How to hire a professional development coordinator

How to hire a professional development coordinator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step professional development coordinator hiring guide:

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

What does a professional development coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a professional development coordinator, 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?

   Yes

   No

   A professional development coordinator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, professional development coordinators 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.

   Here's a comparison of professional development coordinator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Professional Development Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Professional Development Coordinator	Training and development specialists plan, conduct, and administer programs that train employees and improve their skills and knowledge.	$22-61
   Training Supervisor	A training supervisor is an individual tasked to plan the curriculum and prepare lessons for new employees' training. Training supervisors coordinate locations and times for the training and sessions... Show more	$12-25
   Training Facilitator	A training facilitator is responsible for managing the training sessions of employees in an organization, both for career advancement and process-related training. Training facilitators outline the training objectives, prepare the facility and resources, and ensure that all participants are present during the discussion... Show more	$16-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • Training Programs
   • Curriculum Development
   • Professional Development
   • Data Analysis
   • Education Programs
   • Classroom Management
   • Professional Growth
   • Event Planning
   • Staff Development
   • Learning Management System
   • Professional Development Programs
   • Training Materials
   • K-12

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Hire managed orientation and evaluation of all nursing personnel performance base on QA competency outcomes.
   • Provide coaching and support to learning coordinators to improve knowledge and skills.
   • Work as a team leader in charge of running a preschool and Pre-K classroom.
   • Conduct monthly training sessions to 1 5-20 tutors on best practices in supporting ESL students.
   • Maintain full oversight of fundraising budget, strategic planning, mission, and volunteer recruitment.
   • Develop syllabus, materials, activities, projects, and assessments base on general course objectives.

   More professional development coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average professional development coordinator salary

   $77,943yearly

   $37.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level professional development coordinator salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average professional development coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$114,796	$55
   2	New York	$93,872	$45
   3	District of Columbia	$93,364	$45
   4	California	$90,017	$43
   5	Pennsylvania	$87,961	$42
   6	North Carolina	$86,020	$41
   7	Illinois	$84,017	$40
   8	Delaware	$79,783	$38
   9	Virginia	$78,385	$38
   10	Washington	$76,969	$37
   11	Massachusetts	$75,510	$36
   12	Texas	$72,875	$35
   13	Georgia	$69,690	$34
   14	Ohio	$68,779	$33
   15	Minnesota	$67,776	$33
   16	Louisiana	$67,658	$33
   17	Kansas	$63,106	$30
   18	Iowa	$61,282	$29
   19	Arizona	$60,865	$29
   20	Alabama	$60,746	$29

   Average professional development coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ropes & Gray	$213,138	$102.47	3
   2	Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison	$168,741	$81.13
   3	MUFG EMEA	$140,631	$67.61
   4	Fox Rothschild	$135,416	$65.10
   5	CoreLogic	$135,103	$64.95	1
   6	State Street	$131,079	$63.02	1
   7	Broadridge	$120,848	$58.10	1
   8	Philips	$119,856	$57.62	1
   9	Under Armour	$117,250	$56.37	154
   10	Halliburton	$114,992	$55.28	2
   11	DXC Technology	$113,293	$54.47	2
   12	The Travelers Companies	$111,357	$53.54	45
   13	Enel Green Power	$107,498	$51.68
   14	Fiserv	$106,796	$51.34	34
   15	Dresser-Rand Group	$106,060	$50.99
   16	Amazon	$102,825	$49.44	343
   17	Highmark	$101,099	$48.61	100
   18	Duke University Health System	$99,296	$47.74	6
   19	Weyerhaeuser International, Inc	$97,914	$47.07	11
   20	Humana	$92,379	$44.41	197

4. Writing a professional development coordinator job description

   A job description for a professional development coordinator 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 professional development coordinator job description:

   Professional development coordinator job description example

   Purpose, Kindness, Excellence and Team are the foundation which crafts our culture, and are the guiding principles which build the framework for all our relationships at IU Health. Whether you are at Methodist Hospital a Level One Trauma Center or University Hospital which offers the latest advances in cancer research and leading edge care, as a nurse educator with IU Health you will have a uniquely exciting setting to apply your nursing skills.
   
   Build your career with IU Health. We have an outstanding opportunity available for a RN to join our team as a Nursing Professional Development Generalist at our University and Methodist Hospital location's in Indianapolis.
   Apply Today- We can't wait to hear from you!
   
   The Nursing Professional Development Generalist promotes and advocates for professional staff development programs and curricula that support the needs of the clinical learner and the organization, beginning with newly hired clinical employee and continuing on through the expert clinician. Models the application of evidence based practice in the scholarship of instructing and learning; providing direction and support through strategic planning to meet the employee's informative needs identified through structural needs assessments, regulatory agency requirements, quality outcomes data and leadership direction. Serves as a role model and expert for clinical educators and advocates for their continued growth and professional development. This position will be Monday-Friday in our OR department.
   
   * Bachelors Degree of Nursing (BSN) required.
   * Requires current state of Indiana license as Registered Nurse.
   * Requires that the RN has graduated from a nationally accredited nursing program.
   * 2 years of experience as a clinical nurse preferred.
   * 2 years of Operating Room experience strongly preferred.
   * Requires Basic Life Support certification through the AHA.
   * Other advanced Life Support certifications may be required per unit/department specialty according to patient care policies.
   * Must have the ability and willingness to travel as needed to meet the system educational needs.
   * Must have the ability to display knowledge and utilization of principles of adult learning.
   
   #LI-SL1
   
   Safeguarding our patients and each other is an important part of how we deliver the best care possible to the communities we serve. As a condition of employment, IU Health requires all new hires to receive various vaccinations, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, barring an approved exemption. New hires will also be provided the option to submit proof of previous vaccination.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion at IU Health. IU Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, national origin, gender identity and/or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find professional development coordinators 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 professional development coordinators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level professional development coordinators 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 professional development coordinator job on Zippia to find and recruit professional development coordinator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit professional development coordinators, 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 professional development coordinator

   Once you've found the professional development coordinator candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new professional development coordinator. 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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How much does it cost to hire a professional development coordinator?