How to hire a respiratory director

How to hire a respiratory director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step respiratory 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 respiratory director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new respiratory 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 respiratory director you need to hire. Certain respiratory 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

   A respiratory director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, respiratory directors 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 respiratory directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Respiratory Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Respiratory Director	Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs... Show more	$25-51
   Staff Therapist	A staff therapist is someone who assists in the treatment of patients using electrical stimulation, exercise, and other means of electrotherapy to regain their bodily functions. The core skills that a staff therapist should possess to accomplish their responsibilities include a keen eye for details and excellent mathematical and problem-solving skills... Show more	$16-37
   Respiratory Therapist	A Respiratory Therapist is responsible for the healthcare of a patient's Cardiopulmonary system. A Respiratory Therapist specializes in assessing, recommending procedures or precautionary measures, and treating infections, diseases, and even viruses that can cause dysfunction to a patient's breathing... Show more	$15-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • EKG
   • RRT
   • Acute Care
   • Acls
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Sleep Lab
   • Critical Care
   • EEG
   • Performance Improvement
   • CPR
   • Medical Equipment
   • ABG
   • CMS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage ventilated-dependent patients, assist with ventilator transports, prepare equipment for decontamination, bronchial hygiene management
   • Conduct therapeutic procedures to maintain a patent airway, remove via suctioning of secretions, to achieve adequate ventilation & oxygenation.
   • Organize efforts for JCAHO accreditation.
   • Perform ABG draws and run results, monitor and maintain IRMA blood gas machine.
   • Operate and monitor patients on mechanical ventilator, CPAP/BiPAP, bedside PFT, arterial blood gas (i-STAT).
   • Certify and proficient in tracheostomy insertion and replacement.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, respiratory directors' average salary in arkansas is 48% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level respiratory directors 52% less than senior-level respiratory directors.
   • Certifications. A respiratory director 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 respiratory director's salary.

   Average respiratory director salary

   $75,123yearly

   $36.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level respiratory director salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a respiratory director job description

   A respiratory director job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a respiratory director job description:

   Respiratory director job description example

   The Director, Dupixent Value and Access will be a key leader and contributor for Sanofi's flagship brand Dupixent and other pipeline products in the Respiratory and GI therapeutic areas with a focus on COPD. This position will support both the tactical and strategic components of the COPD payer strategy and execution. This position will maintain a high level of collaboration and integration with the brand team, US Market Access, Market Research, Regulatory, Medical, HEOR, Legal, Training and other departments as necessary. This role will have responsibility for developing resources for US Account Management Teams, managing trade association meetings, payer media planning, as well as field pull-through tools. This role will also ensure integration of payer insights across the Dupixent franchise and with key stakeholders through close collaboration with both the Professional and Consumer Marketing teams.
   
   This position will be based in Cambridge, MA and reporting to Senior Director and Team Lead, Value and Access, Respiratory and GI.
   **Specific responsibilities include** **:**
   
   • Developing non-branded and branded payer promotional items
   
   • Developing and coordinating training efforts in support of payer facing teams working closely with Value and Access, Account Management, Training, and Brand team leadership
   
   • Coordinating and contributing to payer market research efforts as needed (eg, Market Access advisory boards, syndicated reports, in-depth interviews, etc)
   
   • Serving as a contact for Sanofi specialty care engagement with payer trade associations & conferences (AMCP, NAMCP, PCMA, etc.)
   
   • Promotional Review Board (PRB) champion for Dupixent Value and Access (ie, medical, legal, regulatory review process)
   
   • Updating payer support tactics, marketing programs and tools.
   
   • Providing analytical support around payer reports to capture trends around coverage, distribution, and OOP costs
   
   • Budget tracking
   
   • Flexibility to take on other responsibilities, as needed by the business over time
   
   • Managing creative agencies
   
   • Ensuring compliance with government regulations and company processes
   
   **Core Qualifications:**
   
   • BA, BS or equivalent required. Graduate degree is a plus.
   
   • A minimum of 5 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience
   
   • A minimum of 3 years of Market Access experience, such as Payer Marketing, Account Management, Contracting, Training is required.
   
   • Experience with specialty products
   
   **Preferred Qualifications:**
   
   • Strong understanding of and experience in marketing
   
   • Understanding and experience in different access and reimbursement models, including Part B, Part D and Medicaid
   
   • Experience in developing tools and tactics applicable to US payer markets
   
   • Strong sense of professionalism, accountability and urgency for defined areas of responsibility
   
   • Ability to communicate tactical direction and related concepts clearly, orally and in writing, across internal and external audiences (e.g., sales, marketing, advocacy)
   
   • Strong project management capabilities including time and events, scenario and contingency planning, and the ability to ensure on-time and on-budget delivery of outputs and deliverables
   
   • Ability to develop and implement tactical executions that have high impact (e.g., marketing materials, special programs, etc.)
   
   • Ability to work effectively and efficiently with the medical/legal/regulatory submission and approval process to ensure appropriate review and timely delivery of materials
   
   • Capacity to engage effectively with agencies in order to translate marketing objectives into actionable and innovative strategies and solutions
   
   • Reliable and responsible management of budgets and expenses
   
   • Effective interpersonal skills
   
   • Strong tactical execution and project management skills, including proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities
   
   • Proven ability to align internal stakeholders and achieve results through collaboration
   
   _As a healthcare company and a vaccine manufacturer, Sanofi has an important responsibility to_ _protect individual and public health. All US based roles require individuals to be fully vaccinated_ _against COVID-19 as part of your job responsibilities._
   
   Sanofi Inc. and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law. \#GD-SA; #LI-SA
   
   At Sanofi diversity and inclusion is foundational to how we operate and embedded in our Core Values. We recognize to truly tap into the richness diversity brings we must lead with inclusion and have a workplace where those differences can thrive and be leveraged to empower the lives of our colleagues, patients and customers. We respect and celebrate the diversity of our people, their backgrounds and experiences and provide equal opportunity for all.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right respiratory 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 respiratory directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit respiratory 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 respiratory director job on Zippia to find and attract quality respiratory director candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with respiratory director 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 respiratory director

   Once you've selected the best respiratory director candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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 respiratory 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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