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The Director of Athletics (AD) provides visionary, ethical, and operational leadership for McMurry University’s intercollegiate athletics program. The AD is responsible for cultivating a student-centered, compliant, competitive, and financially sustainable athletics department that advances McMurry’s mission and supports student success, institutional retention, and community engagement.
This role requires a leader who can align athletics with the University’s strategic goals, strengthen enrollment and retention through athletics, grow sponsorship and donor partnerships, and build an organized, transparent, and highly communicative department culture.
1. Student Retention, Experience & Success
Partner with Enrollment, Student Life, Academic Affairs, and Retention teams to use athletics as a strategic driver for student recruitment, persistence, and graduation.
Establish retention metrics for student-athletes (term-to-term retention, GPA , eligibility, graduation rates, transfer-out tracking).
Oversee academic support, eligibility monitoring, and early alert interventions for student-athletes.
Promote holistic development of student-athletes through leadership, career readiness, and life-skills programming.
Ensure coaches serve as retention partners, not just recruiters, through training, accountability, and shared goals.
Build systems for tracking student-athlete engagement, progress, and concerns across all sports.
Develop and execute a comprehensive athletics revenue strategy, including:
Corporate sponsorships
Game-day advertising
Naming rights
NIL /collective partnerships (where applicable)
Alumni and donor engagement
Cultivate relationships with local, regional, and national sponsors.
Partner with Advancement and Marketing to grow athletic giving, sponsorship visibility, and donor pipelines.
Lead development of annual athletics fundraising goals and sponsorship targets in collaboration with Institutional Advancement.
Ensure all sponsorships align with McMurry’s mission, values, and compliance requirements.
3. Organizational Leadership & Department Management
Provide leadership to all athletic staff, ensuring clarity of roles, expectations, performance standards, and accountability.
Build a culture of organization, documentation, follow-through, and continuous improvement.
Oversee departmental budgeting, forecasting, purchasing, and financial controls.
Establish clear operational workflows for scheduling, travel, facilities usage, event management, and communication.
Evaluate staffing models, coaching structures, and sport offerings to ensure sustainability and compliance.
4. Communication & Campus Alignment
Serve as the primary athletics liaison to University leadership, faculty, student life, enrollment, marketing, and compliance.
Provide clear, timely, and transparent communication to:
Student-athletes
Parents and families
Campus stakeholders
Conference and NCAA partners
Coaches
Regularly present data, progress reports, and strategic updates to Cabinet and senior leadership.
Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to elevate the McMurry athletics brand.
5. Compliance, Governance & Risk Management
Ensure full compliance with NCAA, conference, federal, and institutional regulations.
Oversee Title IX equity, roster management, scholarship/aid models, and program expansion.
Maintain audit-ready documentation, eligibility records, and compliance training.
Proactively identify and mitigate institutional and reputational risk.
6. Competitive Excellence & Program Growth
Support coaches in recruiting, player development, and competitive strategy.
Evaluate sport offerings, facilities, staffing, and budgets to support sustainable growth.
Advocate for facilities, technology, and resources that improve student-athlete experience and competitiveness.
Required Qualifications
Minimum 4-5 years of progressive leadership in intercollegiate athletics.
Demonstrated experience in:
Student-athlete retention strategies
Sponsorship development and external partnerships
Budget management and staff leadership
NCAA compliance and governance
Strong organizational, communication, and strategic planning skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree
Physical Demands Special Conditions for Eligibility Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action McMurry University is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the university community and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, disability or veteran status, in employment or the provision of services, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also prohibited pursuant to University policy.
Supplemental Questions Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
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This role requires a leader who can align athletics with the University’s strategic goals, strengthen enrollment and retention through athletics, grow sponsorship and donor partnerships, and build an organized, transparent, and highly communicative department culture.
1. Student Retention, Experience & Success
Partner with Enrollment, Student Life, Academic Affairs, and Retention teams to use athletics as a strategic driver for student recruitment, persistence, and graduation.
Establish retention metrics for student-athletes (term-to-term retention, GPA , eligibility, graduation rates, transfer-out tracking).
Oversee academic support, eligibility monitoring, and early alert interventions for student-athletes.
Promote holistic development of student-athletes through leadership, career readiness, and life-skills programming.
Ensure coaches serve as retention partners, not just recruiters, through training, accountability, and shared goals.
Build systems for tracking student-athlete engagement, progress, and concerns across all sports.
Develop and execute a comprehensive athletics revenue strategy, including:
Corporate sponsorships
Game-day advertising
Naming rights
NIL /collective partnerships (where applicable)
Alumni and donor engagement
Cultivate relationships with local, regional, and national sponsors.
Partner with Advancement and Marketing to grow athletic giving, sponsorship visibility, and donor pipelines.
Lead development of annual athletics fundraising goals and sponsorship targets in collaboration with Institutional Advancement.
Ensure all sponsorships align with McMurry’s mission, values, and compliance requirements.
3. Organizational Leadership & Department Management
Provide leadership to all athletic staff, ensuring clarity of roles, expectations, performance standards, and accountability.
Build a culture of organization, documentation, follow-through, and continuous improvement.
Oversee departmental budgeting, forecasting, purchasing, and financial controls.
Establish clear operational workflows for scheduling, travel, facilities usage, event management, and communication.
Evaluate staffing models, coaching structures, and sport offerings to ensure sustainability and compliance.
4. Communication & Campus Alignment
Serve as the primary athletics liaison to University leadership, faculty, student life, enrollment, marketing, and compliance.
Provide clear, timely, and transparent communication to:
Student-athletes
Parents and families
Campus stakeholders
Conference and NCAA partners
Coaches
Regularly present data, progress reports, and strategic updates to Cabinet and senior leadership.
Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to elevate the McMurry athletics brand.
5. Compliance, Governance & Risk Management
Ensure full compliance with NCAA, conference, federal, and institutional regulations.
Oversee Title IX equity, roster management, scholarship/aid models, and program expansion.
Maintain audit-ready documentation, eligibility records, and compliance training.
Proactively identify and mitigate institutional and reputational risk.
6. Competitive Excellence & Program Growth
Support coaches in recruiting, player development, and competitive strategy.
Evaluate sport offerings, facilities, staffing, and budgets to support sustainable growth.
Advocate for facilities, technology, and resources that improve student-athlete experience and competitiveness.
Required Qualifications
Minimum 4-5 years of progressive leadership in intercollegiate athletics.
Demonstrated experience in:
Student-athlete retention strategies
Sponsorship development and external partnerships
Budget management and staff leadership
NCAA compliance and governance
Strong organizational, communication, and strategic planning skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree
Physical Demands Special Conditions for Eligibility Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action McMurry University is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the university community and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, disability or veteran status, in employment or the provision of services, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also prohibited pursuant to University policy.
Supplemental Questions Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
#J-18808-Ljbffr