Hiring question/Need a programmer?

I have a website being built by a firm that I've outsourced. Once they've done the job I'll have a functional website with the need for updates, constant tweaking, and further development of applications and features for the site. The site is mostly html-based but will have some complex workings in place that I'm looking to develop further. When I'm looking for someone, what are the necessary qualifications I need to look for? I'm looking for someone of high caliber so I'd like to avoid meeting with anyone underqualified by clearly stating qualifications. If you were the one placing an ad, what qualifications would you say you need based on this? Appreciate the help!

Thanks streaking...there will be a back-end content management system in place. I just think that based on the happenings of the site, there'll be things I want to change and move around, and new features I want to develop. I would still need a programmer for these things, right?

Most importantly, you're going to have to find out what those "complex workings in place" are. What language are they coded in? ASP, Java, PHP, JavaScript, Ruby??? A lot of programmers focus on a couple of these; it's rare for somebody to know all of them AND be proficient.

If you want to get rid of most of the chaff off the bat, say you require a university degree.

In the end, you get what you pay for. Hope you're willing to shell out the bucks. Any kid can learn to use Dreamweaver or Frontpage, and just about as many can learn HTML. Getting somebody who is competent in "complex things" is going to require you find somebody who does this for a living.

One thing that puzzles me is why you are not having the company develop a content management system back-end for you. That would allow you to make updates yourself, without hiring a programmer to add new content.