Directors of Facilities: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of directors of facilities about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for directors of facilities to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of directors of facilities expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for directors of facilities.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Directors of Facilities?

Do directors of facilities need a degree? What kind of experience do directors of facilities typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for directors of facilities to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Directors of Facilities

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of directors of facilities. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 27% of job listings a High School diploma or GED was required and in 27% of postings no education level was listed.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Directors of Facilities

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for directors of facilities. In 35% of job postings for Directors of Facilities, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for directors of facilities.

What Kind of Degree Do Directors of Facilities Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for directors of facilities, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 6 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective directors of facilities, and in 2023 a total of 99,289 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective directors of facilities.

Top Degree Programs for Directors of Facilities

What Skills Do Directors of Facilities Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by directors of facilities to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of facilities, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Facilities
Based on 102,942 job postings

Based on 102,942 job postings related to directors of facilities, facility management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 29% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, construction, hvac, plumbing and facility repair and maintenance were also highly sought.

As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of facilities, followed by operations, communication, leadership, customer service and planning.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about directors of facilities? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of facilities.

What do directors of facilities do?
How much do directors of facilities make?

All Occupations

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.

View Other Occupations