Director of Athletics

New Trier Township HSD 203•Winnetka, IL

About The Position

The Director of Athletics provides strategic and educational leadership for New Trier’s comprehensive interscholastic and intramural athletic program, one of the state’s largest and most accomplished high school athletic programs. The Director fosters a culture of excellence supporting student growth, well-being, leadership, sportsmanship, and achievement. The role ensures the program reflects the District’s motto, “To commit minds to inquiry, hearts to compassion, and lives to the service of humanity,” and aligns with the District’s Strategic Plan, values, and educational goals. The Director collaborates with students, coaches, faculty, administrators, families, and community partners to sustain athletic excellence and strengthen student opportunities and experiences. The Director leads program strategy and continuous improvement; promotes safe, welcoming, inclusive, and educational student experiences; recruits, supervises, develops, and evaluates coaches and staff; and oversees health, safety, compliance, operations, facilities, and resources. The position serves as a member of the Winnetka Campus Leadership Team and Admin Council and contributes to District and campus priorities beyond athletics. The role reports to the Winnetka Campus Principal and supervises Assistant Athletic Directors, the Athletic Training Manager, Head Coaches, Equipment Managers, Department Assistants, and the Strength & Conditioning Manager.

Requirements

Master’s or advanced degree.
Valid Illinois Professional Educator License with General Administrative or Principal Endorsement.
Qualified Evaluator Certification, or ability to obtain it.
Successful experience in educational leadership, athletic administration, coaching, or leadership of a comprehensive student program.
Knowledge of IHSA requirements, applicable laws and regulations, student safety, and best practices in educational athletics.
Demonstrated success supervising, developing, and evaluating staff and coaches.
Ability to lead complex programs, manage resources, use data to inform decisions, and engage in strategic and long-range planning.
Commitment to student development, educational excellence, equitable opportunity, and a positive student experience.
Ability to align team cultures with the vision, values, and philosophy of the athletic program.
Exceptional communication, collaboration, organizational, presentational, and interpersonal skills.
Adeptness using Student Information Systems and scheduling technology systems.

Nice To Haves

Significant athletic leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Provide vision and strategic leadership for the District’s comprehensive interscholastic and intramural athletic program, aligning its philosophy and priorities with New Trier’s mission, Strategic Plan, values, and educational goals.
Develop and communicate the athletic program’s vision and philosophy, including a method to measure implementation across sports; set short- and long-range priorities and evaluate progress and effectiveness.
Sustain a culture of excellence and evaluate athletic offerings using enrollment, participation, student interests and feedback, program reviews, facilities, staffing, and other evolving needs.
Benchmark the program against exemplary practices in educational athletics and use data to guide continuous improvement.
Serve on the Winnetka Campus Leadership Team and Admin Council and contribute to District and campus priorities beyond athletics.
Gather and use feedback from students, coaches, and parents to assess experiences and identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Promote athletic achievement and academic engagement; provide high-quality opportunities for students at all skill levels, including support for students pursuing collegiate athletics.
Foster safe, welcoming, inclusive, respectful athletic environments that promote connection and belonging, and encourage student voice and leadership.
Collaborate with teachers, advisers, counselors, student support personnel, and administrators to support student-athletes’ academic success and well-being.
Lead student-athlete development initiatives and support programs such as Student Athlete Leadership Training (SALT).
Recruit, select, recommend, supervise, develop, and evaluate coaches and athletic personnel in collaboration with administrators and Human Resources.
Maintain continuity of coaching and athletic leadership through succession planning and professional development; establish expectations for coaching excellence grounded in the District’s educational mission.
Develop head coaches’ leadership capacity and hold them accountable for program culture, student experience, alignment with the athletic philosophy, staff development, training, communication, sportsmanship, and competitive integrity.
Oversee coach orientation, professional learning, mentoring, supervision, feedback, and evaluation; foster collaboration and shared learning among coaches and athletic staff.
Ensure coaches and staff meet District expectations for student safety, professional conduct, inclusion, and appropriate relationships with students; address personnel and performance matters with the Principal and Human Resources.
Supervise and evaluate assigned certified and non-certified personnel according to District procedures and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
Lead a comprehensive approach to student-athlete health, safety, and risk management; ensure compliance with IHSA requirements, Board policies, laws and regulations, conference requirements, mandated training, District procedures, eligibility requirements, equitable athletic opportunity, and Title IX.
Collaborate with athletic trainers, medical professionals, administrators, and coaches on injury prevention and response, emergency action planning, concussion management, return-to-play requirements, and student well-being.
Establish and communicate appropriate safety and emergency protocols for athletic venues, practices, competitions, and travel; ensure coaches complete required state and local training, including CPR/AED, sudden cardiac arrest, and concussion management certification.
Maintain athletic environments free from hazing, harassment, bullying, discrimination, intimidation, and other conduct inconsistent with District expectations; respond to significant concerns and advise District leadership on compliance and risk management.
Establish an effective organizational structure and clear accountability for athletic administrators, coaches, trainers, and support staff.
Supervise the Assistant Athletic Director and other athletic administrators, delegating day-to-day scheduling, transportation, officials, facilities, event staffing, tournaments, and other operations.
Oversee District athletic programs and operations, including summer and other District-sponsored athletic programs.
Develop, recommend, administer, and monitor the athletic budget in alignment with District priorities and financial procedures; allocate staffing, equipment, supplies, facilities, and other resources responsibly and equitably.
Collaborate with Business Services and other District departments on financial procedures and stewardship of athletic resources.
Provide strategic leadership for the use, condition, improvement, and long-term needs of athletic facilities; work with District leadership and Physical Plant Services to prioritize facility and capital needs.
Develop long-range plans for athletic facilities, equipment, technology, and other resources needed to sustain a high-quality program.
Serve as the principal spokesperson and advocate for New Trier Athletics; communicate effectively, promptly, and transparently with students, families, coaches, faculty, administrators, alumni, and community members.
Celebrate student-athlete, coach, and team accomplishments while reinforcing the athletic program’s educational purpose and values.
Set communication expectations for athletic administrators and coaches and provide professional learning to support them.
Maintain productive relationships with the New Trier Booster Club, New Trier Swim Club, youth athletic organizations, and other community partners.
Serve as the District’s primary liaison to the IHSA and Central Suburban League and represent New Trier in conference and state-level athletic matters.
Engage with professional organizations, including the Illinois Athletic Directors Association and National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
Collaborate with District Communications and represent New Trier professionally with schools, officials, media, community organizations, and other external partners.
Stay current on research, policy developments, legal requirements, participation trends, technology, and promising practices in educational athletics.
Maintain and annually review athletic policies, handbooks, procedures, and expectations for students, families, coaches, and staff.
Keep the Principal and District leadership informed about program performance, significant issues, emerging needs, risks, and opportunities.
Pursue ongoing professional growth and development; participate in District and campus committees and leadership initiatives as assigned.
Perform other duties consistent with the position’s scope and responsibilities as assigned by the Winnetka Campus Principal or Superintendent.