Director (Executive Head)
Last updated: May 16, 2025
Typical Responsibilities
Responsible for planning, directing, and controlling the activities of a specific function or organization. Develops strategic plans, oversees their implementation, and ensures continued performance. Responsible for one or more separate budgetary units. Decisions have a significant impact on the position’s unit and other organizations related to the unit. Units managed by those in this Director series are significant because of size, funding levels, and/or impact.
Supervisory Responsibility
Supervision of staff is not required, but is commonly found at higher grades in the series. Supervisors have the authority to hire staff, evaluate job performance, and take corrective action if performance is not acceptable.
Overtime Eligibility
FLSA overtime status is based on the position’s duties and responsibilities, and whether or not the position’s gross salary is less than the federal FLSA salary basis test or the Washington state salary basis test, whichever is higher. Please visit the Compensation website for current information on FLSA overtime eligibility.
Professional Staff Exemption
Executive Heads of Major Administrative or Academic Divisions : Individuals serving as the: President; Provost, vice provosts, associate and assistant provosts, associate and assistant vice provosts, deans, associate and assistant deans, chairpersons, and academic personnel equivalent to a director; Vice presidents, associate and assistant vice presidents; Hospital administrators, and senior associate and associate hospital administrators; Directors and other administrative personnel; who are responsible for a separate budgetary unit or units and direct the work of others. Heads of major administrative or academic divisions must have a reporting relationship not below that of director or the equivalent.
Sample Working Titles
Working titles generally include the payroll title “Director” and are followed with the specific function or organizational group over which the position has responsibility.
Alternative Payroll Titles
If the position is in one of the hospitals, see the Hospital Administrator series.
Limitations
Must report to an Executive Head. Positions in the Director payroll title series typically do not report to other positions in the same series. This descriptor does not apply to positions using the working title of Director.