ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

When NCAA compliance reporting lapses or student-athlete academic eligibility goes unmonitored, the consequences reach conference standings, institutional accreditation reviews, and federal filings like the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act. Short sentences matter here. The Assistant Athletic Director fills that operational and oversight gap, holding accountability for everything from Gulf South Conference and APR submissions to game-day facility management and sport administrator duties. This role sits one level below the Director of Athletics, functioning as a primary liaison across coaching staff, university faculty, compliance offices, and conference bodies, each of whom depends on precise, timely information to make decisions that affect student-athletes directly.

As the Assistant Athletic Director, you own the day-to-day operational and programmatic functions that keep an intercollegiate athletics department running in alignment with NCAA, conference, and institutional standards, while supporting the Director of Athletics across budgeting, compliance, staffing, and student-athlete development. You work within a department structure that spans coaching staff, academic advising units, student affairs, and external conference offices, with direct oversight of support staff, student workers, and assigned sport programs.

Career Impact: Hands-on accountability for NCAA compliance filings, APR and GSR monitoring, and conference reporting builds the kind of documented athletics administration experience that qualifies candidates for Associate or Senior Associate Athletic Director roles.

Business Impact: The accuracy of eligibility certifications, EADA submissions, and financial aid reconciliation directly determines whether the institution avoids NCAA sanctions and maintains competitive standing in its conference.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure across multiple functional areas- sports medicine oversight, academic services, DEI programming, budget management, and event operations- develops a breadth of competency that broadens candidacy for director-level positions across athletics or student affairs.

• Lead compliance monitoring for NCAA and conference eligibility rules, including APR, GSR, and annual certification reporting for assigned sport programs.
• Oversee budget preparation, reconciliation, and monthly reporting for departmental operational and fundraising accounts, coordinating with university finance on expenditures and transfers.
• Coordinate academic support services for assigned student-athletes, including advising caseloads, progress tracking, and liaison work with faculty and university advising centers.
• Supervise game-day event management for home varsity contests, including staffing, officials coordination, visiting team communication, and facility preparation.
• Manage the athletics scheduling function, including contest scheduling, transportation, officials contracting, and weather contingency communications.
• Administer hiring, onboarding, and personnel processing for department staff and student workers in coordination with university human resources.
• Direct student-athlete development programming, including NCAA-required trainings, leadership development, community service coordination, and advisory committee oversight.
• Prepare and submit required institutional and regulatory reports, including EADA, NCAA financial reports, conference annual submissions, and Title IX training documentation.

• Bachelor's degree in sports management, kinesiology, higher education administration, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of experience in intercollegiate athletics administration, with demonstrated exposure to NCAA compliance and student-athlete support functions.
• Working knowledge of NCAA eligibility bylaws, APR and GSR reporting requirements, and conference regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent operational responsibilities including budget tracking, scheduling, and personnel administration with accuracy and timeliness.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to prepare formal reports for institutional, conference, and federal audiences.
• Ability to work non-standard hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays during athletic seasons and championship events.
• Experience managing confidential personnel, financial, or student records with appropriate discretion and judgment.

• Master's degree in athletic administration, higher education, or a related field.
• Experience in academic advising or student-athlete eligibility monitoring within a Division I, II, or III program.
• Familiarity with DEI programming in an athletics or higher education context, including liaison work with campus inclusion offices.
• Prior supervisory experience managing full-time professional staff or graduate assistants within an athletics department.

