Director of Athletics

NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS
Director of Athletics

Department of Intercollegiate Athletics 
Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) athletic programs compete at the NCAA Division II level.  NNU is a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) which is comprised of the following ten members: University of Alaska-Anchorage, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Central Washington University, Montana State University-Billings, Northwest Nazarene University, Saint Martin's University, Seattle Pacific University, Simon Fraser University, Western Oregon University, and Western Washington University.  NNU offers the following eight sports for women: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.  NNU offers the following seven sports for men: baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and track & field (indoor and outdoor).

Description of Position

The Director of Athletics (AD) is responsible for the leadership of an NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program, overseeing a Department consisting of fifteen programs, with over 35 coaches, 285 student-athletes, and eight administrators.  The AD is will provide visionary and strategic leadership to coaches and athletic administrators in order to promote the development of spiritual formation and leadership, academic excellence, athletic competitiveness, and community engagement in student-athletes.  The AD is also responsible for developing community engagement, enlisting alumni support, fostering strategic partnerships, pursuing fundraising activities, and administering the overall athletic budget, recruiting and managing coaches and departmental staff, as well as serving as a campus and community leader representing NNU’s mission, values, and vision.  

The position is a 12-month, full-time exempt position that is a member of the President’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and reports to the Vice President for Student Life and, additionally, to the President with regard to strategic issues.
     
Essential Functions

Leadership and Administration

• Embrace and promote the mission of NNU as an institution centered in Jesus Christ, as well as its values of transformation, truth, community, and service, and lead the Department in accordance with those standards.
• Oversee the continued development and implementation of the Athletic Department’s mission statement and values to foster transformation of the whole person and achieve sustained athletic, academic, and fiscal success.
• Supervise recruiting and hiring of all personnel within the Department.
• Provide oversight, training, leadership, and accountability for Department personnel while promoting a respectful, ethical, and collaborative environment.
• Promote and prioritize student-athlete well-being related to spiritual development, academics, competition, and physical, mental, and social health.
• Exhibit multicultural competency and promote as much in the Department.
• Develop and implement strategic financial and budgetary plans in accordance with the comprehensive plan and objectives of the University.
• Approve budget appropriation for each program and maintain oversight to ensure the sustainability, efficiency, and fiscal integrity of the Department.
• Represent the Athletic Department at SLT meetings, and council and committee meetings, while simultaneously seeking the best decisions for the University as a whole.
• Oversee the continued development and implementation of the Athletics facilities master plan, in conjunction with the University’s overall master plan.
• Ensure the Department’s compliance with all University, NCAA, and GNAC policies and rules, and all applicable state and federal regulations, including ensuring equality of opportunity for male and female student-athletes by keeping informed of legal requirements and monitoring and assessing related Department data.
• Oversee and provide coordination for NNU’s Club Men’s Lacrosse team.
• Oversee the maintenance and improvement of all Athletics facilities in conjunction with Sodexo Facilities staff.
• Oversee management of the 80+ home athletic events as well as various other yearly Athletics events, including the Hall of Fame induction activities, Homecoming, and the yearly Athletics award ceremony.
• Collaborate with the NNU Offices of Admissions, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Financial Aid, Finance and Operations, University Advancement and others in order to best serve student-athletes and for the Athletic Department to best serve the University as a whole.

Fundraising and Public Relations

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising program to generate community, corporate, alumni, and other booster support to meet baseline fundraising targets and secure funding for capital projects and facility improvements in accordance with the Department master plan and priorities.
• Collaborate on and provide leadership for effective marketing and promotional programs to increase and diversify revenue sources for the Department as well as strategies to promote donor and alumni involvement and support of Athletics, including via the Nighthawk Athletic Association and other avenues.
• Build relationships with donor and donor prospects through regular face-to-face visits, calls, emails, and mailings, including via the NNU Athletics Advisory Committee.
• Effectively collaborate with head coaches to develop and implement strategies for successfully reaching fundraising targets and completion of initiatives .
• Organize and effectively execute the Department’s annual Legends Golf Tournament, as well as other Department promotional and fundraising events and gatherings.
• Serve as an advocate and public spokesperson for intercollegiate athletics with alumni, donors, the community and the media, championing NNU’s presence as an outstanding Christian university located in the heart of the Treasure Valley and the only NCAA Div. II institution in Idaho.
• Work cooperatively and communicate effectively with the entire campus community, including students, faculty, administrators, staff, and parents.
• Represent NNU Athletics at GNAC, NCAA, and other external meetings and advocate for the best interests of the program.

Minimum Qualifications

• Committed Christian with a history of being a committed participant in a local church fellowship
• Passion for and understanding of Christian higher education
• Demonstrated ability to model spiritual leadership and encourage the same in Department personnel
• Earned Bachelor’s degree
• At least five years’ head coaching and/or senior administrative experience in intercollegiate athletics
• Ability to provide professional, executive-level strategic leadership, recommendations, and decisions that support the Department’s viability and fulfillment of its mission within the University as a whole
• Outstanding interpersonal, relationship building, and communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Demonstrated ability in fundraising, public relations, and fiscal management
• Ability to make difficult decisions and problem-solve under stressful conditions
• High motivation and commitment to the University, organizational skills, the ability to self-start, be calm under pressure, meet deadlines, work without direct supervision, multi-task, problem solve, and relate to a variety of personalities under diverse circumstances     
• The University requires that all staff members be Christians (preferably in the Wesleyan tradition), and must be comfortable with and in agreement with the mission and lifestyle values of NNU and be willing to help advance the spiritual goals of the University.

Preferred Qualifications

• Earned Master’s and/or Doctoral degree in a field of study relevant to the position      
• Head coaching and/or athletics administrative experience at an NCAA institution
• Experience in Christian higher education
• A current member of the Church of the Nazarene or, if not already, a willingness to embrace and actively participate in a local Church of the Nazarene