Executive Director, Sports and Recreation

About Us

Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower over 50,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university's vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia . We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision . Come Take Flight at KSU!

Location

(Primary Location for Job Responsibilities) The position will work out of our Kennesaw campus located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 and our Marietta campus located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Sports and Recreation leads and oversees recreation services, club sports, and facilities management. This role involves strategic planning, budget oversight, fundraising, and ensuring safety and risk management. The Executive Director also fosters campus and community partnerships, supports student success, and enhances the university's mission through innovative programming, outreach, and facility management.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Offers strategic guidance to ensure alignment with the university-wide strategic plan in developing and delivering programs and services.
2. Ensures compliance with divisional, university, local, state, and national policies, regulations, and standards, encompassing fiscal management, risk management, business continuity, facility operations, assessment, talent management, marketing, and student-focused membership services.
3. Provides administrative oversight for departmental operations, including budget planning, resource allocation, fiscal controls, personnel management, department-wide evaluation and
assessment, and establishing and reviewing policies, processes, and procedures.
4. Leads the department's leadership team to foster collaboration, encourage innovative problem solving, strengthen departmental relationships, and promote equitable treatment of staff.
5. Supervise and manage a comprehensive multimillion-dollar budget aligned with university and divisional strategic priorities, ensuring financial sustainability through effective monitoring, expense control, forecasting, and risk management while maintaining transparency and
accountability.
6. Oversees and manages Public-Private Venture (PPV) projects, including proforma assumptions, deferred maintenance planning, capital replacement planning, Facility Condition Assessment Reports, annual business plans, and budget submissions to the Board of Regents.
7. Designs and implement a departmental assessment plan utilizing diverse reporting and data analysis methods to align programs and services with student needs, enhance divisional success, and contribute to university goals such as retention, graduation, and progression.
8. Ensures high-performance standards, achievement of departmental goals, and quality outcomes while fostering professional growth for staff.
9. Oversees hiring, retention, employee recognition, conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, and terminations while also supervising staff in their day-to-day responsibilities
10. Collaborates with the divisional development director to oversee fundraising activities, assess needs and resources, identify new funding opportunities, strategize grant proposals, and build relationships with community stakeholders and donors.
11. Develops and manage recreational programs that address the needs of both the campus and the local community. Partner with local organizations to create joint initiatives and events that enhance community engagement and promote well-being, thereby increasing the visibility and impact of campus recreation programming at KSU.
12. Supports additional divisional priorities and initiatives beyond the department's scope, as needed.

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in sports management, recreation management, higher education, public administration, or any field appropriate to the work.

Required Experience
Eight (8) years of managerial-level experience within a campus recreation organization, including experience with multiple facilities and programs, staff supervision, budget management, fundraising, and recruitment in recreational management or a related field.

Other Required Qualifications
Current, valid and unrestricted driver's license

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications
CPR/AED and First Aid Certified
National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Member

Preferred Educational Qualifications
An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in Recreation, Park, Tourism Sciences, and/or Leisure Studies, Higher Education, or a comparable academic discipline is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
Ability to develop and implement effective strategic plans and recreational programs.
Ability to implement time management strategies so tasks and responsibilities are completed within the assigned deadlines
Ability to successfully interact with a complex and dynamic community comprised of individuals/groups from an array of backgrounds, identities, experiences, and communication styles
Ability to recognize and protect confidential information and exercise judgment, tact, and diplomacy in handling sensitive information and situations.
Ability to work and communicate effectively with colleagues from across campus, student representatives, and campus departments in reviewing established procedures, discussing improvements, solving problems, and following through implementing solutions
Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one-time while meeting assigned deadlines

KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of the importance of health, wellness, recreation, competitive sport, and fitness to a campus community and the theories, principles, and practices of student development and higher education administration.
Understand and apply NIRSA best practices and Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) to work
Knowledge and understanding of industry standards for personnel, equipment, and facilities
Demonstrated commitment to teamwork, development, operational excellence, customer service, ethical leadership, and continuing education.

SKILLS
Strong organizational, fiscal, and relationship-building skills.
Successful track record in fundraising and securing financial support for campus programs.
Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving, independent judgment, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management, and presentation skills
Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite)
Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills
Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at .

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at .

Equal Employment Opportunity

Kennesaw State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for living, work and study. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, the University prohibits harassment of or discrimination against any person because of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment, pregnancy, and medical conditions related to pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran or military status by any member of the KSU Community on campus, in connection with a University program or activity, or in a manner that creates a hostile environment for members of the KSU community.

For additional information on this policy, or to file a complaint under the provisions of this policy, students, employees, applicants for employment or admission or other third parties should contact the Office of Institutional Equity at English Building, Suite 225, View email address on click.appcast.io.

Other Information

This is a supervisory position.
This position has financial responsibilities.
This position will be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position may travel 25% - 49% of the time

Background Check

• Credit Report
• Standard Enhanced
• Education
• MVR
• 9 Panel Lab Drug Test

Per the University System of Georgia background check policy, all final candidates will be required to consent to a criminal background investigation. Final candidates may be asked to disclose criminal record history during the initial screening process and prior to a conditional offer of employment. Applicants for positions of trust with screening
results which confirm a disqualifying criminal history will be immediately disqualified from employment eligibility.

All applicants are required to include professional references as part of their application process. Some positions may require additional job-based screenings such as motor vehicle report, credit check, pre-employment drug screening and/or verification of academic credentials.