How to hire a production director

How to hire a production director, step by step

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

What does a production director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your production director job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a production director for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   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 production 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 production director salaries for various roles:

   Type of Production Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Production Director	Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.	$33-95
   Technical Account Manager	A technical account manager is primarily responsible for providing technical support to clients through calls and correspondence, securing sales and ensuring customer satisfaction. Aside from assisting clients, a technical account manager may conduct an assessment to determine the needs of a client, perform follow up calls, offer upgrades and add-ons, answer inquiries, troubleshoot, and even provide extensive and detailed instructions to customers on using their products or services... Show more	$35-64
   Member, Technical Staff	A member, technical staff's role will vary depending on the organization or company. Most of the responsibilities may revolve around developing new applications or systems, conducting research and analysis, performing numerous testing activities, and designing strategic methods to improve technical aspects of a particular project... Show more	$35-75

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Video Production
   • Project Management
   • Oversight
   • Production Process
   • Audio Production
   • Production Operations
   • Quality Standards
   • Production Management
   • Production Schedules
   • Adobe Audition
   • R
   • Production Equipment
   • Graphic Design
   • Print Production

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage numerous departments within both boys and girl's wovens and denim.
   • Prepare RFQ's, manage quotes, review and evaluate all bids.
   • Manage UX and development teams, from inception to delivery of CMS platform.
   • Manage theatrical release masters and digital content for Netflix, DVD / BluRay release.
   • Manage 22 staff in all aspects of plastics injection / extrusion production and plant maintenance engineering.
   • Lead all budgeting efforts as related to implementation of print packaging, whether FDA mandate or market driven.

   More production director duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average production director salary

   $118,207yearly

   $56.83 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level production director salary

   $70,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average production director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$123,635	$59
   2	California	$121,577	$58
   3	New Jersey	$119,318	$57
   4	Massachusetts	$107,813	$52
   5	Maryland	$99,546	$48
   6	Nevada	$98,033	$47
   7	Pennsylvania	$89,629	$43
   8	Texas	$85,595	$41
   9	Arizona	$82,827	$40
   10	Michigan	$74,632	$36
   11	Washington	$71,637	$34
   12	North Carolina	$70,348	$34
   13	Georgia	$70,161	$34
   14	Illinois	$70,042	$34
   15	Hawaii	$64,748	$31
   16	Colorado	$60,059	$29
   17	Florida	$58,395	$28
   18	Wisconsin	$58,349	$28
   19	Minnesota	$56,999	$27
   20	Kansas	$42,252	$20

   Average production director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Netflix	$185,008	$88.95	6
   2	The Walt Disney Company	$172,119	$82.75	49
   3	A+E Networks	$170,609	$82.02
   4	MGM Studios	$163,490	$78.60
   5	Condé Nast	$161,805	$77.79
   6	Commonwealth	$154,870	$74.46
   7	Apple	$142,766	$68.64	11
   8	Warner Bros.	$141,238	$67.90	42
   9	On Board Experiential Marketing	$139,968	$67.29	6
   10	First Foundation	$134,491	$64.66
   11	Live Nation Entertainment	$129,613	$62.31	16
   12	Tradeweb	$124,449	$59.83
   13	Heartbeat Digital	$120,012	$57.70
   14	Accenture	$115,506	$55.53	169
   15	Compassion International	$112,501	$54.09
   16	Sony Pictures	$111,774	$53.74	13
   17	Red Privet	$110,365	$53.06
   18	Acronis	$110,218	$52.99
   19	The Dow Chemical Company	$108,481	$52.15	4
   20	Sysco	$108,226	$52.03	14

4. Writing a production director job description

   A good production director 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 production director job description:

   Production director job description example

   OVERVIEW OF ROLE
   JOB SUMMARY
   AMC Networks Inc., the owner/operator of IFC Entertainment Holdings LLC, is looking for an experienced contracts manager to work primarily with the AMC Networks Film Division to:
   Analyze and organize all legal diligence related to the acquisition of feature length films, including for distribution by IFC Films, IFC Midnight and RLJE Films.Fulfill all delivery requirements in connection with all license and output agreements,Coordinate with and advise the IFC Entertainment marketing group to ensure compliance with cast, crew, music, and guild requirements and restrictions in all marketing materials.Draft ancillary agreements, all under the supervision of the AMC Networks Film Division SVP, Head of Business and Legal Affairs.
   
   The position's requirements include:
   
   JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
   Collect, evaluate and organize all documents and other legal diligence related to the acquisition of IFC Films, IFC Midnight and RLJE Films content, and create digital legal diligence binders for each film.Identify potential intellectual property and contractual issues in the course of analyzing the legal diligence.Perform contract review and risk analysis on a day-to-day basis, answer questions raised by business units and ensure legal compliance with respect to the creation of marketing and ancillary materials by analyzing cast and crew credit, likeness and publicity restrictions and obligations, and guild rules and restrictions;Review artwork, ads, trailers and clips from the marketing team and the affiliate sales group for potential infringement and/or other legal rights and obligations;Review home video packaging and provide advice with regard to any cast and crew restrictions and other clearance matters, including music for DVD menus, and assist in obtaining applicable guild approvals;Prepare and track copyright filings for films, screenplays and copyright mortgages;Maintain and distribute weekly delivery status reports;Advise film licensors on Section 2257 documentation to ensure compliance with Pence requirements;Advise film licensors on music-related production documents, including music cue sheets, music licenses and music clearance statements for out-of-context use;Respond to requests for information from music guilds;Coordinate and deliver applicable guild documents to outside vendor to ensure proper payment of WGA, DGA, SAG, IATSE and all other necessary guild residuals;Review E&O insurance policies and work with AMCN Treasury to ensure compliance with company requirements;Review and fulfill delivery requirements of licensing partners, including insurance requirements; and Generally assist the AMCN Film Division SVP, Head of Legal & Business Affairs on urgent business projects when needed.
   
   QUALIFICATIONS (Required & Preferred)
   Job Skills
   Ability to draft, research, interpret and understand all documents mentioned above.Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact with employees at all levels, legal and non-legal professionals and international producers and sales agents.Must have strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task in a deadline-oriented environment with diverse assignments. Eagerness to readily accept new responsibilities and challenges, while learning new skills and improving from feedback.Ability to present information professionally, succinctly and persuasively with focus and clarity. Ability to handle highly confidential information and material appropriately.Must be able to work independently as well as in a team setting.Sound analytical skills, as well as strong decision-making and problem-solving aptitude.
   
   Prior Experience/Qualifications
   The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience as a contracts manager in the entertainment industry (experience in the film industry a plus).Must have solid drafting skills with the ability to understand contractual concepts and legal provisions.Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel with prior database experience is required.
   
   The Company is committed to policy of nondiscrimination in its employment and personnel practices. Applicants are considered for all employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, religion, alienage, citizenship, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, genetic predisposition or carrier status, age, marital status, familial status, military or veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault, sexual orientation, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right production 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 production directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit production 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 production director job on Zippia to find and recruit production director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit production directors, 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 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 production director

   Once you have selected a candidate for the production 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new production director first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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