Assistant Director of Internal Operations - Athletics

James Madison University • Harrisonburg, VA

2d

About The Position

At James Madison University (JMU), we’re more than just a publicly funded
institution — we’re a vibrant, welcoming community located on a stunning campus
where innovation, collaboration, and personal growth thrive. Our mission is to
prepare students for a bright future, and we believe that starts with supporting
the people who make it all possible: our employees.

James Madison University, a Division I member of the NCAA and Sun Belt
Conference, the Duke Club is seeking an Assistant Director of Internal
Operations to work within a highly competitive program. The position will work
collaboratively with the Director of Internal Operations & Events to execute
highly effective marketing, communications, and stewardship plans, including
event execution, throughout the year. This position represents the Duke Club in
all facets, providing high caliber experiences to donors of all levels, ensuring
the communication to them is done consistently and effectively. This is a
full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• Professional experience in Collegiate Athletics.
• Professional experience working in marketing, communication, or event planning.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office is required.
• Possess excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to perform detail-oriented, creative work with little supervision.
• Experience working in a team environment and must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with collegiate fundraising experience or previous experience supervising student or part-time employees would be beneficial.
• Experience with Adobe suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premier) would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the development and stewardship of the Student Duke Club, Letterwinner, and Young Alumni Programs through research driven engagement, consistent stewardship, and ongoing evaluation to improve participation and member experience.
• Oversees the full stewardship strategy for Duke Club members and donors, ensuring timely communications, accurate data updates, on time recognition and benefit fulfillment, effective cross team collaboration, and continuous process improvements that enhance the donor experience.
• Assists with yearly marketing and communication strategy and identifies ongoing initiatives, collaborating with the Director of Internal Operations & Events while managing student staff to execute plans effectively, maintain alignment with stakeholders, and deliver high quality, on brand marketing materials.
• Oversees key digital systems (Paciolan, Affinaquest, Sidearm, Eloqua) to ensure accurate data, streamline workflows, support staff usage, and produce reliable integrations and reporting that enhance Duke Club operations.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with University, Athletics, and third party partners to streamline Duke Club initiatives, coordinate timely execution, resolve process issues, and ensure clear communication and alignment with organizational goals.
• Supports strategic planning and execution of major annual events—including Friday Night Flights and the Duke Club Golf Classic—while overseeing student staff, meeting planning milestones, communicating needs and updates, maintaining strong partner relationships, and ensuring accurate event documentation.
• Manages gameday operations for football and basketball, including premium spaces, ensuring they are event ready, delivering a high quality premium experience, resolving issues proactively, and supervising student and event staff to maintain consistent service standards.
• Supports the planning and execution of annual fundraising campaigns—including Diggin’ Dukes—by coordinating logistics, communications, and digital assets; collaborating with internal and external partners; completing assigned deliverables on schedule; and contributing to post campaign evaluation to inform future improvements

Benefits

• Generous Leave: Enjoy paid vacation, sick leave, parental leave, community service leave, and 19 paid holidays annually.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access high-quality health insurance options that fit your needs.
• Retirement Options: Plan for your future with retirement benefits through the Virginia Retirement System.
• Employee Well-Being: Our Balanced Dukes program promotes wellness and work-life integration through resources, events, and support.
• Tuition Waiver Program: Advance your education with our tuition waiver program for undergraduate and graduate courses taken at JMU.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed