Executive Director, Sports and Recreation

Overview

Job Title: Executive Director, Sports and Recreation

Location: Kennesaw, Georgia

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Job ID:

About Us Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower over 50,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university\'s vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia. We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision. Come Take Flight at KSU!

Location (Primary Job Responsibilities)

The position will work out of our Kennesaw campus located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 and our Marietta campus located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Sports and Recreation leads and oversees recreation services, club sports, and facilities management. This role involves strategic planning, budget oversight, fundraising, and ensuring safety and risk management. The Executive Director also fosters campus and community partnerships, supports student success, and enhances the university\'s mission through innovative programming, outreach, and facility management.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Offers strategic guidance to ensure alignment with the university-wide strategic plan in developing and delivering programs and services.
• Ensures compliance with divisional, university, local, state, and national policies, regulations, and standards, encompassing fiscal management, risk management, business continuity, facility operations, assessment, talent management, marketing, and student-focused membership services.
• Provides administrative oversight for departmental operations, including budget planning, resource allocation, fiscal controls, personnel management, department-wide evaluation and assessment, and establishing and reviewing policies, processes, and procedures.
• Leads the department\'s leadership team to foster collaboration, encourage innovative problem solving, strengthen departmental relationships, and promote equitable treatment of staff.
• Supervise and manage a comprehensive multimillion-dollar budget aligned with university and divisional strategic priorities, ensuring financial sustainability through effective monitoring, expense control, forecasting, and risk management while maintaining transparency and accountability.
• Oversees and manages Public-Private Venture (PPV) projects, including proforma assumptions, deferred maintenance planning, capital replacement planning, Facility Condition Assessment Reports, annual business plans, and budget submissions to the Board of Regents.
• Designs and implement a departmental assessment plan utilizing diverse reporting and data analysis methods to align programs and services with student needs, enhance divisional success, and contribute to university goals such as retention, graduation, and progression.
• Ensures high-performance standards, achievement of departmental goals, and quality outcomes while fostering professional growth for staff.
• Oversees hiring, retention, employee recognition, conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, and terminations while also supervising staff in their day-to-day responsibilities.
• Collaborates with the divisional development director to oversee fundraising activities, assess needs and resources, identify new funding opportunities, strategize grant proposals, and build relationships with community stakeholders and donors.
• Develops and manages recreational programs that address the needs of both the campus and the local community. Partner with local organizations to create joint initiatives and events that enhance community engagement and promote well-being, thereby increasing the visibility and impact of campus recreation programming at KSU.
• Supports additional divisional priorities and initiatives beyond the department\'s scope, as needed.

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements

Bachelor\'s degree from an accredited institution of higher education in sports management, recreation management, higher education, public administration, or any field appropriate to the work.

Required Experience

Eight (8) years of managerial-level experience within a campus recreation organization, including experience with multiple facilities and programs, staff supervision, budget management, fundraising, and recruitment in recreational management or a related field.

Other Required Qualifications

Current, valid and unrestricted driver\'s license

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications

CPR/AED and First Aid Certified

National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Member

Preferred Educational Qualifications

An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in Recreation, Park, Tourism Sciences, and/or Leisure Studies, Higher Education, or a comparable academic discipline is preferred.

Abilities, Knowledge, and Skills

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Ability to develop and implement effective strategic plans and recreational programs.
• Ability to implement time management strategies so tasks and responsibilities are completed within the assigned deadlines.
• Ability to successfully interact with a complex and dynamic community comprised of individuals/groups from an array of backgrounds, identities, experiences, and communication styles.
• Ability to recognize and protect confidential information and exercise judgment, tact, and diplomacy in handling sensitive information and situations.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with colleagues from across campus, student representatives, and campus departments in reviewing established procedures, discussing improvements, solving problems, and following through implementing solutions.
• Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one time while meeting assigned deadlines.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the importance of health, wellness, recreation, competitive sport, and fitness to a campus community and the theories, principles, and practices of student development and higher education administration.
• Understand and apply NIRSA best practices and Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) to work.
• Knowledge and understanding of industry standards for personnel, equipment, and facilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to teamwork, development, operational excellence, customer service, ethical leadership, and continuing education.

Skills

• Strong organizational, fiscal, and relationship-building skills.
• Successful track record in fundraising and securing financial support for campus programs.
• Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving, independent judgment, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management, and presentation skills.
• Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite).
• Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills.
• Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette.

USG Core Values and Equal Employment Opportunity

The University System of Georgia is comprised of 25 institutions of higher education and the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at the USG policy manual.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at the USG policy manual.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Kennesaw State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University prohibits harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment, pregnancy, and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran or military status. For more information or to file a complaint, contact the Office of Institutional Equity.

Other Information

• This is a supervisory position.
• This position has financial responsibilities.
• This position will be required to drive.
• This role is considered a position of trust.
• This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
• This position may travel 25% - 49% of the time.

Background Check

Final candidates will be required to consent to a criminal background investigation per USG policy. A disclosure of criminal history may be requested during screening. Applicants for positions of trust with screening results that disqualify will be disqualified. All applicants must include professional references. Some positions may require motor vehicle report, credit check, pre-employment drug screening and/or verification of credentials. See USG policy for details.

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