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Programming Director Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

The Director, Engineering is accountable for enabling high-performing engineering squads to deliver reliable, maintainable, and high-quality software solutions. This role provides technical ...

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Director of OSP Engineering

Naperville, IL · On-site

$140K - $155K/yr

Seeking a Director of OSP Fiber Engineering and Planning to serve in a critical leadership role overseeing all field engineering, drafting, design, permitting, and fiber planning activities. * This ...

The Senior Sales Engineer partners with Sales, Product, and the Sales Engineering Director to support the successful positioning of the company's technology solutions to prospects and clients. This ...

Director, Systems Engineering, Commercial Aviation Engineering ROLE DESCRIPTION SUMMARY SES is seeking a dynamic Director of Systems Engineering to lead the architecture, modeling, and analysis of ...

Director, Systems Engineering, Commercial Aviation Engineering ROLE DESCRIPTION SUMMARY SES is seeking a dynamic Director of Systems Engineering to lead the architecture, modeling, and analysis of ...

The Senior Sales Engineer partners with Sales, Product, and the Sales Engineering Director to support the successful positioning of the company's technology solutions to prospects and clients. This ...

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Programming Director information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$29.9K

$71.4K

$180.3K

How much do programming director jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for programming director in Chicago, IL is $71,437.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $34,000.00 and $95,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Programming Director typically collaborate with other departments to ensure successful project execution?

A Programming Director regularly works cross-functionally with marketing, production, technical, and content teams to align programming schedules with organizational goals. They attend planning meetings, coordinate timelines, and ensure all stakeholders are informed about upcoming projects or changes. Effective communication and negotiation are crucial, as the role often involves balancing creative vision with operational constraints. This collaborative environment helps ensure that projects are delivered on time and meet the quality standards expected by both the organization and its audience.

What does a programming director do?

A programming director oversees the development and management of programming content, such as television, radio, or digital media, ensuring it aligns with organizational goals. They coordinate with producers, writers, and technical teams, and often make decisions on scheduling, content selection, and resource allocation to deliver engaging programming. Strong leadership, industry knowledge, and project management skills are essential in this role.

What jobs in the US pay 300,000 a year?

For a Programming Director, annual salaries of $300,000 or more are common in large tech companies, especially for those with extensive experience, leadership skills, and expertise in areas like software architecture or project management. High-paying roles often require advanced degrees, certifications, and a proven track record of successful project delivery. Compensation can also include bonuses, stock options, and other incentives.

What jobs pay 500,000 a year in the US?

In the US, high-level executive roles such as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), and other C-suite positions often have salaries exceeding $500,000 annually. Additionally, specialized roles like senior investment bankers, certain successful entrepreneurs, and some highly experienced software engineering directors can reach or surpass this compensation level, especially with bonuses and stock options. Programming Directors in large organizations may also earn this level of pay with extensive experience and leadership responsibilities.

What jobs pay 10,000 a month without a degree?

A Programming Director typically requires advanced skills and experience, and salaries of $10,000 or more per month are usually achieved through senior roles, freelance consulting, or entrepreneurship rather than entry-level positions. Many high-paying tech roles may require specialized knowledge, certifications, or a strong portfolio, but formal degrees are not always mandatory if skills are demonstrated. Alternative paths include self-taught programming, freelancing, or building a successful tech business.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Programming Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Programming Director, you need expertise in content strategy, scheduling, and audience analysis, usually backed by a degree in communications, media, or a related field. Familiarity with broadcast automation systems, analytics tools, and content management platforms is essential. Leadership, decision-making, and strong interpersonal skills help you guide teams and collaborate with stakeholders effectively. These skills ensure compelling programming, efficient operations, and alignment with organizational goals in a competitive media environment.

What is the difference between Programming Director vs Software Developer?

