Vice President and Director of Athletics

Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President and Director of Athletics is responsible for the leadership, strategic planning, management and administration of the University’s athletic and recreation program, in addition to overseeing budgets, personnel, planning, fundraising, revenue generation, marketing, media contract negotiations, and sports facilities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide bold, collaborative and innovative leadership required to make Villanova a national model for integrating athletics and academics.
• Be a subject matter expert who possesses a strong grasp of national issues and can demonstrate experience with best practices and innovative strategies that are critical to building a contemporary best-in-class, Division I athletics program.
• Possess high political acumen with the ability to navigate and manage the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics and the role it plays within higher education to include, but not limited to: new legislation, the monetization of sports, NIL, revenue generation, regulatory industries, state and federal mandates, media strategy, digital media streaming and T.V. revenue, and the Villanova Athletics fanbase – locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and units across campus to provide strategic leadership to ensure the continued elevation of the Villanova Athletics Department in alignment with the University’s mission and vision to achieve goals for competitiveness, student academic achievement, and the student-athlete experience, in addition to partnering with institutional stakeholders to promote programs and generate fan support for student-athletes through developing and executing comprehensive marketing and communications strategies designed to enhance national awareness and generate revenues and resources for the University’s athletics department.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree is required.
• The successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of prior visionary strategic and operational leadership success in a highly competitive environment, including a demonstrated ability to identify, manage and solve problems through creative and conceptual thinking and effective resources management, as well as capitalize on opportunities as they arise; or equivalent management experience.
• Reputation as a strategic leader of integrity and vision who is firm, yet flexible, trusted, and respected.
• Must demonstrate an appreciation of University mission, culture and tradition and a commitment to lead a competitive intercollegiate sports program in the context of an academically rigorous environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-unit teams of professionals in establishing and achieving ambitious goals.
• Proven track record of successful hiring and supervision of staff members with demonstrated alignment and commitment to the University’s vision and mission, with an emphasis on the integration of diverse industry experiences and transferable skills to foster an inclusive and dynamic workforce, to include the implementation and monitoring of hiring practices that prioritize candidates with transferrable skills and relevant acumen, regardless of their industry of origin.
• Experience with effectively managing dynamic and complex budgets.