How to hire a vice president

How to hire a vice president, step by step

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

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

What does a vice president do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a vice president, 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 vice president's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, vice presidents 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 shows salaries for various types of vice presidents.

   Type of Vice President	Description	Hourly rate
   Vice President	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.	$51-112
   Vice President & General Manager	A vice president and general manager's role is to implement policies and regulations while overseeing the business operations. Typically, it is their primary responsibility to devise training programs that would produce more efficient workforce members, create new strategies to boost sales and customer satisfaction, and participate in budget and goals creation... Show more	$51-131
   Human Resources Vice President	Human resources (HR) vice presidents play a vital role in the effective administration and operation of an organization's HR department. These executives are responsible for directing an organization's staffing goals and developing strategies to support the company's profitable and productive business operations... Show more	$55-118

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Healthcare
   • Oversight
   • Project Management
   • Customer Service
   • Risk Management
   • Business Development
   • Financial Statements
   • Strategic Direction
   • Real Estate
   • Client Relationships
   • Product Development
   • Direct Reports
   • Due Diligence
   • Human Resources

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and implement global SOX methodology, manage risk assessment and testing, evaluate deficiencies and lead remediation efforts.
   • Manage $54MM loan portfolio of problem assets with the goal to implement strategies of rehabilitation, exit and/or liquidation.
   • Manage day-to-day operations, marketing, record keeping, insurance billing, human resources, budgeting, and HIPAA compliance.
   • Manage the web design, PPC, social media marketing, SEO, traditional and digital marketing, and customer experience.
   • Manage FDA regulate manufacturing division.
   • Manage QuickBooks; implement budget/variance tracking and reporting.

   More vice president duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, vice presidents' average salary in mississippi is 39% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level vice presidents 54% less than senior-level vice presidents.
   • Certifications. A vice president 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 vice president's salary.

   Average vice president salary

   $158,637yearly

   $76.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level vice president salary

   $107,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 6, 2025

   Average vice president salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$182,517	$88
   2	New York	$178,805	$86
   3	Washington	$177,567	$85
   4	New Jersey	$177,012	$85
   5	Connecticut	$173,748	$84
   6	District of Columbia	$172,905	$83
   7	Massachusetts	$170,804	$82
   8	Nevada	$165,161	$79
   9	Minnesota	$162,511	$78
   10	Colorado	$160,762	$77
   11	Pennsylvania	$158,619	$76
   12	Illinois	$157,846	$76
   13	Delaware	$154,242	$74
   14	Maryland	$152,585	$73
   15	Texas	$149,174	$72
   16	Georgia	$146,902	$71
   17	Florida	$139,222	$67
   18	North Carolina	$136,945	$66
   19	Missouri	$133,635	$64
   20	Arizona	$130,459	$63

   Average vice president salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Brookfield Properties	$264,787	$127.30	13
   2	The Howard Hughes	$242,916	$116.79	1
   3	Baltimore City Community College	$241,936	$116.32
   4	Conrad N. Hilton Foundation	$234,855	$112.91
   5	Apple	$234,792	$112.88	12
   6	PVH	$229,738	$110.45	16
   7	PayPal	$229,232	$110.21	14
   8	The Rockefeller Foundation	$222,796	$107.11	5
   9	Genentech	$219,102	$105.34	25
   10	Amgen	$217,257	$104.45	45
   11	DoorDash	$216,549	$104.11	29
   12	Calvin Klein	$216,485	$104.08
   13	Houlihan's Restaurants	$215,235	$103.48
   14	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$213,997	$102.88	31
   15	AbbVie	$213,995	$102.88	135
   16	Westat	$213,478	$102.63	3
   17	Delaware County	$213,255	$102.53
   18	Biogen	$212,968	$102.39	17
   19	eBay	$212,043	$101.94	21
   20	Timberland	$211,981	$101.91	1

4. Writing a vice president job description

   A job description for a vice president 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 vice president job description:

   Vice president job description example

   Driving Infinite Possibilities Within A Diversified, Global Organization
   
   Honeywell is charging into the Industrial IoT revolution with the establishment of Honeywell Connected Enterprise (HCE), building on our heritage of invention and deep, on-the-ground industry expertise. HCE is the leading industrial disruptor, building and connecting software solutions to streamline and centralize the assets, people and processes that help our customers make smarter, more accurate business decisions. Moving at the speed of software, we are creating, innovating and delivering solutions fast, challenging the way things have always been done, piloting new ways for all of us to work, and expecting our successes to set new standards for our customers and for Honeywell.
   
   The Vice President, Transformation - HCE is responsible for the overall strategic vision, conceptualization, investment analysis, design, build, deploy, and operational performance for Honeywell's transformation to an Industrial technology and SaaS organization across all Strategic Business Units (SBU). You will focus on people, data, technology, and end-to-end process to drive digital transformation. The VP Transformation will understand business nuances, assess the current team and strategy effectiveness, and drive transformation and alignment among all teams to create an organization that will deliver breakthrough results, increased efficiency, and the introduction of new SaaS and IIoT products and capabilities.
   
   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
   
   Build innovation pipeline and commercialize New Product Introductions (NPIs)
   Ensure Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is released and has commercial traction
   Drive the SaaS business model and build enterprise selling muscle
   Identify new growth platforms and finalize participation choices in these verticals
   Ensure talent model supports SaaS execution
   
   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
   
   Build innovation pipeline and commercialize New Product Introductions (NPIs)
   Ensure Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is released and has commercial traction
   Drive the SaaS business model and build enterprise selling muscle
   Identify new growth platforms and finalize participation choices in these verticals
   Ensure talent model supports SaaS execution
   
   KEY REQUIREMENTS
   
   12+ years of progressive experience leading SaaS transformation, or related program management experience in a technology-oriented organization or consulting firm
   5+ years of experience in strategic planning, sales strategy, customer success strategy, business operations, and/or customer facing teams
   Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
   
   All applicants for employment with Honeywell will be considered without regard to sex, race, color, ethnicity, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, religion/creed, marital status, civil union status, protected veteran status, national origin, citizenship, or any other legally protected status
   
   Additional Information
   
   Category: Business Management
   Location: 715 Peachtree Street, N.E.,Atlanta,Georgia,30308,United States
   Exempt
   Global (ALL)
   Honeywell is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, religion, or veteran status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right vice president for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your vice president job on Zippia to find and recruit vice president candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting vice presidents requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 vice president

   Once you have selected a candidate for the vice president 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new vice president 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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