The Director of Athletics (AD) provides dynamic leadership to all aspects of Thiel Athletes. Reflective of Thiel’s student-centered mission, commitment to diversity, and focus on leadership development, the AD builds and supports the success of the College’s NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletic programs as well as Thiel’s competitive cheer team, equine team, and intramural and fitness programs. In collaboration with Academic Affairs and Student Life, the AD supports the success of student-athletes and all students and understands the positive impact of Thiel Athletics on the entire campus. Charged with advancing Thiel Athletics through the Blue-Gold Club, the Athletic Hall of Fame, and alumni and community outreach, the AD fosters fundraising success in coordination with College Advancement. Working with Enrollment, the AD ensures effective recruitment and retention of motivated and talented student-athletes. The AD reports to the Vice President for Student Life and Athletics (VPSLA) and works directly with the President on institutional athletic strategies and Thiel’s active engagement with the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) and the NCAA.

Applications:

To view the full prospectus and apply for the Athletic Director employment opportunity, please visit www.thiel.edu/employment. Serious candidates should submit a cover letter that addresses the responsibilities and requirements for the position; a resume; and a list of three professional references with contact information, including telephone and email, in a single PDF document using candidate’s last name as the document title. Notification will be given to candidates prior to contacting references.

Application review will begin on November 01, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. Ideally, the successful candidate will begin no later than January 02, 2025.

Thiel College is committed to attracting a culturally and professionally diverse faculty and staff who engage our students by providing a rich and fulfilling curricular and co-curricular experience.

For more information about Thiel College, visit www.thiel.edu.

Education and Experience:  

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree, preferred, and at least five years of increasingly responsible experience in intercollegiate athletics.  
• Excellent leadership and managerial talent and the capacity to supervise and lead a diverse coaching and support staff.
• Demonstrated success in building competitive athletic programs. 
• Knowledge and experience advancing college athletics through effective marketing and fundraising.

 

Essential Job Functions:

• Provide visionary and strategic leadership to advance Thiel Athletics as a distinctive strength at the College.  
• Build and promote competitive athletic programs and effectively manage administrative and services functions of the Department of Athletics: 

 

• Baseball
• Basketball (men’s & women’s)
• Cross Country (men’s & women’s)
• Football
• Golf (men’s & women’s)
• Lacrosse (men’s & women’s)
• Soccer (men’s & women’s)
• Softball
• Tennis (men’s & women’s)
• Track (men’s & women’s)
• Volleyball (men’s & women’s)
• Wrestling
• Cheer
• Athletic Trainers
• Sports Information
• Equine

 

 

• Recruit, motivate and develop diverse and talented coaches and athletic staff, committed to the mission of the College and the vision for Thiel Athletics. 

• Work collaboratively with students, faculty, coaches and staff to create an environment that fosters the intellectual, social, and athletic development of a diverse student-athlete population.
• Promote good sportsmanship, leadership, and the ethical behavior of athletes, coaches, staff and spectators.
• Plan and deliver athletic competitions and activities as engaging events for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.

• Serve as a compelling spokesperson for Thiel Athletics at campus and community events, in the media, and in national venues, and use a variety of platforms to communicate and disseminate information to students, faculty and staff, and external stakeholders. 
• Ensure compliance with all federal, divisional and college athletics regulations, monitor strict observances of equality of opportunity in men’s and women’s athletics by keeping informed of legal requirements, and coordinate the certification of academic and health eligibility of all varsity athletes;
• Lead efforts within the Athletics Department to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, including through student and staff recruitment efforts, ongoing professional development, and educational opportunities for student-athletes.  
• Identify recruitment goals for each athletic program to achieve and maintain optimum roster sizes, and oversee effective recruitment and retention strategies, activities and events in close coordination with Enrollment Management.
• Develop and manage athletic budget, schedule for competitive events and use of athletic facilities, and transportation arrangements.
• Maintain an athletic training program for student-athletes and staff participants in Intercollegiate Athletics, and ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of students engaged with Thiel Athletics and their support from Campus Health and Wellness Services.     
• Collaborate with the President, VPSLA and Cabinet in the development and implementation of an overall athletic facilities improvement plan, and work closely with the coaches and Director of Facilities to ensure proper maintenance and safety of all athletic facilities.
• Partner with the Advancement Office on fundraising events and activities in support of the Thiel Fund and other specifically designated projects related to athletics, oversee athletic program-specific fundraising activities and ensure proper recording and usage of funds accumulated.
• Serve as the Department Chair for the Health and Physical Education Department, and partnering with the Business Department on the delivery of a successful Sports Management program.
• Represent the College at the conference and national levels, in support of policies and practices aligned with Thiel’s mission and resources. 
• Oversee Sports Information operations to ensure effective marketing, publicity and management of digital information, in collaboration with the College’s Office of Communications and Marketing. 

 

In addition to the duties and responsibilities specific to the role of the Director of Athletics, successful leadership at Thiel requires commitment to the College’s mission and vision, participation in the academic, athletic, social, and artistic life of the campus, and interaction with the Greenville community. Understanding of and respect for the concept and process of shared governance in academia, the highest integrity in all actions, and clear, consistent communication with all constituencies also are critical to success at Thiel.

 

Supervision:                          

Exercises direct supervision of head coaches, athletic administrators and student-workers, and manages the contracts with partners relating to athletic training services, website delivery, and web-based recruiting services.

 

Knowledge Skill and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• NCAA rules and regulations applicable to Division III athletics.
• Affiliated conference rules and regulations.
• Best practices, concepts, and procedures of all athletic programs.
• Principles and practices of administration, financial management, supervision and training.
• The mission, services and policies of the College; principles of employer-employee relations, and principles in the administration of personnel services.
• Computer operations/data processing systems.
• Accounting, budgeting, and fiscal reporting.

 

Skilled in:

• Strategic planning.
• Leadership, asset, and fiscal resource management.
• The development of policies and operational procedures.
• Public speaking and interpersonal and written communication.
• Exercising discretion and independent judgment.
• Using tact, patience, respect and courtesy.

 

Ability to:

• Interpret, explain, and apply applicable laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures of the College, the NCAA, and the affiliated conference.
• Coordinate assigned activities with other departments and outside agencies.
• Advise, mentor, and train.
• Direct the maintenance of a variety of reports related to the College, NCAA, and the affiliated conference.
• Direct and supervise the work of others to maintain effective and cooperative working relationships.
• Demonstrate effectiveness in working with students from diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, as well as students with disabilities.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
• Meet goals, expectations, schedules, and timelines.
• Prepare comprehensive narrative and statistical reports.
• Exercise group leadership skills, which emphasize collaboration, consensus building, conflict resolution, and problem solving.
• Work as part of a dedicated team in Student Life to foster a high level of collaboration academics and student services to create a supportive student-learning environment.

 

Working Conditions:

Office and campus environment with standard office hours of 8 am to 5 pm with a one hour lunch, frequent evening and weekend work, occasional overnight travel.  Contact with students and other groups, both college and external.  Requires the ability to bend, stretch, walk, lift medium to heavy objects, operate athletic related equipment; have dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard; sitting and standing for extended periods of time, hearing and speaking to exchange information, and seeing to read a variety of materials.

 

Safety/Training Requirements: 

Continuing education for topics relevant to the field.  Periodic training on topics of nondiscrimination, prevention of harassment, prevention of sexual misconduct, and other topics as required. General safety training and ergonomics training relevant to an office environment.

 

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees, but are not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to changes at the discretion of the employer.

 

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