Assistant Athletic Director for NCAA Compliance

Location: Hickory, North Carolina 

Position Summary

The assistant AD for NCAA compliance will serve as the chief compliance officer for the university’s NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program and report to the Vice President for Athletics. This administrator serves a vital role and oversees the development, implementation and maintenance of the athletic department’s comprehensive compliance program in adherence with NCAA Division II and South Atlantic Conference bylaws and regulations. The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate strong leadership, meticulous attention to detail and the ability to proactively educate, monitor, and collaborate with coaches, staff, and student-athletes to foster a culture of compliance and integrity.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the department’s comprehensive NCAA compliance program and assume day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that Lenoir-Rhyne’s athletic operations are in full compliance with NCAA Division II and South Atlantic Conference rules and regulations through effective education, reporting and collaboration.
• Monitor all compliance-related functions and policies, including recruiting, initial and continuing eligibility, amateurism, awards and benefits, financial aid, academic progress, transfer regulations, playing and practice seasons and student-athlete participation, with a keen focus on countable athletically related activities (CARA), documentation and reporting requirements.
• Work closely with the Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) as co-chair of the Athletics Advisory Committee (AAC), which assists Lenoir-Rhyne in its ongoing efforts to ensure that LR’s intercollegiate athletics program (i) operates in a manner consistent with NCAA Division II bylaws and regulations and (ii) implements or establishes best practices.
• Serve as the primary liaison to campus units, including but not limited to Admissions, Financial Aid and the registrar’s office.
• Collaborate with the vice president for athletics, senior woman administrator, and the Office of Financial Aid to monitor NCAA Division II athletic financial aid, including equivalency limits, squad lists, awards, renewals and reconciliation of athletic scholarships.
• Coordinate and oversee the NCAA Division II eligibility certification process for initial, continuing and transfer student-athletes while monitoring academic progress toward a degree and maintaining eligibility standards.
• Track NCAA Division II and conference legislation and interpretations; process waivers; administer potential rules violations; and serve as the primary authority on rules interpretations in consultation with the conference office and the NCAA.
• Develop, implement, and deliver a comprehensive annual NCAA Division II rules education program for coaches, staff, student-athletes and institutional stakeholders, including required educational and training meetings.
• Validate and monitor Division II playing and practice seasons, camps, clinics and countable athletically related activities (CARA) through consistent documentation and compliance audits.
• Utilize NCAA compliance software systems (Teamworks and ARMS) to monitor eligibility, financial aid, playing and practice seasons and other applicable areas of Division II and conference compliance, including all recruit visits and tryouts.
• Ensure declared championship and non-championship seasons, practice and competition schedules are declared prior to the start of either season in each sport.
• Represent the university at NCAA Division II and conference meetings and serve on institutional, conference and NCAA committees as assigned.
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of required NCAA Division II, conference and federal reports, including any other mandated submissions.
• Assist with the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures and provide occasional game-day administration support.
• Promote and sustain an institutional culture aligned with NCAA Division II philosophy by fostering sportsmanship, compliance, professionalism, respect, governance, and institutional control among staff, coaches and student-athletes.

Required Skills/Abilities: 

• A minimum of two years of athletics management, NCAA compliance or administrative experience required.
• Comprehensive understanding of multiple facets of NCAA athletics required.
• Demonstrated excellence with interpersonal communications (written and oral) skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced team environment is necessary.
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Customer service-oriented and able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with staff, coaches and student-athletes.
• Must be comfortable working in a team environment with a positive attitude and sense of humor.  
• Unwavering commitment to academic integrity, inclusion, gender equity, student-athlete welfare, knowledge of NCAA and Title IX compliance.
• Experience working with Compliance Assistant (CA), ARMS software and/or Teamworks preferred.
• Familiarity with NCAA RSRO and LSDBi preferred.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.

Work Schedule

• This position requires travel and variable work hours, including nights and weekends.

Behavioral Expectations

• Maintain high integrity, confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Maintain a healthy and safe environment.
• Maintain and contribute to a professional, respectful, courteous, diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment
• Treat other individuals with dignity, respect and kindness.
• Adhere to all university policies, procedures, standards, and values, and comply with all federal, state, and local laws.

Position requirements in the above mentioned role indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the job competently. Role descriptions are an overview of the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the position and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of the position. Employees may be required to perform other job-related assignments as requested and acquire new skills and responsibilities. Lenoir-Rhyne University reserves the right to modify, add, remove or waive the position's responsibilities, duties, and skills required.

Application Process

While completing the application, candidates will be prompted to submit a:

• Cover letter, specifically discussing how one’s professional experiences and perspectives relate to the needs of the position.
• Resume, including the names and emails of three references. References will only be contacted for finalists, and candidates will be notified in advance.

Lenoir-Rhyne University promotes a welcoming campus environment that is integral to the university's commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience nurturing a welcoming community, working with faculty, staff and/or students from all walks of life and/or incorporating varied perspectives and traditions in their current or previous positions. This commitment is rooted in our Lutheran tradition of fostering wisdom, nurturing vocation and preparing students for lives of purpose while serving the common good. 

About Lenoir-Rhyne University  

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive liberal arts institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir-Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds. 

Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy

Lenoir-Rhyne University is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

LR is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the LR community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, LR does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.

To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program, activity and employment, LR has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment, and for allegations of retaliation.

LR values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance the rights of the parties in the grievance process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved. 
 

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