Director of Athletics

Drew University•Madison, NJ

10h•$125,000 - $135,000•Onsite

About The Position

Drew University seeks an approachable, visionary, and people-centered leader to serve as its next Director of Athletics. The Director provides vision, leadership, and day-to-day oversight for a comprehensive NCAA Division III program, with 25 varsity teams competing in the Landmark Conference. The Director of Athletics also serves as the department chair and works with Academic Affairs in directing the University's physical education department. Campus Recreation, Club Sports, and Intramurals indirectly report to the Director through an Associate Athletic Director. The Director is a visible campus leader who connects athletics to Drew's academic mission, advocates for the department with senior leadership, stewards its people and resources, and keeps student-athlete well-being at the center of every decision. The next Director will build on a strong, close-knit departmental culture while raising the program’s ambition, visibility, and support for coaches, student-athletes, and teams. A signature near-term opportunity is to help establish academic credit for the leadership students develop through athletic participation, a concrete expression of Drew's conviction that participation in athletics and the classroom reinforce one another.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree.
Several years of progressively responsible leadership experience in athletics administration or an equivalent field, including supervision of staff, budget management, and program oversight.
A demonstrated commitment to student-athlete well-being, equity, and the Division III philosophy of education through athletics.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, with a track record of building trust.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree.
Experience in collegiate athletics, ideally NCAA Division III or a comparable liberal-arts setting.
A record of success in fundraising and alumni or external engagement.
Experience leading physical education, recreation, or wellness programming.
Familiarity with academic–athletic integration and curricular collaboration with faculty.
Working knowledge of NCAA compliance and conference governance.

Responsibilities

Set and clearly communicate an ambitious vision for Drew Athletics aligned with the University's mission and strategic plan, with measurable goals and milestones.
Develop and lead a multi-year strategic plan for the department, developed with broad input from coaches, staff, student-athletes, alumni, and campus partners.
Make timely, transparent decisions and communicate them openly across the department and university.
Keep student-athlete well-being, physical, mental, and academic, at the center of departmental decisions.
Champion a meaningful student-athlete voice: partner with SAAC, which is currently advised by the Senior Women's Administrator.
Protect the academic–athletic balance, including support for travel and competition without academic penalty, and partner with faculty to build shared understanding of the demands student-athletes carry.
Partner with the Faculty Athletics Representative to assist student athletes in success.
Steward athlete-focused spaces, equipment, and resources so they reliably serve the students who depend on them.
Celebrate student-athlete achievement and grow school spirit, promotion, and attendance across every program.
Recruit, develop, support, and retain a strong, stable coaching staff and administrative team.
Establish mentorship, onboarding, professional development, and clear, ongoing performance evaluation that looks beyond wins and losses to culture, recruiting, retention, and the student-athlete experience.
Give coaches clear expectations and recruitment and retention goals with the autonomy to lead their programs, while remaining accessible, engaged, and consistent in how conflicts are handled.
Direct the University's physical education department, overseeing course and program offerings that promote health, skill development, and lifelong wellness across the campus community.
Finalize the implementation of the Leadership in Athletics academic initiative.
Serve as a bridge between athletics and the faculty, cultivating shared ownership of student-athlete success and integrating athletics into the broader educational experience.
Lead the department's fundraising and donor engagement, partnering with advancement and the Blue & Green Club to grow philanthropic support, including sport-specific giving.
Cultivate alumni and former student-athletes through storytelling, events, and proactive relationship management, engaging coaches as partners in outreach to their own constituencies.
Elevate the visibility and brand of Drew Athletics across campus, the community, and prospective-student audiences, advancing enrollment, engagement, and school pride.
Ensure full compliance with NCAA Division III, Landmark Conference, Title IX, and institutional policies, advising senior leadership on related governance.
Allocate resources equitably across programs based on need, preserving fairness so that no sport is advantaged over others.
Represent Drew in conference and NCAA governance regionally and nationally.
Alongside the Assistant Athletic Director for Business Operations, the Director manages the department's budget with integrity and transparency, optimizing financial and human resources to maximize program impact.
Oversee athletics and physical education facilities, including the Simon Forum, Doc Young Field, Ranger Stadium, and lead fair, reliable scheduling and shared-space coordination.
Partner on game-day and event operations that serve student-athletes and fans well.
Advocate effectively for athletics and physical education with senior administration and across campus, particularly in resource discussions.
Build strong working relationships across admissions and enrollment, advancement, student life, academic affairs, finance, and facilities.
Partner with admissions and coaches on student-athlete recruitment aligned with Drew's enrollment goals.