How to hire a senior vice president-operations

How to hire a senior vice president-operations, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior vice president-operations hiring guide:

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

What does a senior vice president-operations do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the senior vice president-operations you need to hire. Certain senior vice president-operations 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 senior vice president-operations 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior vice presidents-operations and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Vice President-Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Vice President-Operations	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$54-155
   Operations Director	Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates... Show more	$31-78
   Operations Manager	Operations managers are in charge of running the main business of the organization. They ensure that the business is running smoothly from an operations standpoint... Show more	$22-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Oversight
   • Financial Performance
   • SVP
   • Project Management
   • Risk Management
   • Customer Service
   • Process Improvement
   • Direct Reports
   • Human Resources
   • Business Development
   • Operational Risk
   • Regulatory Compliance
   • Logistics
   • Strategic Plan

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accounting department, including A/R, A/P, income audit, cashiers and night audit.
   • Manage internal accounting control and oversee quarterly CPA audits to maintain accounting integrity.
   • Achieve significant improvements in operational performance leading to increase customer satisfaction and employee morale and improve EBITDA.
   • Finance and billing accountability across Medicaid, manage care commercial insurance, insurance verification, contract management, and benefits administration.
   • Focuse global service delivery practices on PMI PMP, ITIL, and PB-MBOK methodologies and frameworks.
   • Review onsite OSHA relate safety concerns.

   More senior vice president-operations duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior vice president-operations job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior vice president-operations salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior vice presidents-operations' average salary in utah is 41% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior vice presidents-operations earn 65% less than senior-level senior vice presidents-operations.
   • Certifications. A senior vice president-operations with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior vice president-operations's salary.

   Average senior vice president-operations salary

   $192,068yearly

   $92.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior vice president-operations salary

   $114,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average senior vice president-operations salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$269,624	$130
   2	Colorado	$268,408	$129
   3	Minnesota	$242,877	$117
   4	Illinois	$234,151	$113
   5	California	$226,441	$109
   6	Nevada	$210,697	$101
   7	District of Columbia	$204,941	$99
   8	Massachusetts	$202,517	$97
   9	Pennsylvania	$200,147	$96
   10	New Jersey	$195,406	$94
   11	Georgia	$190,623	$92
   12	Texas	$190,334	$92
   13	Arizona	$188,183	$90
   14	New York	$186,983	$90
   15	Connecticut	$185,559	$89
   16	Delaware	$176,695	$85
   17	North Carolina	$173,846	$84
   18	Oregon	$173,034	$83
   19	Florida	$164,757	$79
   20	Mississippi	$155,096	$75

   Average senior vice president-operations salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UnitedHealth Group	$246,052	$118.29	69
   2	Helen of Troy	$232,707	$111.88
   3	LPL Financial	$230,272	$110.71	286
   4	Trupanion	$228,308	$109.76	4
   5	Eventbrite	$225,093	$108.22
   6	Stoneridge	$222,358	$106.90	2
   7	Skinit	$219,486	$105.52
   8	Alignment Healthcare	$212,679	$102.25	15
   9	House of Blues	$211,865	$101.86
   10	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$209,427	$100.69
   11	Sound Physicians	$208,610	$100.29
   12	Argus Information & Advisory Services	$205,650	$98.87
   13	Avenue5 Residential	$205,125	$98.62	1
   14	International Rescue Committee	$204,688	$98.41
   15	OppLoans	$203,005	$97.60
   16	Google	$202,630	$97.42	111
   17	ComPsych	$202,622	$97.41	1
   18	CEVA Logistics	$202,134	$97.18
   19	Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.	$200,812	$96.54	7
   20	Sodexo Management, Inc.	$200,248	$96.27	367

4. Writing a senior vice president-operations job description

   A job description for a senior vice president-operations 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 senior vice president-operations job description:

   Senior vice president-operations job description example

   SUMMARY: Responsible for all operating activities for the Universal Studios Japan theme park. Provides high level leadership, strategic vision, guidance, and direction to the Park Operations, Security and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), and Revenue Operations departments while adhering to all Universal Parks and Resorts requirements and expectations. This position requires relocation to Osaka, Japan.
   MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
   
   + Oversees all operating activities and initiatives including Parking, Entrance and Ticketing, Attractions, Guest Services, Park Services, Wardrobe, Special Events, VIP Tours, Security, Environmental Health & Safety, Food & Beverage, and Merchandise. Monitors and ensures that all areas of the theme park meet and exceed all health, safety, and sanitization standards
   
   + Leads all operating teams to create a rewarding and engaging work environment for team members, deliver a world class guest experience, maintain strict safety standards, and drive operational efficiency. Ensures proper audit and tracking procedures, along with exercising upselling opportunities to maximize operational revenue streams.
   
   + Provides strategic leadership including review/adjustment of organization structure, talent review and fit, and development of mid and long-range plans. Develops and implements training, development and proficiency programs to expand team capabilities, knowledge, and performance.
   
   + Partners with UPR project and operational leaders to employ best practices in park operations and stays engaged on company-wide initiatives, projects and requirements.
   
   + Oversees and maintains all financial responsibility for the overall Park Operations, Security and EHS, and Revenue Operations departments, including capital, expense, revenue, and per cap objectives.
   
   + Leads all departmental efforts with team member satisfaction (TSAT) to ensure all team members are satisfied and engaged and that continual improvement is embraced.
   
   + Understand and actively participate in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UPR policy, procedures, training and team member involvement activities.
   
   + Performs other duties as assigned.
   
   EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Hospitality or related field is required. Master's in Business Administration is preferred.
   
   EXPERIENCE: 15+ years of experience in a hospitality or operational environment is required; 9+ in theme park related work and management is required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
   
   Your talent, skills and experience will be rewarded with a competitive compensation package.
   
   Universal is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Universal Orlando via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from Universal Orlando HR/Recruitment will be deemed the sole property of Universal Orlando. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Universal Orlando as a result of the referral or through other means.
   
   Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2022 Universal Studios. © 2022 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved. EOE

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior vice presidents-operations 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 senior vice presidents-operations they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior vice presidents-operations 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 senior vice president-operations job on Zippia to find and recruit senior vice president-operations candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior vice presidents-operations, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 senior vice president-operations

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior vice president-operations 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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