Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine & Performance, Office of Athletic Training

Fort Hays State University•Hays, KS

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Fort Hays State University Athletics invites applications for the position of Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine & Performance. This senior leadership role offers the opportunity to lead an extensive team of highly skilled professionals within state-of-the-art sports medicine and sports performance facilities. The position provides strategic, administrative, and clinical oversight of all sports medicine, athletic training, sports performance, and student-athlete wellness operations in support of FHSU’s NCAA Division II and varsity intercollegiate athletics program. The Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine & Performance serves as a key member of the Department’s Administrative Leadership Team and is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining an elite, evidence-based, and student-centered sports medicine and performance model that supports the health, safety, performance, and holistic development of all Tiger student-athletes. This position carries institution-wide impact, influencing student-athlete success, risk management, staff development, development initiatives, community partnerships, and the overall culture of health, wellness, and performance across the athletics department and university. The successful candidate will be a transformational, thought leader who establishes and lives a culture of excellence, accountability, integrity, care, and collaboration; serves as an engaged mentor to staff and student-athletes; leads with a forward-thinking growth mindset grounded in best practice, innovation, and continual improvement; champions interprofessional collaboration within athletics, campus partners, and throughout the regional medical and wellness community; and demonstrates passion for building, sustaining, and advancing an elite NCAA Division II sports medicine and performance program.

Requirements

CAATE Accredited degree in Athletic Training.
BOC certified Athletic Trainer in good standing.
Current or Eligible for Athletic Training Licensure in the State of Kansas at the time of appointment.
Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in collegiate athletic training, with demonstrated supervisory or leadership responsibilities.
Athletic training experience across multiple sports, including high‑risk and high‑volume sports.
Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and oversee comprehensive sports medicine services, including injury prevention, evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and return‑to‑play protocols.
Demonstrated administrative and supervisory experience within a sports medicine or athletics healthcare setting, including: Policy and procedure development, Budget planning and fiscal oversight, Staffing models and coverage assignments, Risk management and medical best practice assurance.
Comprehensive working knowledge of NCAA Division II regulations, the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook, and applicable Interassociation Consensus Statements related to student‑athlete health and safety.
Demonstrated communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced collegiate environment.
Ability to collaborate effectively with athletic administrators, team physicians, sports performance staff, coaches, mental health professionals, and campus partners.
Demonstrated commitment to student‑athlete health, safety, and welfare, including adherence to NATA ethical standards and evidence‑based practice.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or Terminal degree in a sports medicine or sports performance related field.
NSCA Certified Performance & Sport Scientist (CPSS) certification.
Previous experience in sports performance.
Experience providing or overseeing sports performance services at a football sponsoring institution.
Comprehensive understanding of applied sports performance science, with the proven ability to support and guide the foundational and operational principles of a sports performance department.
Proven ability to provide administrative leadership and oversight for a comprehensive sports performance team.
Experience integrating sports performance models, including collaboration with strength and conditioning, nutrition, sports science, and wellness initiatives.
Knowledge of contemporary load monitoring, injury surveillance, and performance technology platforms commonly used in collegiate athletics.
Record of leadership within professional organizations, such as NCAA committees, NATA, NSCA, district or state athletic training or strength & conditioning associations.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior administrator within the FHSU Athletics Department, contributing to strategic planning, policy development, and departmental leadership initiatives.
Provide vision, direction, and operational oversight for both the Sports Medicine and the Sports Performance teams.
Develop, implement, and evaluate departmental policies, procedures, and protocols consistent with NCAA, MIAA, NATA, NSCA, institutional, and state regulations.
Oversee sports medicine and sports performance budgeting, purchasing, inventory control, and long-term resource planning.
Coordinate staffing models, scheduling, workload distribution, and performance evaluations.
Ensure comprehensive risk management, documentation, credential verification, and compliance practices.
Serve as a licensed, practicing sports medicine clinician, providing direct student-athlete care services as needed.
Oversee injury prevention, evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and return-to-play decision-making in collaboration with Team Physicians and allied healthcare providers.
Ensure adherence to NATA standards of practice, ethical guidelines, and evidence-based medical care.
Provide mentorship and clinical leadership to athletic trainers, hybrid ATC/CSCS staff, graduate assistants, and interns.
Provide administrative and strategic oversight of the Sports Performance program in alignment with NSCA and NCAA best practices.
Ensure seamless integration between sports performance, athletic training, coaching staffs, and medical providers.
Support data-informed approaches to student-athlete development, injury risk reduction, workload management, and performance outcomes.
Promote consistent standards, expectations, and collaboration across all teams.
Serve as the departmental leader for holistic student-athlete health and wellness, including physical, mental, and performance health.
Oversee education initiatives related to nutrition, hydration, recovery, mental health awareness, substance use, and overall well-being.
Collaborate with campus resources in Health and Wellness Services such as the Counseling Center, Student Health and Academic Accommodations along with the Wellness Center and academic partners.
Provide leadership for drug & alcohol testing programs and student-athlete education initiatives.
Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with Team Physicians and local/regional hospital systems Physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health, nutrition, and diagnostic imaging providers University partners across academic and health disciplines.
Serve as a liaison between Athletics, university administration, and external healthcare partners.
Promote an integrated care model that prioritizes communication, trust, and shared decision-making.
Actively participate in departmental development efforts and donor engagement initiatives in collaboration with Athletics Development staff.
Assist in securing resources, equipment, and professional development opportunities that elevate department capabilities and overall success.
Serve as a visible ambassador for Fort Hays State University Athletics within the community and profession.
Support camps, clinics, and educational initiatives aligned with departmental goals.
Recruit, hire, supervise, mentor, and evaluate professional staff, graduate assistants, interns, and student employees.
Foster a culture of learning, professional growth, and leadership development.
Encourage and support continuing education, credential advancement, and professional involvement (NATA, NSCA, NCAA).
Model ethical leadership, accountability, and lifelong learning.
Ensure full compliance with NCAA Division II, MIAA Conference, NATA, NSCA, state licensure, and institutional policies.
Maintain accurate medical records, performance documentation, and compliance reporting.
Lead education efforts related to health care policies, emergency action plans, concussion management, and risk mitigation.