such as engineering, construction management, or architecture.
   * Experience in facilities or construction management, knowledge of building codes, ADA requirements, fire codes, manpower allocation, professional service acquisition, and materials purchasing.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Overall direction of facilities management operations for LC State real property. Provide support and consultation as needed for outreach facilities including Coeur d'Alene.
   * Oversees maintenance and construction, custodial, and grounds-keeping operations for LC State.
   * Coordinates fleet services for Physical Plant and provides guidance and direction for non-centralized fleet services for the campus community.
   * Primary liaison/ interface officer with State Division of Public Works (DPW), Division of Building Safety (DBS), and city and county officials on matters relating to facilities, capital projects, and alteration and repair initiatives. ·
   * Supervises a large workforce of technicians, maintenance experts, general purpose tradesmen, part-time student employees, private contractors, and Dept of Correction personnel.
   * Lead planner for LCSC's Campus Facilities Master Plan and annual and long-term facilities projects.
   * Lead planner for the annual Division of Public Works major projects, alteration and repair, and ADA request.
   * Supports campus housing units owned and operated by the college to maintain a safe living environment.
   * Key member of Administrative Services leadership staff. Member of Administrative Services strategic planning and assessment committees. Member of LCSC Emergency Planning Group, Key Control Committee, and Arboretum Committee.
   * Directly interfaces with LCSC President on matters relating to upkeep, maintenance, planning, and physical upgrades to the State-owned President's Home.
   
   Application Procedure: Please upload all of the following documents, or your application may not be considered for review:
   
   * Cover Letter/Letter of Interest
   * Resume/Curriculum Vitae
   * Contact Information or Letters for three (3) Professional References
   * Unofficial Transcripts (Official Transcripts requested upon hire)
   
   This position is open until filled; however, applications received on or before November 11, 2022, will receive first consideration. Posting will remain open until a suitable pool of candidates is identified.
   
   This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check and may also be subject to an education verification. LC State is an EEO/AA/VETS employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right physical director for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with physical directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit physical directors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting physical directors 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 physical director

   Once you have selected a candidate for the physical director 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 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new physical director. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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