How to hire a unit supervisor

How to hire a unit supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step unit supervisor hiring guide:

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

What does a unit supervisor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a unit supervisor, 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 unit supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, unit supervisors 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.

   This list presents unit supervisor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Unit Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Unit Supervisor		$14-37
   Supervisor, Patient Access	A patient access supervisor is a professional who is responsible for supervising a health facility's patient registration, inpatient and outpatient, the financial counseling division, central scheduling, and the PBX department. Patient access supervisors must ensure that high-quality service for patients is achieved as well as the accuracy of information... Show more	$14-32
   Team Leader/Supervisor	A team leader or supervisor is a professional who leads and supervises a workgroup's functionality through instructions and guidance in an organization. Team leaders provide support to staff members by way of coaching and skills development... Show more	$15-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Corrective Action
   • Social Work
   • Oversight
   • Conflict Resolution
   • Direct Supervision
   • HR
   • Criminal Justice
   • Crisis Intervention
   • PET
   • Professional Development
   • CPR
   • Clinical Supervision
   • Mental Health

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage direct support professionals serving adult populations for persons with mental health, developmental disabilities and children with autism.
   • Document patient information and recording information correctly, as well as ensuring other workers are following OSHA and HIPAA requirements.
   • Attend weekly QA collaboration meetings and actively participate in discussions.
   • Utilize Kaizen activities to drive continuous process and quality improvements.
   • Submit MDS assessments to CMS timely and organize documentation for timely filing.
   • Evaluate admissions for Medicare/ Medicaid eligibility; prepare MDS and PPS documentation.

   More unit supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average unit supervisor salary

   $48,749yearly

   $23.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level unit supervisor salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average unit supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$64,124	$31
   2	California	$60,944	$29
   3	Minnesota	$60,265	$29
   4	Colorado	$59,112	$28
   5	Illinois	$56,905	$27
   6	Iowa	$54,160	$26
   7	New Jersey	$52,872	$25
   8	Massachusetts	$52,088	$25
   9	Pennsylvania	$51,011	$25
   10	Michigan	$49,837	$24
   11	Arizona	$49,609	$24
   12	Georgia	$46,559	$22
   13	Nevada	$45,913	$22
   14	North Carolina	$44,522	$21
   15	Nebraska	$43,843	$21
   16	Texas	$41,671	$20
   17	North Dakota	$40,217	$19
   18	Florida	$39,372	$19
   19	Indiana	$38,671	$19
   20	Arkansas	$34,120	$16

   Average unit supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Berkshire Hathaway	$100,162	$48.15	1
   2	Albemarle	$98,699	$47.45
   3	Highmark	$86,046	$41.37	115
   4	Aditi Consulting	$74,122	$35.64
   5	Meritor	$73,987	$35.57
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$70,556	$33.92	2
   7	VIVA USA	$70,358	$33.83
   8	Baptist Health Home Care	$69,042	$33.19	17
   9	Bosch USA	$68,335	$32.85
   10	Arconic	$67,120	$32.27	4
   11	Washington State University	$63,824	$30.68
   12	MLK Community Healthcare	$62,071	$29.84	8
   13	Rady Children's Hospital And Health Center	$61,107	$29.38	12
   14	MAS Medical Staffing	$61,025	$29.34	1
   15	Aperion Care	$60,979	$29.32
   16	Cleveland Clinic	$60,957	$29.31	29
   17	Catholic Health East	$60,814	$29.24	2
   18	U.S. Census Bureau	$60,752	$29.21
   19	City of Baltimore	$60,626	$29.15	2
   20	Mission Health Services	$60,314	$29.00	1

4. Writing a unit supervisor job description

   A job description for a unit supervisor 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 unit supervisor job description:

   Unit supervisor job description example

   Must be able to multi-task and have great time management skills. You must be 18 years or older to be a supervisor in our restaurants.

   Additional Info:

   Along with competitive pay, a Supervisor at a McDonald’s restaurant is eligible for incredible benefits including:

   • 15-25 days paid vacation

   • Education through Archways to Opportunity including opportunities to earn a High School degree, college tuition assistance and English classes as a second language. Colorado Technical University also offers free college degrees for the McDonald's employee.

   • Medical, dental and vision coverage

   • 401(k)

   • Short- and Long-Term Disability, life and accident insurance

   • Service awards

   • Bonuses

   • Employee Resource Connection

   • Adoption Assistance

   • Matching gifts program

   • Car allowance

   • Cellphone reimbursement

   • Starting Pay Range $70,000-$85,000, plus Bonus and free health insurance

   This job posting contains some information about what it is like to work in a McDonald’s restaurant, but it is not a complete job description. People who work in a McDonald’s restaurant perform a number of different tasks every day, and this posting does not list all of the essential functions of this job.

   By applying to this position, I understand that I am applying to work at a restaurant that is owned and operated by an independent franchisee, not McDonald’s USA. I understand that this franchisee is a separate company and a separate employer from McDonald’s USA. Any information I provide in this application will be submitted only to the independent franchisee, who is the only company responsible for employment matters at this restaurant. I recognize that the independent franchisee alone will make all decisions concerning employment matters, including hiring, firing, discipline, supervision, staffing and scheduling. By applying for a job at a franchisee operated restaurant, I understand that the information I provide will be forwarded to the franchisee organization in order for that organization to reach out to me and process and evaluate my application. I acknowledge that McDonald’s USA will not receive a copy of my employment application and will have no involvement in any employment decisions regarding me, including whether I receive an interview or whether I am hired to work for the franchisee. I understand that I need to contact the franchise organization for information about its privacy practices.

   Company Introduction

   From adding more balanced options to our Happy Meal®, to serving up fresh beef Quarter Pounder® burgers that are cooked when you order, we’re always finding ways to show our commitment to our customers and our food.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit unit supervisors, 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 unit supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect unit supervisor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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 unit supervisor. 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 unit supervisor?