• NCAA eligibility certification accuracy rate, measuring compliance errors per reporting cycle across assigned sports.
• APR and GSR submission timeliness, reflecting on-time delivery of eligibility data to the conference and NCAA.
• Budget variance percentage across departmental operational accounts, tracking adherence to approved allocations.
• Event management coverage rate for home contests, measuring the proportion of events with fully staffed and compliant game-day operations.
• Student-athlete academic progress rate for advised caseload, reflecting retention and eligibility maintenance outcomes.
• Typical tools: athletic administration platforms (commonly Compliance Assistant or ACS); student information systems (commonly Banner or Jenzabar); budget tracking software (commonly Workday or PeopleSoft)

• Base Salary Range: $48,000 – $72,000 annually, varying by institution size and division level
• Bonus: Uncommon at this level; occasional performance recognition in larger Division I programs
• Equity: Not typically offered in higher education athletics roles
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage through university group plans
• PTO: 15 – 22 days annually, plus institutional holidays and academic calendar breaks
• Common Perks: Tuition remission for employee or dependents, complimentary season tickets, access to campus recreational facilities

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Background check completion, including criminal history review and applicable drug screening, is required as a condition of employment for all positions within intercollegiate athletics. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request throughout the application and employment process. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Assistant Athletic Director owns the full cycle of financial and business operations for an athletic department, overseeing departmental budgets, NCAA Division II compliance, and financial reporting for campus, conference, and federal audiences. Reporting to the Director of Athletics, this role builds departmental financial integrity by evaluating annual budget requests, reconciling accounts, and advising coaching staff and directors on program financial needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Approve, manage, and record all financial transactions, including expenditures and revenues, for departmental operational and fundraising accounts.
• Process, verify, and reconcile departmental business operations, including deposits, check requests, travel expense forms, purchase orders, and credit card statements.
• Oversee, reconcile, and consult with the director on the status of all departmental and camp budgets.
• Maintain the usage schedule for departmental vehicles and coordinate regular maintenance.
• Supervise athletics event management, facility scheduling, and staffing of home contests.
• Collect and review countable athletically related activities logs and accept or flag submissions for additional review.
• Manage guest pass lists for home contests and ensure compliance with NCAA Division II rules.
• Maintain and submit reports and forms related to student-athlete financial aid, scholarship renewals and reductions, and the annual conference report.
• Maintain a working list of current and incoming student-athletes.
• Oversee athletics financial transactions to ensure compliance with NCAA Division II and conference rules.
• Evaluate the department's annual operating budget request and make recommendations to the Director of Athletics.
• Prepare and file annual financial statements and reports for campus, conference, NCAA, and the US Department of Education.
• Assist in preparing departmental, university, conference, NCAA, and government reports, studies, and surveys.
• Assist the Director of Athletics in advising and consulting with coaching staff and directors on program financial needs, policies, and procedures.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in business or a related field.
• Minimum of two years of relevant experience in accounting, business, finance, or human resources.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and SharePoint.
• Knowledge of NCAA Division II and conference financial compliance rules.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and team collaboration skills.

Embedded within a university athletics division, the Assistant Athletic Director for Academics and Inclusive Excellence directs both the academic support program and the inclusive excellence program for assigned student-athletes, overseeing individualized academic plans, NCAA eligibility certification, and learning accommodation processes. Working closely with the Division of Inclusive Excellence, campus multicultural and LGBTQ+ resource centers, and the Compliance Office, this role delivers an environment where student-athletes can achieve academically and experience genuine inclusion.

Core Functions

• Direct and monitor the academic support program for all assigned student-athletes.
• Oversee the development of educational screening and assessment for referred students to determine learning needs and create individualized academic support plans.
• Manage tracking of academic progress and guide assigned student-athletes participating in NCAA athletics.
• Serve as the liaison between athletics personnel and university faculty and staff regarding assigned student-athletes' academic status.
• Direct the education and support plans created to promote inclusive excellence.
• Work with the Office of Accessible Education on the testing, processing, and reviewing of learning accommodations and needs.
• Work with campus multicultural and LGBTQ+ resource centers to disseminate information on campus resources and events.
• Serve as secondary liaison for Title IX case reporting.
• Manage university advisers and faculty in the coordination of tutorial support for assigned sports.
• Direct the implementation of support plans addressing time management, goal-setting, success strategies, and self-sufficiency skills.
• Conduct meetings with prospective student-athletes and their families regarding academic support programs.
• Maintain and circulate academic reports on student-athletes and process and monitor departmental progress reports.
• Collaborate with senior athletics leadership and the Compliance Office to monitor and ensure continuing academic eligibility of all assigned student-athletes.
• Lead the reviewing and processing of all NCAA and conference eligibility reports, including quarterly certification reporting for assigned students.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of six years of experience working in intercollegiate athletics or equivalent relevant experience.
• Knowledge of NCAA initial and continuing eligibility rules preferred.
• Experience using database management systems and common office applications, including word processing, spreadsheet, email, and browser applications.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with demonstrated organizational ability.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to employ learning strategies with student-athletes.
• Ability to work effectively with external constituents, including senior staff, faculty, student-athletes, and families.

