Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

James Madison University, a Division I Member of the NCAA and Sun Belt Conference, is seeking a Director of Sports Nutrition. This position will report to the Associate AD for Integrated Health and Sports Performance/ Director of Sports Medicine and will be responsible for the development, implementation and administration of a comprehensive sports nutrition program for JMU Athletics.

The position is a full-time, 12-month position with a full comprehensive benefits package. The Director of Sports Nutrition will serve as a key member of the Integrated Health and Sports Performance Unit at JMU which is a collaborative, interdisciplinary team of professionals. This position will be responsible for providing oversight and management of a comprehensive sports nutrition program within JMU Athletics. Additionally, the Director of Sports Nutrition serves on the campus team of health care providers for at risk student athletes (Dukes C.A.R.E. – Care and Recovery Enhancement Team). The selected candidate will be expected to maintain a high level of communication and energy, outstanding interpersonal skills and professionalism.

Duties and Key Job Responsibilities

• Develop strategic direction and provide oversight for the provision of sports nutrition services for 18 varsity sports, including group nutrition education, individual nutrition counseling, meal and menu planning, game day nutrition strategies and post-game recovery strategies to optimize student-athlete performance and recovery, protocol development and management of eating disorders/disordered eating. Provide evidence-based guidance in all areas to improve performance and recovery, decrease risk of illness and injury and promote overall health and wellness.
• Recruit, screen, hire and provide oversight, supervision, and guidance to full-time Assistant Sports Dietitian, Graduate Assistant Sports Dietitian, paid student employees, student volunteers, practicum students, and dietetic interns.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of (3) fueling stations for Athletics including budget development and management, product procurement, stocking, inventory control, and staffing solutions.
• Work to identify, foster, and build relationships with campus entities, departments, and staffs to develop resources for student-athletes, coaches, and teams that may enhance programming, support, and nutritional or performance-related resources. Contribute to the development of a campus and community-wide network of resources and relationships that assists the functions and goals of Sports Nutrition and Athletics Dept.
• Coordinate nutritional care as a member of the multidisciplinary integrated health and sports performance unit. Collaborate with team physician, athletic training, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, and sport coaches to promote an interdisciplinary approach to student-athlete care. Serve as the food and nutrition resource for Athletics staff.
• Provides medical nutrition therapy, as needed, in coordination with the JMU team Physicians to help manage or treat medical conditions and nutritional challenges to performance, such as but not limited to food allergies, bone mineral disturbances, low energy availability, gastrointestinal disturbances, diabetes, iron depletion and iron-deficiency anemia.
• Responsible for oversight of nutritional supplement review, including herbal and performance supplements, for legality, safety, quality and efficacy; monitors use of appropriate supplementation in coordination with sports medicine staff.

The successful candidate will ensure compliance with all relevant institutional, Sun Belt, NCAA, and Commonwealth of Virginia regulations.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in clinical nutrition, dietetics, food and nutrition or a related area granted from a US regionally accredited college or university.
• Experience working within a sports nutrition department at a Division 1 university.
• Completion of a didactic program in dietetics and supervised practice program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Registered Dietitian with active registration by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
• CSSD certified or eligible for certification.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently in a high pace environment and effectively communicate with multiple parties within the athletics department and campus community.
• Ideal candidate will be highly organized with strong leadership capabilities.

Preference will be given to candidates with the following qualifications:

• Experience leading and providing strategic direction for a Sports Nutrition department within a NCAA Division 1 Athletics program
• Master’s degree in nutrition or exercise physiology.

To apply go to https://joblink.jmu.edu/postings/12088 or visit JobLink.jmu.edu and reference posting number F1895. Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

James Madison University is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.