Executive Director of Front Office Strategy and Operations

KANSAS ATHLETICS•Lawrence, KS

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Director of Front Office Strategy and Operations position serves as a senior executive leader within Kansas Athletics and acts as the Director of Athletics’ lead advisor on athlete compensation strategy, roster economics, resource allocation, front-office operations, and long-term competitive planning. The Executive Director of Front Office Strategy and Operations is a centralized front-office leadership position responsible for integrating football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and broader athletics resource strategies into one cohesive operational model.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Minimum 6 years of progressive leadership experience in collegiate athletics, professional sports, athlete representation, sports finance, player personnel, NIL, or related industries
Demonstrated experience in roster/resource management, athlete compensation strategy, contract negotiations, or front-office operations
Strong understanding of the evolving collegiate athletics environment, including NIL, transfer portal dynamics, and revenue-sharing structures
Familiarity with NCAA governance, conference operations, and athlete compensation structures
Excellent written, oral and inter-personal communication skills, and ability to work independently and work as part of a team
ability to handle multiple tasks
Ability to work an irregular schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree, law degree, MBA, or related advanced degree
Background in football or basketball operations, player personnel, salary-cap management, contract administration, analytics, or sports finance
Experience within Power Conference athletics or professional sports organizations

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior advisor and strategic partner to the Director of Athletics on roster economics, athlete compensation, resource allocation, and front-office operations
Develop long-term strategies related to revenue sharing, NIL alignment, roster planning, and financial sustainability
Develop and oversee sport-specific compensation frameworks and budget allocation strategies
Monitor revenue-share forecasting, scholarship allocation, retention risk, and future compensation exposure
Build centralized reporting systems and operational frameworks supporting student-athlete resource allocation and decision-making
Collaborate closely with the Football General Manager and personnel/recruiting leadership within men’s and women’s basketball
Establish communication cadence, reporting standards, and organizational workflows across player personnel ecosystems
Analyze market trends, peer benchmarks, transfer activity, and roster dynamics to support decision-making
Lead or assist in negotiations involving athlete agreements and compensation structures
Build and maintain relationships with agents, advisors, NIL representatives, and external stakeholders
Support coaches and personnel leaders in balancing competitive priorities with financial sustainability
Create unified analytics and reporting systems that provide leadership visibility into roster allocation, compensation exposure, scholarship utilization, and athlete retention
Develop KPIs related to compensation efficiency, roster planning, NIL alignment, and resource allocation
Strengthen workflows, communication structures, and operational discipline across athletics
Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture across Kansas Athletics’ front-office ecosystem
Lead organizational design initiatives related to athlete compensation and front-office operations
Represent Kansas Athletics professionally with external stakeholders, industry groups, and strategic partners
Other duties and responsibilities, as assigned by the Director of Athletics