Reporting to the Director of Athletics, the Assistant Athletic Director shapes the full range of executive-level administrative operations for the Department of Athletics and Physical Education, overseeing daily office functions, calendar and event planning, and budget preparation. Partnering with the Senior Leadership Team, university cabinet assistants, and external constituencies, this role enables the Director of Athletics to lead effectively by ensuring department timelines, communications, and personnel processes are managed with mature judgment and organizational precision.

Primary Duties

• Serve as lead for the administrative office to ensure timely, accurate, and smooth operations.
• Represent the Director of Athletics as the first line of contact and principal liaison within the department, university cabinet assistants, cadet-athletes, staff, faculty, and the community.
• Ensure that department timelines for projects, events, and meetings are met through coordination with the senior leadership team.
• Oversee the Staff Engagement Committee and develop programming and special functions to build community among athletics staff.
• Manage the diverse requests and requirements of the Director of Athletics, including responding to cadet-athletes, staff, faculty, administrators, and external visitors.
• Plan, develop, and coordinate department-wide meetings on behalf of the Director of Athletics.
• Manage the Director of Athletics' agendas and supporting materials for all assigned committees and boards.
• Prepare all budget items for Director of Athletics review and approval and create monthly budget tracking reports.
• Serve as chief liaison for the Director of Athletics with internal and external constituencies.
• Establish and maintain productive working relationships with administrators, staff, faculty, conference offices, and the community.
• Update the Director of Athletics on program implementation and advise on unresolved issues.
• Arrange travel and process reimbursements and expenditures for the Director of Athletics.
• Assist in maintaining and organizing various files and maintaining confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Handle personnel-related responsibilities, including recruitment requests, data entry for new hires, advertisement plans, hiring committee support, and onboarding coordination.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent training and administrative work experience in study, analysis, and evaluation of administrative policies, procedures, or programs.
• Two to three years of experience in financial and budget analysis, accounting and administration, human resources, office administration, event planning, or a combination thereof.
• Relevant experience in a Department of Athletics preferred.
• Experience in higher education preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency in business email, calendaring, and online collaboration tools.
• General knowledge of office management and administrative support functions, including public administration principles and practices.
• Demonstrated ability to use considerable judgment and discretion in handling sensitive matters.
• Expertise in investigating and analyzing problems with broad administrative impact.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Sitting at the intersection of student development and community engagement, the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Excellence leads all student-athlete programming, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and community-focused events designed to leverage athletics as a tool for campus and Baltimore-area stakeholder connection. Operating across game operations, sport administration, and campus-wide partnerships, this role reports to the Deputy Athletics Director and shapes a holistic development experience covering leader development, health and wellness, and career preparation for student-athletes.

Duties

• Create, direct, and lead all student-athlete development initiatives and the student-athlete development team.
• Deliver a robust, holistic development program covering NCAA-required trainings, leader development, health and wellness, career preparation, and other areas of strategic priority.
• Serve as department liaison for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and manage all student-athlete development initiatives.
• Lead efforts to leverage athletics as a tool for community building and stakeholder engagement, designing and overseeing community-focused events throughout the academic year.
• Coordinate and oversee all community service projects within the department, including coordination of participation in the annual President's Day of Service.
• Fulfill sport administrator responsibilities, including oversight of assigned sport programs and supervision of coaches, with travel to select competitions and all championships.
• Manage game operations for selected home varsity athletic events, including communication to officials and visiting teams, security, payment to officials, and scheduling of workers.
• Serve as a key member of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championships operations team for hosted championship events.
• Serve as department representative to Student Affairs for first-year orientation and required student trainings not specific to athletics.
• Serve as department liaison to Residential Life and Housing.
• Co-lead student-athlete and family orientation in conjunction with the Assistant AD for Compliance.
• Serve on campus-wide committees and working groups as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years of related work experience in a collegiate athletics environment.
• Athletic administration experience preferred.
• Knowledge of basic software packages.
• Understanding of athletics administration in a university environment.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members.
• Ability to work additional hours during athletic events, including nights and weekends.

A key member of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Assistant Athletic Director for Diversity & Inclusion leads the division's comprehensive diversity and inclusion programming and strategic planning for student-athletes, coaches, and administration. Collaborating across campus partners, community leaders, the conference office, and institutional faculty and staff, this role shapes divisional equity objectives, manages budget and grant funding, and exercises supervisory authority over a minimum of two full-time equivalent employees to advance the division's inclusive values.

Functions

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including human resources, community relations, and relevant internal units, to develop and implement the athletics department's diversity and inclusion vision and strategic initiatives for student-athletes, coaches, and administration.
• Foster relationships and partnerships with key external stakeholders, including campus partners and community leaders.
• Lead the assessment and evaluation of diversity and inclusion efforts within the athletics department and encourage participation in campus and community programming.
• Serve as the liaison to the conference office for diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Serve as the liaison to the athletics equity and diversity council and co-liaison to the Athletic Board Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Student Welfare.
• Lead the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in support of the division's strategic plan.
• Direct strategic planning initiatives and establish divisional objectives to ensure appropriate allocation of resources.
• Partner with institutional leaders, faculty, students, staff, and internal and external constituency groups to ensure programming supports divisional values and strategic goals.
• Exercise supervisory authority over a minimum of two full-time equivalent employees, including hiring, performance management, and disciplinary action.
• Develop and audit the unit budget and monitor financial activities for grant funding.
• Develop operating policies and procedures to comply with regulations, institutional policies, and diversity objectives.

Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of experience working in student-athlete engagement and/or diversity and inclusion in higher education preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to Big Ten and NCAA rules and regulations.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build relationships with populations from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to work independently.
• Ability to work cooperatively with diverse groups, including administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
• Ability to develop and implement innovative approaches and solutions.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by events.

Successful academic outcomes for student-athletes depend on the Assistant Athletic Director for Academics, who provides daily oversight of the NAU Athletics Student Development and Academic staff and delivers personal advising on academic requirements, degree progress, and NCAA eligibility for assigned sports. Based within the athletics department and working cooperatively with coaches, athletic staff, and campus offices, this role leads the development of retention and graduation improvement programs while ensuring all operational procedures comply with University standards and NCAA and conference rules.

Accountabilities

• Direct operational responsibility for academic support of student-athletes, including assigning staff responsibilities and caseloads, planning and conducting weekly staff meetings, and hiring, training, and onboarding new professional staff.
• Provide personal advising on academic requirements and degree progress to assigned student-athletes.
• Monitor NCAA eligibility for student-athletes in assigned sports, with knowledge of APR and GSR implementation.
• Lead the development of programs aimed at improving retention and graduation rates of student-athletes.
• Participate in ongoing evaluations of the effectiveness of special advising outreach to student-athletes.
• Collaborate with the campus advising center on academic issues and requirements as dictated by NCAA and conference rules.
• Serve on university committees and integrate with the broader academic community.

