How to hire a workforce development program director

How to hire a workforce development program director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step workforce development program 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 workforce development program director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new workforce development program 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 workforce development program director you need to hire. Certain workforce development program 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 workforce development program director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, workforce development program 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.

   Here's a comparison of workforce development program director salaries for various roles:

   Type of Workforce Development Program Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Workforce Development Program Director	Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations. They manage staff who provide social services to the public.	$28-76
   Youth Leader	A youth leader is a young individual who is responsible for building a sense of community within the church youth that can provide an opportunity for both spiritual and social development. Youth Leaders organize regular social, educational, and spiritual oriented events with parents and volunteers to maintain a vibrant program... Show more	$11-17
   Corps Member	Corps members are selected college students from top universities in the United States. They are enlisted by TFA (Teach for America), a nonprofit organization... Show more	$7-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Federal Regulations
   • Economic Development
   • Program Development
   • Training Programs

   Responsibilities:

   • Facilitate Skype meetings, manage PowerPoint presentations, and publish artifacts
   • Enroll, instruct and monitor GED training.
   • Prepare reports for funders and DOL regional office.
   • Implement process improvements and Medicare department reorganization that establish a foundation for improve member outcomes and satisfaction and increase product margins.
   • Monitor Medicaid billing procedures, OASAS reporting procedures to prevent improper reimbursement request for clinical services.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, workforce development program directors' average salary in hawaii is 49% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level workforce development program directors 62% less than senior-level workforce development program directors.
   • Certifications. A workforce development program 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 workforce development program director's salary.

   Average workforce development program director salary

   $98,070yearly

   $47.15 hourly rate

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   Entry-level workforce development program director salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a workforce development program director job description

   A good workforce development program director 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 workforce development program director job description:

   Workforce development program director job description example

   Manages the overall initiatives within the Office of Workforce Development including Health Career Education efforts and programs particularly those under grants and cohort type programs to ensure t hey are delivered timely and tracked. Maintain a positive, individualized, helpful approach as this Office will interface with a wide variety of internal departments, as well as community stakeholders. Analyzes metrics of the program and value-based propositions to the organization. Assists in the completion of organizational reports and tracking to various stakeholders. May possess specialized knowledge of specific technology to administer programming for tracking and trending external future workforce. Strong organizational, multitasking, negotiations and communications skills are important to the success of this role.
   
   Demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness and empathy in each encounter with all patients, families, visitors and other employees regardless of cultural background.
   Collaborate on Initiatives and Programs
   
   * Actively participate in stages of project planning: initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, close/complete. Develops project charters to keep team informed of work.
   * Coordinates logistics of various programs within the office of Workforce Development.
   * Provide coordination and trending in various project stages: scheduling, communications, recordkeeping, etc.
   * Communicates updates to team and areas of responsibility.
   
   Operate Electronic/Technology Systems and Generate Metrics
   
   * Use electronic platforms/systems for tracking and reporting on Workforce and/or Work-Based Learning metrics
   * Reports metrics to Director and Divisional VP on progress of programs.
   * Holds regularly scheduled progress meetings to discuss the attained of workforce goals.
   
   Support Health Career Education programs
   
   * Provide administrative and onsite support as needed for Health Career Education events.
   
   Communicates updates of all workforce programs to team and leadership on routine basis.
   
   Performs other duties as assigned.
   
   Qualifications
   
   * Bachelor's degree in human resources or Business
   
   Specialized Knowledge:
   
   * Ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and written, with all internal and external stakeholders
   * Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, data management, and communication platforms.
   * Excellent interpersonal skills; attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
   * Display ability to self-direct, initiate and coordinate activities and establish priorities.
   * Maintain confidentiality.
   
   Kind and Length of Experience:
   
   * Minimum 2 years experience in program development and/or project management.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right workforce development program 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 workforce development program directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit workforce development program 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 workforce development program director job on Zippia to find and recruit workforce development program director 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 workforce development program directors, 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.

   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 workforce development program director

   Once you have selected a candidate for the workforce development program director 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 workforce development program 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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