How to hire a program coordinator

How to hire a program coordinator, step by step

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

What does a program coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a program 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a program coordinator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a program coordinator that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of program coordinators.

   Type of Program Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Program Coordinator	Social and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.	$14-30
   Community Service Coordinator	The community service coordinator is someone who works with a community for its betterment. The community service coordinator brings all welfare services to the community and connects people who need welfare to receive benefits... Show more	$14-25
   Residence Coordinator	A residence coordinator is responsible for supporting and providing the needs of the residents, including move-in procedures and processing of papers for residency. Residence coordinators interact with organizations and community offices for housing projects and property lease, identifying locations according to clients' requirements and budget limitations... Show more	$14-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Patients
   • Social Work
   • PowerPoint
   • Mental Health
   • Excellent Organizational
   • Professional Development
   • Data Collection
   • Financial Reports
   • Community Outreach
   • Public Health
   • Community Resources
   • HR
   • Program Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all medical records and client information without HIPAA violation.
   • Develop a syllabus, maintain an assignment schedule, and manage course records.
   • Manage operations and administer an outpatient diabetes management program for adults by MD referral.
   • Perform community outreach to Medi-Cal recipients, via public speaking, flyers, wellness fairs, and practice manager meetings.
   • Submit monthly claims for reimbursement to USDA.
   • Review and process CME applications for ACCME approval.

   More program coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average program coordinator salary

   $45,068yearly

   $21.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level program coordinator salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average program coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$58,491	$28
   2	District of Columbia	$56,147	$27
   3	Oregon	$51,902	$25
   4	Washington	$49,391	$24
   5	New York	$48,731	$23
   6	Illinois	$47,958	$23
   7	Texas	$46,317	$22
   8	Virginia	$46,179	$22
   9	Wisconsin	$45,614	$22
   10	Arizona	$45,589	$22
   11	Pennsylvania	$45,577	$22
   12	Florida	$45,571	$22
   13	Colorado	$45,537	$22
   14	Maryland	$44,385	$21
   15	Massachusetts	$44,083	$21
   16	Ohio	$43,720	$21
   17	North Carolina	$42,961	$21
   18	Nebraska	$42,643	$21
   19	Minnesota	$42,192	$20
   20	West Virginia	$40,747	$20

   Average program coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$98,531	$47.37	148
   2	Apple	$80,903	$38.90	133
   3	City of Detroit	$80,817	$38.85	2
   4	City of Seattle	$80,611	$38.76	2
   5	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$79,572	$38.26	83
   6	CFA Institute	$78,497	$37.74
   7	Amazon	$78,406	$37.70	298
   8	Visa	$78,006	$37.50	11
   9	City of Jacksonville	$77,915	$37.46
   10	City of San Antonio	$77,818	$37.41	3
   11	McKinsey & Company Inc	$77,208	$37.12
   12	Massasoit Community College	$75,879	$36.48	7
   13	Citi	$75,623	$36.36	8
   14	City and County of Denver Government	$75,041	$36.08	1
   15	Bloomberg	$74,902	$36.01	7
   16	City of San Diego	$73,651	$35.41
   17	Legacy Health	$71,542	$34.40	4
   18	BP America Inc	$71,526	$34.39	1
   19	Baptist Health Care	$71,227	$34.24	2
   20	Dell	$71,088	$34.18	4

4. Writing a program coordinator job description

   A good program coordinator 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 program coordinator job description:

   Program coordinator job description example

   You could be the one who changes everything for our 26 million members as a clinical professional on our Medical Management/Health Services team. Centene is a diversified, national organization offering competitive benefits including a fresh perspective on workplace flexibility.
   
   Position Purpose: Support the department with the onboarding, coaching and development of LTSS Program Coordinator I's while identifying areas of opportunities to assist with meeting the departments defined goals and objectives.
   
   ** Applicants for this role have the flexibility to work remotely from their home anywhere within the state of Iowa. They will go into the West Des Moines office for 2 days once every 2-3 months **
   
   Responsible for orienting and serving as a resource for new LTSS Program Coordinators within their designated area of support.
   
   Responsible for identifying areas of opportunities for LTSS Program Coordinators to increase knowledge, skills, and abilities.
   
   Provide guidance by coaching, developing, and supporting the LTSS Program Coordinators to optimize performance.
   
   Identify processes and work flow improvements to foster efficient and effective Program Coordination efforts.
   
   Coordinate and monitor the distribution of workflow to ensure performance targets are consistently met per the departmental established targets/deadlines.
   Active participation and responsiveness to PHW Rapid Response Team as assigned.
   
   Provide support through inbound and outbound calls to align with the department's efforts of a one call resolution for providers and participants.
   
   Effectively and efficiently communicate any potential participant, provider or employee risks to departmental leadership.
   
   Support Program Coordination team by partnering with key stakeholders on committees and special projects assigned by departmental leadership.
   
   Reinforcing standardized communication and updates as directed by leadership.
   
   Encouraging and reinforcing positive communication, behavior and culture aligned with Centene values and APEX Leadership model.
   
   Consistently maintaining confidentiality of employee/departmental information.
   
   Education/Experience: High School Diploma or Equivalent. Bachelor's degree preferred. 2 years managed care, physician's office or customer service experience required or 1 year as a full time internal LTSS Program Coordinator I.
   
   Our Comprehensive Benefits Package: Flexible work solutions including remote options, hybrid work schedules and dress flexibility, Competitive pay, Paid time off including holidays, Health insurance coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) and stock purchase plans, Tuition reimbursement and best-in-class training and development.
   
   Centene is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, and values the ways in which we are different. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristic protected by applicable law.
   
   **TITLE:** LTSS Program Coordinator II
   
   **LOCATION:** Various, Iowa
   
   **REQNUMBER:** 1367121

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with program coordinator 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 program coordinator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the program coordinator 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 program coordinator 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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How much does it cost to hire a program coordinator?