Chief Executive Officer, Louisiana Athletics

Position Title : Chief Executive Officer Louisiana Athletics

Department : 8911General Athletics

Responsibilities :

Position Summary
TheUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette a Carnegie R1 public research universityseeks a proven enterprise leader to serve as Chief Executive Officer ofLouisiana Athletics. Reporting directly to the President and serving on thePresidents Cabinet the CEO will lead the strategy financial sustainabilitycommercial growth philanthropy brand partnerships facilities competitiveinvestment and public leadership of an NCAA Division I program in the Sun BeltConference.

The CEO willturn the Ragin Cajuns distinctive identity loyal supporters facilities andcommunity ties into sustained net revenue stronger student and fan engagementand broad competitive success. The role calls for urgent financial and culturaltransformation measurable results sound judgment and an unwaveringcommitment to student-athlete welfare academic achievement and integrity. AnAthletic Director/Chief Operating Officer reporting to the CEO will manageday-to-day athletics operations under delegated authority; the CEO retainsfinal executive accountability for the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities:

Enterprise Leadership and FinancialStewardship
-Develop and execute a financially grounded three-year strategy aligned with the Presidents Louisiana Vision 2035 priorities and the Universitys mission; lead the senior athletics team and establish clear decision rights with the Athletic Director/COO.
-Own budgets multi-year forecasts revenue-sharing obligations contracts staffing capital priorities and enterprise risk; strengthen controls procurement expense accountability and transparent reporting.
-Establish verified baselines and measure recurring net revenue operating performance and institutional support using consistent accounting that distinguishes cash from commitments and one-time gains from durable improvement.
-Recruit develop evaluate and hold accountable high-performing leaders; make difficult personnel and resource decisions with urgency and integrity.

Revenue Growth and ExternalPartnerships
-Integrate ticketing pricing premium seating sponsorships multimedia rights licensing philanthropy naming rights hospitality parking events digital products and new ventures around net contribution and renewal.
-Personally cultivate major donors corporate partners sponsors and community leaders; coordinate prospect management brand strategy and revenue attribution with the Ragin Cajun Athletics Foundation University Advancement and Strategy and -Communications and Marketing.
-Evaluate public-private partnerships and other capital or commercial opportunities with disciplined risk analysis and measurable returns.

Student Fan and CommunityEngagement
-Make athletics central to student life and build a distinctly Ragin Cajun game-day and year-round culture that increases student participation attendance football and basketball demand season-ticket retention and community ownership.
-Use research pricing data storytelling and digital engagement to deepen fan relationships and increase demand across Acadiana and beyond.
-Competitive Excellence andStudent-Athlete Success
-Set sport-specific expectations for competitive results academic success and progress coach performance roster stability efficient investment and student-athlete experience.
-Oversee strategy for NIL revenue sharing recruiting media conference positioning and evolving college athletics economics while protecting health safety academic integrity and NCAA and conference compliance.
-Exercise final executive authority over head-coach decisions senior personnel budgets competitive investment major contracts conference representation and crisis management.

Facilities and InstitutionalCollaboration
-Develop a financially sound year-round athletics and entertainment strategy for Cajun Field the Cajundome premium spaces parking hospitality events and related assets; evaluate each opportunity by net contribution and community value.
-Collaborate with Finance Academic Affairs Student Success Advancement alumni public officials and conference leadership; represent Louisiana Athletics with credibility and visible community leadership.
-Report progress to the President through a quarterly dashboard of financial commercial engagement competitive academic student-athlete facility and leadership outcomes.

This position is equivalent to a vice president position that reports directly to the president.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:
-Bachelors degree from an accredited institution.
-Substantial senior leadership experience in intercollegiate or professional sports sports business entertainment corporate enterprise economic development advancement or another complex revenue-driven organization.
-Verified record of personally leading material revenue growth financial improvement or enterprise transformation with measurable results and references able to confirm the candidates direct role.
-Direct accountability for a complex budget or business unit including revenues expenses forecasts controls and operating results.
-Demonstrated success in multiple revenue areas such as sponsorship ticketing premium seating philanthropy naming rights media rights licensing hospitality facilities events or new ventures.
-Experience building senior teams managing organizational change and making consequential personnel and resource decisions.
-Ability to lead in a public-university environment and connect financial growth with competitive priorities student-athlete success compliance and institutional values; unquestioned integrity.

Preferred Qualifications:
-Advanced degree and experience as a chief executive athletics director chief revenue or business officer chief operating officer advancement leader or comparable enterprise leader.
-Evidence of recurring net-revenue and demand growth in a resource-constrained turnaround public-university or secondary-market environment.
-Experience leading both sophisticated large-scale organizations and smaller operations with limited resources.
-Track record in football and basketball demand donor and corporate partnerships capital projects facilities activation and integrated athletics revenue operations.
-Fluency in NIL revenue sharing roster investment conference strategy and media rights.
-Louisiana relationships or demonstrated ability to build trust quickly in a distinctive regional culture; readiness to act and deliver results from the outset.

Applications and Nominations
Applicantsshould submit a letter of interest executive résumé or curriculum vitae and abrief description of two or three representative enterprise outcomes throughthe Universitys employment portal. Candidates advancing in the search may beasked for independently verifiable results a three-year Louisiana plan and afirst-100-day agenda. Application review timing and portal instructions will beprovided in the official posting.

TheUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette is an Equal Opportunity Employer andprovides equal opportunity in accordance with applicable law and Universitypolicy.

Job Ad#(req4596)

Required Experience:

Chief