AspectProgramming DirectorSoftware Developer
CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science, Management experienceBachelor's in Computer Science or related field
Work EnvironmentLeads teams, manages projects, strategic planningWrites code, develops software, tests applications
Industry UsageUsed in media, entertainment, tech companies for overseeing programmingCommon across tech, startups, software firms
Search IntentRoles involving leadership and project oversightRoles focused on coding and software creation

The Programming Director typically oversees programming teams and manages project strategies, requiring leadership skills and industry experience. In contrast, a Software Developer focuses on coding and developing software applications. While both roles require technical knowledge, the Programming Director's role is more managerial, whereas the Software Developer's role is more technical and hands-on.

More about Programming Director jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Programming jobs in Chicago, IL? The most popular types of Programming jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What are popular job titles related to Programming Director jobs in Chicago, IL? For Programming Director jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Programming Director jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Programming Director jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Programming Director jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Programming Director job openings:

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

Be Part of Our Next Chapter 
 
For over almost 60 years, our solutions have enabled impactful connections between some of the world's leading brands and their customers. And while we've already done a lot of work we're proud of, we're just getting started!

We're a global technology company focused on creating dynamic, smart, personalized and engaging customer experiences powered by our range of digital hardware, our proprietary content management system and our industry leading signage solutions. (For example: If you've ordered in-store or in the drive-thru at McDonald's somewhere in the world in the last few years, chances are you've interacted with our digital solutions.) We work in over 50 global markets and have 9 offices around the world, with a global headquarters proudly located in our founding home of Sydney, Australia.
 
Coates Group has the values of a family-owned business and the innovative spirit of a start-up, both which fuel our purpose - Creating Connections. Empowering Partnerships. Always Evolving.  Through hard work, dedication and creativity, we've become industry leaders who have won awards and set records while remaining focused on continual growth and evolution. We are a 2x Australia Good Design Award winner and successfully completed the largest hardware deployment in Quick Service Restaurant history.

We are curious, charismatic, authentic and we value and leverage the diversity of our crew. We are imaginers, kindness enthusiasts, experts, creators, thinkers, challengers, collaborators and over-achievers. And together, as a Crew, we are revolutionizing the way the world's leading brands leverage technology to drive the best customer experiences.

The Director, Engineering is accountable for enabling high-performing engineering squads to deliver reliable, maintainable, and high-quality software solutions. This role provides technical leadership, builds capability across engineers and technical leads, ensures adherence to engineering standards, and removes blockers that impede delivery, while partnering with Product, Delivery, and QA leadership to achieve business and customer outcomes.
Responsibilities
  • Engineering Enablement: Ensure squads have the technical capability, processes, and practices to deliver reliably, removing engineering blockers and supporting predictable outcomes in partnership with Delivery leadership.
  • Engineering Leadership & Capability: Act as a chapter-style leader for engineers and technical leads, building capability, setting standards, and driving consistent engineering practices across squads.
  • Technical Leadership, Debt & Design Quality: Ensure sound technical design and implementation, actively managing technical debt and addressing complexity.
  • Quality in Delivery: Embed quality-by-design within engineering teams (e.g. testability, code quality, CI/CD discipline), while partnering with QA to achieve agreed quality outcomes.
  • Platform Health & Operability: Own the operational health of systems within scope, ensuring reliability, performance, and readiness across production and pre-production environments.
  • People & Partner Leadership: Lead and develop permanent and partner engineers (onshore and offshore), including performance management, engagement, and effective integration.
  • Delivery Flow & Dependencies: Enable squads to operate autonomously by removing engineering blockers, managing dependencies, and improving delivery flow in partnership with Product and Delivery.
Capabilities
  • Hands-on Technical Leadership: Leads with strong engineering credibility and modelling high-quality full-stack engineering practices.
  • Execution Focus: Translates architectural direction and standards into practical, repeatable engineering practices that work at squad level.
  • Problem Solving & Judgement: Quickly diagnoses technical and delivery-adjacent issues, makes sound trade-offs, and removes engineering blockers.
  • People Development: Develops a high-performing team through clear expectations, feedback, and career coaching.
  • Collaboration & Influence: Works as a trusted partner to Product, Delivery & QA leaders to align engineering effort to shared outcomes.
  • Ownership & Accountability: Builds strong ownership within squads for code quality, operability, and continuous improvement.
Qualifications
  • 8+ years' experience in software engineering, with 3+ years in an engineering leadership roles, managing engineers and technical leads
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
  • Proven experience delivering enterprise-scale software platforms or digital products within complex, client environments
  • Strong hands-on background in modern full-stack software engineering, with deep experience in building highly scalable web applications supported by cloud-native or serverless architectures (AWS preferred), CI/CD pipelines, and distributed systems
  • Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional engineering teams operating in agile or product-led delivery models
  • Experience establishing and enforcing engineering standards, development practices, and delivery discipline across multiple squads
  • Proven ability to manage a blended workforce, including permanent staff and staff-augmented delivery partners (onshore and offshore)
  • Demonstrated experience in developing and executing plans that align with business objectives and growth
$190,000 - $210,000 a year
Pay is based on relevant experience, skills, education, internal equity, and market data. Well-qualified candidates can generally expect offers around the midpoint. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications but have more limited directly relevant experience for this specific role are typically placed nearer the minimum, while highly experienced candidates with strong role alignment may be placed closer to the maximum.
About Coates

