Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations

California State University, Bakersfield • Bakersfield, CA

17h • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Athletics Director, Internal Operations/Senior Woman Administrator, under administrative direction of the Director of Athletics, serves as a key member of the Athletics leadership team with responsibility for developing, implementing, and overseeing a comprehensive NCAA compliance program while providing leadership for internal operations, sport administration, and student-athlete development initiatives. The position manages and monitors systems to ensure adherence to NCAA, conference, and institutional policies, and serves as a primary resource to coaches, staff, and student-athletes on compliance matters. In addition, the Associate Athletics Director provides operational oversight, supervises assigned staff, and contributes to strategic planning to promote efficiency, accountability, and risk management across Athletics. The role also functions as sport administrator for designated teams, supporting coaches and student-athletes to foster excellence, academic success, and well-being. As the institution’s Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) and a Big West conference liaison, the Associate Athletics Director represents the department and university in governance matters, advocating for gender equity, diversity, and inclusion, and ensuring effective communication with external stakeholders. The position further directs student-athlete development programming, providing leadership for initiatives that enhance life skills, leadership, and holistic student-athlete success.

Requirements

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business administration, sport management, or related field and five (5) years of progressive experience in athletics administration or compliance. Experience should include demonstrated leadership of initiatives, programs, or teams.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required.
• Comprehensive knowledge of NCAA rules, compliance processes, and athletics governance.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and educate others on complex regulations.
• Ability to oversee multiple functional areas (compliance, internal operations, student-athlete development) and effectively supervise professional staff.
• Skill in creating, implementing, and enforcing policies to ensure institutional integrity and mitigate NCAA/operational risks.
• Capacity to set priorities, align initiatives with institutional goals, and ensure operational excellence.
• Strong ability to serve as spokesperson, liaise with conference/NCAA bodies, and clearly convey policy guidance to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to advocate for gender equity, student-athlete welfare, and inclusive programming.
• Ability to assess compliance issues, conduct audits, evaluate student-athlete programs, and implement effective, practical solutions.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
• May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in business administration, sport management, or related field.
• Five (5) or more years of progressive experience in intercollegiate athletics at the Division I level.
• Direct experience with NCAA regulations.
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

• NCAA Compliance Oversee a comprehensive athletics compliance program that includes education, monitoring, and reporting related to NCAA legislation.
• Manage programming and technology related to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) activities.
• Serve as Executive Staff liaison to Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and provide leadership to solicit and receive feedback from student-athletes related to SAAC activities and Athletics-governance topics.
• Assist with reporting and distribution of athletically-related financial aid in accordance with applicable NCAA bylaws and institutional policies and procedures.
• Help coordinate institutional response and materials related to NCAA and conference action items.
• Conduct regular reviews and audits to monitor compliance with NCAA, conference, and university policies.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for interpreting and communicating NCAA rules to coaches, staff, and student athletes.
• Conduct regular workshops, training sessions, and informational meetings to keep stakeholders informed about rule changes and interpretations.
• Establish and maintain systems for monitoring and reporting on various compliance-related activities, including recruiting, financial aid, and playing and practice seasons.
• Generate and submit required reports to the NCAA and conference offices in a timely and accurate manner.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to address and resolve any identified compliance issues.
• Internal Operations Oversight Oversee daily internal operations of the athletics department to ensure smooth execution of departmental priorities.
• Provide leadership and coordination for departmental policies, procedures, and risk management practices in collaboration with campus partners.
• Supervise assigned internal operations staff, including setting performance expectations, conducting evaluations, and fostering professional development.
• Coordinate strategic planning and implementation of initiatives that improve efficiency, accountability, and operational excellence within Athletics.
• Serve as a member of the executive leadership team, collaborating on budget planning, resource allocation, and policy development for Athletics internal functions.
• Sports Administration Serve as the primary contact for day-to-day sport-specific activities of assigned teams.
• Serve as the primary contact for day-to-day sport-specific activities of assigned teams to provide leadership and strategic direction.
• Collaborate with coaches and assist with management of all elements of sport-specific operations to support student athletes, coaches, and staff of assigned teams.
• Foster a culture of excellence and sportsmanship within the athletics programs.
• Work with coaching staff to address and resolve issues related to student-athlete welfare, academic success, and behavior.
• Facilitate regular communication and collaboration among coaching staff, ensuring unified approach to the overall mission and values of the Athletics Department.
• Senior Woman Administrator & Conference Liaison Fulfill responsibilities of the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) as designated by the NCAA, ensuring that the interests of female student-athletes and staff are represented at the institutional and conference levels.
• Serve as a key point of contact with the conference office, attending meetings, representing CSUB on committees, and ensuring effective communication between the conference and the institution.
• Advocate for gender equity, diversity, and inclusion across Athletics programming, policy, and decision-making.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to staff and student-athletes with an emphasis on professional development, career advancement, and fostering inclusive excellence.
• Collaborate with the Director of Athletics and executive staff to shape and implement strategic initiatives that align with conference and NCAA priorities.
• Student-Athlete Development Oversight Oversee life skills, leadership academies, and transition programming for incoming and graduating student-athletes in alignment with NCAA and institutional expectations.
• Help assess and evaluate effectiveness of student-athlete development initiatives, using feedback and data to continuously enhance programming.

Benefits

• CSUB offers a best-in-class benefit package for eligible employees that includes an array of medical plans, choice of dental plans, vision coverage, retirement participation in CalPERS, CSU tuition waiver, up to 24 vacation days per year, sick leave with unlimited accrual, 15 paid holidays per year and more!
• See our benefits website for additional information.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager