The Executive Director of Athletic Operations is responsible for the effective leadership, vision, operation, management, and funding of Athletics in its pursuit and support of the University’s mission, goals, and objectives. The Executive Director of Athletic Operations is responsible for directing athletic activities, recruiting, and assessing current and prospective coaches and staff, supervising the coordination of athletic events, compiling, and managing athletic department budgets, and revenue development planning and fundraising for the department. The Executive Director serves as the contact with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC).

Responsible to the President in partnership with the Vice President of University Advancement to develop, implement, and assess, effective strategies to enhance financial support of annual giving initiatives and intercollegiate athletics; create, cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships among a portfolio of leadership annual giving donors and prospects; collaborate with University Advancement colleagues to engage alumni, parents and friends in participating in the life of, providing for, and promoting, the University.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 Athletic Director Responsibilities:

• Maintain an athletic program that is committed to the University’s mission and strategic priorities
• Provide visionary leadership, strategic planning, and policy development for the athletics program
• In collaboration with stakeholders, develop and execute an athletics master plan that supports the mission and strategic priorities of the College with appropriate performance benchmarks for effectiveness
• Works in conjunction with the Vice President for University Advancement to develop a fundraising plan and to execute that plan to build revenue for athletics and the University 
• Direct all administrative, operation and business functions for the Athletic department
• Recruit and manage the athletic staff, both coaches and administrative employees
• Provide an environment supporting personal and professional growth for employees through mentoring, regular performance evaluation and constructive feedback
• Collaborate with institutional and community colleagues to support University priorities, including academic success, retention, prevention of alcohol/drug use and sexual violence
• Ensure compliance with all University, federal, national association and conference policies, rules and regulations, as well as all other laws, regulations, or policies affecting the athletic program

• Works collaboratively with Communications and Marketing to develop marketing and promotion materials that support the goals of the athletic department and the University.
• Works closely with the Vice President for University Advancement to monitor overlap between lists of major gifts donors and prospects to ensure that contact strategies are developed in a coordinated fashion and that no donors or prospects are overlooked
• Works with University Advancement staff to analyze and evaluate current and past donor trends for Athletic constituencies, and to target segments of donors and prospects for personalized attention, new and upgraded gifts, and special giving opportunities

• Works collaboratively with the Vice President for Enrollment Management and the Director of Financial Aid, to direct athletic recruitment and administer the athletic scholarship budget.  Authorizes scholarship awards within approved athletic scholarship policies and monitors compliance with NAIA athletic scholarship requirements
• Assists the coaching staff with establishing strategies for recruitment and setting measurable goals for team rosters

• Coordinates communication between the GPAC and NAIA and the University
• Support Champion of Character

• Responsible for communication needed to schedule events
• Serves as host to visiting schools

• Coordinates public relations for the athletic department
• Prepares, implements, and monitors budget

Athletic & Donor Relations:

• Create, implement, and assess a comprehensive and strategic annual giving program that maximizes philanthropic support and involvement of alumni, parents, and other friends of the University, and meets University Advancement goals.
• Oversee direct mail, e-solicitation, and other strategies designed to increase alumni giving and participation. Included but not limited to Employee Giving Campaign, Briar Cliff Sunday, and Day of Giving.
• Plans events and programs to be coordinated and implemented for alumni.
• Collaborate with the Vice President of University Advancement to create and produce collateral materials in support of annual giving initiatives.
• Manage the development and execution of strategies to enhance support of Athletics Business Sponsorships, working with Athletics personnel to grow the Athletics Booster Club and with the goal to increase annual giving.
• Manage a portfolio of existing and prospective leadership annual giving donors, creating, cultivating, and stewarding relationships in support of annual revenue goals.
• Manage fiscal budgets relative to annual athletics giving.
• Other duties as assigned by the President along with the Vice President for University Advancement.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree (M.A.) preferred
• Four or more years related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

 PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions and is occasionally exposed to wet and/ or humid conditions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

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