Vice President/Director of Athletics

Marian University•Indianapolis, IN

About The Position

Marian University seeks an accomplished, strategic, and mission-centered senior institutional leader to direct its nationally competitive NAIA intercollegiate athletics program. The Vice President/Director of Athletics will advance Marian’s Catholic Franciscan mission and identity while promoting student success, formation, leadership, academic achievement, well-being, and competitive excellence. The role calls for a leader who will foster a culture in which student-athletes are students first and help them grow in character and prepare to lead and serve with purpose. The Vice President/Director of Athletics will develop and execute a long-term vision for Athletics aligned with competitive, academic, financial, enrollment, facilities, and institutional priorities. The leader will collaborate across the university, contribute to institutional strategy and decision-making, oversee financial and operational matters, build external relationships, and strengthen revenue and philanthropic support. The position also requires anticipating changes in intercollegiate athletics and positioning Marian Athletics to respond strategically. Marian University is a national doctoral research university serving more than 5,000 students, including over 740 student-athletes. The university is in its 175th year and is building on four consecutive years of record enrollment. Athletics is an important part of the university’s growth, visibility, student experience, and mission to form transformative leaders.

Requirements

Strong commitment to advancing Marian University’s Catholic Franciscan mission, identity, and Sponsorship Values.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a senior institutional leader and contribute to university-wide strategy, priorities, and decision-making.
Record of advancing academic achievement, student development, and competitive excellence.
Progressive leadership experience in intercollegiate athletics, higher education, sports administration, or a related field, with readiness to lead a complex and nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program.
Demonstrated success leading complex organizations and developing high-performing coaches, administrators, and teams.
Strong strategic, financial, and operational experience, including budgeting, resource allocation, facilities, compliance, and long-range planning.
Demonstrated success building relationships and generating support among donors, alumni, corporate and community partners, and other external stakeholders.
Experience with fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorships, partnerships, or other forms of resource and revenue development.
Strong communication, collaboration, judgment, integrity, accountability, and responsible stewardship.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Application requires a cover letter, current resume or CV, contact information for three professional references entered after application submission in the “My Presence” section, and responses to supplementary mission and identity questions.

Nice To Haves

Senior-level collegiate athletics experience is strongly preferred.
An advanced degree is preferred.
Advanced degree in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

Model Marian University’s Catholic Franciscan mission, identity, and Sponsorship Values, honoring the founding congregation’s legacy through transformative education, unity in diversity, leadership through service, integrating faith and life, and institutional policies.
Serve as a senior university leader and contribute to institutional strategy, priorities, and decision-making.
Develop and execute a long-term vision and strategy for Marian Athletics aligned with competitive, academic, financial, enrollment, facilities, and institutional priorities.
Prioritize student success, with high expectations for academic achievement, retention, graduation, well-being, leadership development, and preparation for life beyond Marian.
Advance competitive excellence while fostering integrity, sportsmanship, accountability, and responsible stewardship.
Recruit, develop, retain, and hold accountable coaches and staff who embrace Marian’s mission and advance student success and competitive excellence.
Partner across the university to advance student success, enrollment, mission, advancement, and other institutional priorities.
Partner with Enrollment Management and university leadership to support sustainable student-athlete recruitment and retention aligned with academic standards, enrollment strategy, and student-success expectations.
Provide financial and operational leadership across budgeting, scholarships, facilities, compliance, risk management, resource allocation, and long-range planning.
Grow philanthropic and earned revenue through donor and alumni engagement, sponsorships, strategic partnerships, events, and other opportunities.
Represent Marian Athletics and build relationships with students, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, sponsors, community leaders, conference partners, and the broader community.
Anticipate changes in intercollegiate athletics, governance, student-athlete expectations, technology, revenue models, and competitive dynamics, and position Marian to respond strategically.
Perform work hours necessary to meet job requirements; manage absences responsibly; comply with university policies and practices and seek clarification when necessary.