We are industry leaders who have won awards and set records. We are a 2x Australia Good Design Award winner and we successfully completed the largest hardware deployment in Quick Service Restaurant history.

We are led by a forward-thinking CEO who has demonstrated a true passion for people and making Coates a place where people genuinely enjoy working. Our growth plans enable a focus on providing rapid career advancement opportunities for our talent.

Together, we are creators, allowing us to make our purpose a reality - to create immersive brand experiences for everyone.

Join a Crew that Cares

Be part of a global team of talented, ambitious, creative people that value integrity, individuality and inclusivity. (Ask us about our Equality + Empowerment Initiatives).

The benefits include an annual market competitive bonus program and our "Thrive Program" which includes a suite of flexible work options because we're strong believers that you should never miss an important life or work moment. Thrive also provides dedicated time to prioritize our health and wellbeing (think virtual Yoga or meditation sessions), a Global Wellness paid day off to recharge as well as a "Give Back Day" to allow our Crew an opportunity to make an impact in the community.

Be inspired To Be More

We skip the red tape and aim to always stay nimble. We're proud of where we've been and are energized by where we're going. We encourage ideas and perspectives because we know the more we have, the better we are. We work hard but have fun along the way. We push the boundaries but keep it real and authentic. We believe in the values that got us here are the ones that will continue to lead us forward. We are excited by what we've accomplished, but know the best is yet to come.

Coates Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam Era, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). 

Fraud Alert: Employment Scam Advisory
 
It has come to our attention that unauthorised individuals are impersonating our company and reaching out to job seekers through fraudulent emails, falsely claiming to represent Coates. These emails often request personal information and appear to come from domains that are not affiliated with our organisation, such as coatesgroupcareer.com.
 
 We take this matter very seriously. Coates has reported these incidents to law enforcement and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. We are committed to protecting the integrity of our recruitment process and the privacy of our applicants.
 
 Please be advised of the following:
- Coates does not operate or communicate through any domain resembling "@coatesgroupcareer.com"
- We do not contact employment candidates via email to solicit personal or financial information
- All applications for employment must be submitted through our official website https://coatesgroup.com/careers or directly through our LinkedIn profile: Coates Group
- All emails from us will come from our official domain, which is [at]coatesgroup[dot]com or via our Applicant - Tracking System (ATS) email address, which is no-reply[at]hire.lever[dot]co 
 
If you receive any suspicious communications purporting to be from Coates, we urge you not to respond, do not click any links, and do not provide any personal information. Your safety and trust are of the utmost importance to us. Thank you for your vigilance.
 
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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