Senior Associate Athletic Director

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

The senior associate athletic director reports to the vice president for athletics and provides administrative support and oversight for the university’s NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program. This individual serves as a member of the athletic department’s senior administrative leadership team and assists and advises the vice president for athletics in areas including, but not limited to, strategic planning, fundraising, external revenue generation, budgeting, athletic enhancement plans, special projects, sport supervision and Title IX gender equity.

Essential Responsibilities and Position Accountabilities

Administrative

• Assist with oversight of 23 intercollegiate sports and more than 650 student-athletes.
• Collaborate with the senior leadership team to develop and implement the athletics strategic plan.
• Serve as athletics liaison to campus units such as Admissions, Advancement, Budget and Finance, Facility Services, Human Resources and the Dean of Students office.
• Support the management of administrative units, selected sports, game operations and service areas.
• Maintain a strong commitment to fiscal integrity and budget management, including operational, fundraising/restricted and capital budgets.
• Represent the university on South Atlantic Conference and NCAA Division II committees, as designated by the vice president for athletics.

External Relations

• Oversee or assist with revenue-generating functions, including fundraising, corporate sponsorships, promotions and marketing activities, in collaboration with the Bears Club and other external partners.
• Manage the department’s annual calendar of special events, such as the Athletics Hall of Fame.
• Collaborate with coaches and booster groups on fundraising efforts; review and approve all external fundraising and promotional materials to ensure consistency and NCAA compliance.
• Coordinate and manage external user groups and facility rental agreements to promote participation and revenue growth.

Personnel Management

• Assist with recruiting, hiring and evaluating all athletics staff, in conjunction with the vice president for athletics.
• Provide leadership and oversight for selected sports and areas such as athletic communications.

Recruiting and NCAA Compliance

• Support efforts related to recruitment, retention and roster management.
• Foster a culture of sportsmanship, NCAA compliance, professionalism and mutual respect among staff, coaches and student-athletes.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight (8) years of athletics management, leadership and administrative experience required.
• Comprehensive understanding of NCAA athletics required.
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Attention to detail, accuracy and a customer service mindset.
• Ability to maintain positive relationships with staff, coaches and student-athletes.
• Demonstrated leadership, integrity, and sense of humor.
• Unwavering commitment to academic integrity, student-athlete welfare and NCAA compliance.

Preferred Experience

• Strategic planning, budgeting and sport supervision.
• External revenue generation.
• Media relations and communications.
• Hiring processes and procedures.
• Event management and knowledge of NCAA championships and bid processes.
• Facilities management.

Other Requirements

• This position requires travel and flexibility to work nights and weekends.
• Additional duties as assigned by the department’s senior leadership team.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy

Lenoir-Rhyne University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, political affiliation, age, marital status, sex, gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, disability status, genetics, pregnancy or veteran status.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy extends to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, reassignment, demotion, discipline, discharge, performance evaluations, compensation and benefits as well as the education setting. Lenoir-Rhyne is committed to providing an environment that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for faculty, staff, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Founded in 1891, Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private liberal arts institution with 53 undergraduate degree programs and over 30 graduate degree programs. With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, LR enrolls more than 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students and has had ten consecutive years of enrollment growth. Additionally, LR awards more than $22 million in merit scholarships, and nearly 99 percent of our students are awarded financial aid. LR’s main campus is located in Hickory, North Carolina, a town with a population of over 40,000, where both undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered. The University also offers graduate degree programs on its campuses in Asheville, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina. The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary is also located in Columbia. The LR community strives to support an inclusive campus that promotes a safe and healthy living, learning, and working environment. LR students have the opportunity to participate in more than 70 clubs and student organizations designed to develop a sense of self-worth, responsibility, and accountability and to engage students in active service to the world. Known as the Bears, the University’s athletic teams have been a longstanding source of pride and a vital part of student life. LR’s NCAA Division II athletic program includes 23 intercollegiate athletic teams, 11 for men and 12 for women, which compete in the South Atlantic Conference. 

Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne promotes a diverse campus open to people from all religious backgrounds. It is an EOA/AA employer under all applicable civil rights law. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

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