Director of Athletics

Workweek

40 Hours ¦ Flexible schedule to meet department needs

Position Summary

The Director of Athletics provides strategic vision, leadership, and oversight for a comprehensive intercollegiate athletics, fitness, and intramural program. They are responsible for aligning all areas with the College’s broader academic, enrollment, and community engagement goals, and is responsible for shaping and executing a bold vision that promotes competitive excellence, campus engagement, physical well-being, and personal growth. The Director ensures student athletes receive an equitable, holistic learning experience through innovative and responsive programming that supports a diverse student population. They maintain effective operations through strong risk management practices, employee development, and a commitment to operational excellence. Ultimately, they will foster a culture that integrates athletics, fitness, and intramurals as integral to student development and engagement, as well as the overall vitality of the College.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

Provide leadership and oversight for the athletics, fitness, and intramural sports programs
Oversee the planning, development, and implementation of comprehensive athletics, fitness and intramural programs
Develop and execute a unified student experience structure that intentionally integrates and unifies athletics, fitness, and intramural activities
Recruit, hire, evaluate, train, and provide supervision to Athletics and Fitness Center employees
Review and approve all employment contracts for coaches, trainers, and other Athletics personnel and ensure collaboration with the Fitness Center to support student athlete health and wellness practices
Lead efforts to continuously improve departmental operations by strengthening services, and supporting increased collaboration between Athletics and Fitness Center
Develop and train all Athletics and Fitness Center employees on the importance of good sportsmanship, recruitment and outreach best practices, professionalism, student safety, student conduct, and all other campus-wide policies and procedures
Ensure high-quality, safe and inclusive athletic competitions and programming that operates within the appropriate guidelines, and addresses the needs and priorities of the College’s constituents
Assure compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations associated with national, state, and conference codes, and conduct compliance meetings with coaches
Direct and supervise all aspects of athletic eligibility, physical examinations, equipment, transportation, and insurance
Serve as a visible campus leader who strengthens connections between Athletics, Faculty, Students, Staff, Administrators, and the community
Develop and maintain effective partnerships with campus leaders to align Athletics and Fitness Center usage with the needs of athletic sports teams while supporting the College’s broader goals related to external partnerships, and community engagement
Provide leadership in retention-based activities such as early, proactive intervention, priority registration, academic progress monitoring, pre- and post-season surveys , etc.
Develop and implement short-term and long-term strategic plans addressing operational and capital funding needs, as well as internal goals to strengthen the development of new initiatives to meet athletic, fitness, and intramural needs of the student population
Plan, organize and implement long- and short-term friend-raising, fund-raising, volunteerism, sponsorship, and partnership programs and activities
Oversee fiscal operations for each area in collaboration with Athletics and Fitness Center employees, maintaining overall responsibility for the departments’ finances and facilities to ensure sound business practices
Oversee the athletic eligibility, certification, and scholarship processes for the academic and health eligibility of student athletes
Oversee and coordinate a risk assessment plan to ensure compliance with the industry standard of care, and execute, collect, and maintain related forms (e.g., liability waivers, injury insurance, scheduling contracts, accident reports)
Oversee departmental promotion, marketing and publicity, as well as website accuracy, information, updates and postings for the College, conference, regional and NJCAA national sites to engage students and promote community involvement
Serve as a liaison and communication link to district high school Athletic Directors, community college Athletic Directors, coaches, and senior college/university counterparts
Partner with Admissions and Recruitment to ensure a cohesive and collaborative relationship by organizing and monitoring recruitment efforts of the coaching staff
Serve as official College representative and actively participate in NJCAA, Region 4 Athletic Directors, Skyway Conference Athletic Directors, and the Board of Control meetings and trainings
Prepare reports related to divisional, institutional, state and federal requirements
Work collaboratively with others (e.g. colleagues, stakeholders, vendors) to accomplish functions and responsibilities
Support and participate in the College’s commitment to continuous improvement and strategic planning efforts
Assume additional duties as assigned by immediate supervisor

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Human Services, Business, Sports Management, Education, Physical Education, Recreation or related field
Experience with NJCAA Athletic Eligibility Three years of progressive leadership experience in collegiate athletics administration, or equivalent leadership experience, including staff supervision, strategic planning, fiscal and facilities management, fundraising, and sport program oversight
Desired Qualifications:

Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Education, Physical Education, Recreation, Higher Education, Educational Administration, Leadership, Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Human Services, Business, Sports Management or equivalent fields
Community college NJCAA experience
First aid, CPR, and AED certifications
Five years of significant, progressive leadership experience in collegiate athletics administration, or equivalent leadership experience, including staff supervision, strategic planning, fiscal and facilities management, fundraising, and sport program oversight Bilingual communication skills
Skills and Specifications:

Knowledge of and ability to interpret and comply with NJCAA guidelines
Ability to renew and maintain NJCAA Athletic Eligibility Certification

Obtain and/or maintain active First Aid, CPR, and AED certifications
Demonstrate a strong understanding of cultural competency and have the ability to effectively inspire and lead a diverse constituency
Strong interpersonal and communication (both oral and written) skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
Ability to work in a dynamic environment, be sensitive to change and respond to changing goals, priorities, and needs
Ability to safely lift 20 pounds unassisted
Ability to see, perceive color and texture
Ability to work independently yet have a strong team orientation and to develop productive working relationships across all levels of the organization
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to establish priorities
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite with the ability to grow with the technology and philosophical directions implemented by the College
Commitment and respect for diversity, equity, and inclusivenessCommitment to the College mission, vision, values, and goals
Knowledge of health and wellness, behavioral intervention, crisis response educational concepts, strategies, methods, and techniques
Strong mediation skills
Ability to maintain discretion
Ability to develop and present educational programs and/or workshops
Ability to plan and evaluate programs Strong focus on consistent service to peers and clients/students
Supervisory Relationships:

Athletics, Fitness Center, and student employees

Equal Employment Opportunity

McHenry County College declares and reaffirms a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination. The College will make all decisions regarding admission, employment, participation in educational programs, or activities, without discrimination on grounds of race, color, creed or religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status, physical or mental disabilities, military status, sexual orientation, gender-related identity, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge from military service, or other factors prohibited by law. Decisions regarding employment include hiring, promotion, termination, wages or salaries, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. MCC is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible college community.

To request reasonable accommodation to participate in any aspect of the hiring process, contact Human Resources at [email protected].