Head Coach of Women's Basketball

Job Description

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Job Summary:

Colby is a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and has 32 intercollegiate sports that compete at the Division III level. Its department of athletics includes the campus recreation program and hosts a variety of club and intramural sports. More than one-third of Colby’s 2,300 students participate in intercollegiate sports and, in total, nearly three-quarters are involved in fitness and recreation activities in the department.

Colby’s Women’s Basketball program has a long-standing history of tradition. Established in 1968, the Mules have been an annual contender in the conference, competing in the NESCAC Championship game as recently as 2025. The program has seen 20 players reach the 1000-point threshold, collecting 19 All-NESCAC awards since the 2000 season.

With an investment of over $250 million into Athletics in the last decade, Colby’s state-of-the-art athletics complex makes the facilities on Mayflower Hill a benchmark for all Division III institutions across the country. The Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center is the central hub of Colby athletics. The 350,000 square-foot athletics center includes basketball and volleyball courts, an indoor track and field competition center, aquatic center with Maine’s first 50-meter pool, squash center, hockey arena, a tri-level strength and fitness center, training rooms, and coaching suites. Additionally, the College opened a 70-acre-plus outdoor competition center that consists of eight competition and recreational fields that are also among the finest outdoor venues in Division III. The College has seen dramatic improvement in the Learfield Director’s Cup standings since the opening of the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, elevating to the top-6% of Division III institutions in the yearly standings.

An additional distinguishing feature of Colby College’s Athletic Department is its Peak Performance Program, a comprehensive high-performing model designed to optimize student well-being and performance. Peak Performance integrates sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition and sports sciences.

Located in central Maine, the College has incredible access to other outdoor venues such as the Belgrade Lakes and Sugarloaf Mountain Resort, one of the premier ski destinations on the east coast.

The Colby College Department of Athletics seeks a full-time head coach of women’s basketball. In the context of Colby’s commitment to comprehensive excellence, the head coach is responsible for the leadership, direction, instruction, supervision, and coaching of a women’s basketball program that can compete consistently at the top of the NESCAC and Division III. The head women’s basketball coach is also responsible for building the women’s basketball team into a top program in NESCAC nationally and must be able to identify and develop athletes capable of achieving the highest level of success. The head coach will also be responsible for all aspects involved in running a basketball program, including budget management, travel, equipment needs, and supervision of assistant coaches. It is essential this person upholds the values of the College and the department while building athletes of character who contribute in the classroom and in the community.

The hiring range for this position is $84,000 - $111,400.

Essential Functions
To be successful in this position, an individual should be able to perform the essential duties and bring the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities that support the role. This list of duties is intended to be representative rather than exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

• Responsible for management and administration of an intercollegiate women’s basketball program that competes regularly for NESCAC championships.

• Create a dynamic and inclusive recruiting plan for the basketball program. Lead the effort to recruit the most high achieving student athletes, including those from geographically and demographically diverse populations.

• Analyze performance and successfully instruct athletes in game techniques and strategies in preparation for and during athletic competition.

• Develop student athletes of character who are committed to fostering a campus environment of respect and inclusion.

• Demonstrate the desire and initiative to learn new functions to advance coaching skills. Show commitment to excellence in carrying out duties and responsibilities.

• Mentor and coach future leaders by providing guidance, feedback and support to maximize performance and establish a supportive environment for professional development.

• Understand students’ academic needs, communicate with academic liaisons, identify any issues that may occur, and provide direction and guidance when necessary.

• Understand how resources such as money, time, technology, equipment, buildings, and people should be utilized to meet the program's strategic goals.

• Create strategies to successfully reach fundraising goals that are collaboratively developed between the head coach, director of athletics (or equivalent) and the director of Friends of Athletics.

• Enhance ongoing engagement with internal and external entities, including Friends of Colby Women’s Basketball, the C Club, and the greater Waterville community.

• Exercise effective upward, downward and horizontal communications with tact, courtesy and respect.

• Comply with all guidelines, rules, and regulations set forth by Colby College, the NESCAC, and the NCAA.

• Demonstrates understanding of the importance of a diverse workforce to the college’s overall success.

• A secondary responsibility within the Department of Athletics will be added, depending on the qualifications of the applicant.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred

• Experience working with a successful collegiate basketball environment preferred

• Successful track record of fostering and maintaining working relationships with various athletic constituents

• Working knowledge of rules and regulations governing collegiate basketball

• Outstanding organizational, communication, writing, interpersonal, and analytical skills and the capacity to work effectively in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to initiate, analyze, monitor, evaluate, and advance strategic planning

• Ability to work independently and to exercise sound judgement and discretion

• Demonstrated commitment to supporting the development of student athletes from varied backgrounds

• Ability to work weekends and nights

Physical/Mental Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position and/or may be encountered while performing essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• To perform this role effectively, an employee is expected to handle employee information, documents, and sensitive matters with care, professionalism, and respect for privacy.

• This position involves working with a variety of timelines, including some that require quick turnaround and responsiveness to urgent needs.

• In this role, the employee will interact with members of the public and others in a variety of situations and conversations. Presenting oneself in a professional, respectful, and thoughtful manner at all times is an important part of the role.

• This position includes regular movement throughout office spaces, hallways, meeting rooms, and other campus locations.

• Daily work will involve extended use of a computer, including keyboard and mouse

• Physical requirements differ by position. In general, most roles involve lifting up to 10 pounds regularly, with some positions requiring occasional lifting of up to 35 pounds.

• Vision requirements for this position include the ability to see clearly at close and far distances and to adjust focus as needed.

• The work environment is dynamic and engaging, often involving multiple tasks and projects that require shifting focus and strong organizational skills..

• The noise level is generally moderate; however, there may be occasional moments of louder sounds depending on campus activity.

Colby College supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Pursuant to Maine law (26 MRSA § 620-A), candidates invited to interview are hereby notified that Colby College engages in employer surveillance. Employer-owned systems, network resources, email, and devices may be logged, accessed, reviewed, and monitored for administrative, compliance, and security purposes.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the “Apply Now” button on the Colby College website. Please upload a cover letter and resume to your application.