Technical Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
• Two to four years of management or supervisory experience.
• Three to five years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Working knowledge of all NCAA bylaws related to academics and university degree requirements.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills with coaches, student-athletes, staff, and other constituents.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the educational and social developmental needs of student-athletes.
• Experience with educationally underprepared students or students with learning disabilities preferred.
• General knowledge of institutional organizational structure and the ability to work effectively with university teaching faculty and administration.
• Multicultural experience or background preferred.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to work in a fast-paced and diverse university environment.

As the Assistant Athletic Director, this role supports the Director of Athletics in managing athletics facilities and delivers full-cycle scheduling and contest coordination for fall, winter, and spring seasons across an independent school environment. The athletics program relies on this work to maintain seamless home and away contest logistics, external communications, and post-season coordination, enabling coaches and student-athletes to compete without administrative disruption.

Activities

• Support the Director of Athletics in the overall management of athletics facilities.
• Serve as site administrator for home contests.
• Schedule all athletic contests with opposing schools for fall, winter, and spring seasons.
• Manage and communicate the weekly athletic schedule, including competition dates and locations, dismissal and departure times, return times, meal arrangements, and transportation.
• Assist coaches with team sign-up and management of team rosters.
• Update and maintain the department's external-facing communications, including the school website, portal, and social media accounts.
• Schedule all officials for fall, winter, and spring contests, confirming games, officials, and transportation on a weekly basis.
• Schedule all transportation for contests, including coordination of on-campus and off-campus meals and meal money.
• Create and send contracts for all athletic contests and manage inclement weather cancellations and rescheduling.
• Arrange and collaborate with athletics staff on fields, gym, court, and ice schedules for all games and practices.
• Serve as coordinator for all post-season play and lead coordination of league tournaments hosted on-site.
• Attend league scheduling meetings and perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years of experience in athletic administration.
• Minimum of two seasons of coaching experience.
• Experience working in an independent school environment preferred.
• Experience supporting students of diverse identities, including those with varying levels of academic preparation and physical and learning abilities.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills with strong written and public speaking ability.
• Ability to interact effectively with varied constituencies, including faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and alumni.
• Ability to travel as needed and work regular evenings and weekends.
• Valid driver's license required.

Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine leads the university's Sports Medicine program as head athletic trainer, overseeing injury care and management, prevention, rehabilitation, concussion protocol, and electronic documentation for all student-athletes. The work directly supports NCAA and ODAC compliance, team physician coordination, and CAATE athletic training program integration, while providing supervision and administrative oversight of assistant and graduate athletic trainers across multiple sports.

Operational Focus

• Serve as the designated NCAA Healthcare Administrator.
• Ensure all Shenandoah University student-athletes and activities follow NCAA and ODAC policies, practices, and guidelines relating to student-athlete health and safety.
• Coordinates and schedules physical examinations and medical referrals for student-athletes to determine their ability to practice and compete.
• Coordinates pre-participation physicals with the team physicians for all incoming student-athletes.
• Supervision of the athletic training staff and strength and conditioning staff, including hiring, training, and supervision of assistant/associate athletic trainers and graduate student athletic trainers.
• Continuously updating all Sports Medicine policies to remain consistent with position statements issued by the NATA.
• Educate student-athletes, coaches, athletic staff regarding concussion policy.
• Coordinate EMS coverage.
• Oversee the College's athletics insurance policy.
• Work with the Team Physician(s) to coordinate medical appointments.
• Communicate with CAATE Athletic Training MSAT Program Director and Director of Clinical Education regarding athletic training student placements.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Master's degree in an appropriate area of specialization and 5 years of experience as an ATC at the collegiate level;
• 3 years of experience with a leadership role preferred.
• Must be certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification (NATABOC).
• Have or be eligible for State athletic training licensure.
• Must be First Aid, CPR & AED instructor certified/eligible for certification.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully work with a diverse student population.
• Knowledge and experience managing multiple sports as an athletic trainer.
• Strong communication, organizational, and teamwork skills.
• Adjunct teaching within the MSAT professional education program may be available in the summer.
• After completion of their first year of employment, staff have the opportunity for tuition benefits.