Salary will be determined by the candidate’s educational background, experience and
preparation, and shall be based on comparative peer institution data. Full-time personnel are offered access to a benefits package including health, vision, and dental insurance for employee and family, life and disability insurance, flexible spending plan, tuition benefits, annual leave, sick leave, opportunities for professional development, and a retirement program.
Required Education:
4 Year Degree
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.
Additional 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
Because this is a member of the President's Senior Leadership Team, 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
Application Process
To be considered for this position, a complete application must be received. A complete application packet will include the following:
At NNU, you will discover a university with a century-long history of providing a transformational education that is committed to helping individuals elevate their God-given purpose as they live into our Here for Good promise. We believe an education is more than an intellectual pursuit; it is more than merely acquiring a degree to get a better job. At Northwest Nazarene University, we believe that a meaningful life is rooted in timeless values and empowered by a close-knit community that embodies these principles for each and every one of our students, staff, and faculty. Together, we realize our potential by committing to a life of service that transforms ourselves, our society, and the world.
Founded in 1913, Northwest Nazarene University is a comprehensive Christian university with over 80 undergraduate areas of study, 18 master’s degrees in six different disciplines, five Education Specialists degrees and two doctoral degrees. NNU has more than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 6,000 continuing education students and more than 10,000 high school students who participate in the University’s concurrent credit program. Our students are highly motivated and engaged. Th...ey tend to be well-rounded, often participating in athletics, music, student life and spiritual development—all while taking their academics seriously. NNU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), a regional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
NNU has a long and deep association with the Church of the Nazarene, and all University faculty and staff commit themselves to living out their faith in a community shaped by serious scholarship and Christian values.
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).
