Executive Director, Sports Business Program- McDonough School of Business
About The Position
The Executive Director will lead the Sports Business Program at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, driving its mission to shape business education through the lens of sports. The Executive Director will launch a 9-credit undergraduate fellowship and scale a first-of-its-kind program that blends academic rigor, industry engagement, and undergraduate business student development, serving as both architect and public face of a nationally distinctive program. Unlike traditional sports management programs that focus on athletic-oriented operations, Georgetown McDonough’s Sports Business Program will emphasize the global business of sports - finance, strategy, marketing, governance, analytics, and media. Backed by alumni philanthropy, the program aims to become a distinctive hub for learning and industry connections. The Executive Director will build and lead the team, design curricular and co-curricular offerings, and implement a strategic growth plan. The Executive Director will have deep sports industry experience and connections, familiarity with business education, and a track record of engaging high-level, senior stakeholders. This entrepreneurial leader will lay the foundation for long-term impact and elevate Georgetown’s presence at the intersection of sports and business while also acting as a thought.
Requirements
- A minimum of a Master’s degree is required.
- At least 10+ years of professional experience in the sports industry, with a demonstrated track record of leadership, partnership development, and strategic execution.
- Experience teaching or working in a business school or higher education setting (a non-tenure or adjunct faculty capacity is acceptable)
- Proven ability to develop and manage academic or co-curricular programs, including experience with staffing, budgeting, and program growth.
- Strong network within the sports business ecosystem (ideally globally and across multiple sports), with the ability to engage executives in sports finance, strategy, marketing, governance, analytics, and media, teams, leagues, agencies, and other industry leaders in support of student opportunities and program advancement.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively with senior university administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors.
- Entrepreneurial mindset, with a demonstrated ability to build new initiatives from the ground up and operate in a start-up environment within a larger institution.
- Commitment to values-based education and to examining the social, ethical, and policy impact of sports
- Commitment to the values of Georgetown University, including service to others, ethical leadership, and inclusion.
Nice To Haves
- An MBA, JD, PhD, or another graduate degree in a related field (e.g., Sports Management, Higher Education, Business Administration) is strongly preferred
- Experience in donor relations, or working with advancement teams is highly desirable.
Responsibilities
- Cultivating and maintaining relationships with key individuals, alumni, franchises, leagues, and sports-adjacent organizations in the sports industry to create pipelines for internships, full-time employment, and experiential learning opportunities for students
- Leading strategic initiatives to advance the growth, visibility, and impact of the Sports Business Program, aligning activities with Georgetown McDonough’s mission and priorities
- Overseeing day-to-day operations of the program, including budget management, partnering with HR to determine staffing needs, and resource allocation, in alignment with the program’s strategic goals and the broader mission of Georgetown McDonough
- Serving as the primary liaison with both internal stakeholders (faculty, staff, university leadership) and external partners (donors, alumni, industry executives), ensuring clear, consistent, and strategic communication
Benefits
- Georgetown University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, retirement savings, tuition assistance, work-life balance benefits, employee discounts and an array of voluntary insurance options.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
