Associate Athletic Director for Communications

Associate Athletic Director for Communications & Creative Content

Cranbrook Schools seeks a creative, highly organized communications professional to lead athletic communications for one of the region’s most accomplished interscholastic athletics programs. With 29 varsity teams, a strong tradition of competitive success, outstanding facilities, and alumni who have earned major awards and gone on to compete at the professional and international levels, this position offers the opportunity to take ownership of how Cranbrook Athletics is presented, promoted, and experienced across digital, social, and traditional media.

Reporting to the Director of Athletics, this role combines the accuracy and operational demands of sports information with the creativity and strategic perspective of modern athletic communications. The successful candidate will manage detailed information, develop compelling content, identify meaningful stories, and support the communications needs of a high-level interscholastic athletics program. The Associate Athletic Director for Communications & Creative Content will oversee sports information, media relations, digital content, social media, website content, and storytelling across Cranbrook’s interscholastic program. In this role, the Associate Director will work closely with Cranbrook Schools Communications, Admissions, and Advancement to ensure consistent storytelling about athletics as an important pillar of the Cranbrook educational experience.

The strongest candidates will combine attention to detail with strong creative instincts, communicate clearly, manage multiple priorities effectively, and be comfortable working in a fast-paced athletic environment. They will be proactive, collaborative, dependable, and able to move seamlessly between sports information, content creation, media relations, and event coverage.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Athletic Communications & Sports Information

• Serve as the primary sports information and media-relations contact for Cranbrook Athletics.
• Maintain accurate schedules, rosters, results, statistics, records, awards, and historical information.
• Manage athletic webpages and ensure information is current and accurate.
• Develop efficient systems for gathering information from coaches and teams.
• Publish results, schedule updates, postseason information, milestones, records, awards, and other department news.
• Coordinate league and postseason recognition and maintain a comprehensive athletic archive.
• Serve as a liaison with schools, leagues, governing bodies, media outlets, and other external organizations.
• Coordinate game-day communications for major home contests, including livestream/broadcast support, press-box operations, statistics, results reporting, and media needs.

Creative Content, Social Media & Storytelling

• Lead creative direction and content strategy for Cranbrook Athletics aligned with the strategic communications priorities for Cranbrook Schools.
• Manage the department’s social media presence and year-round content calendar and governance of athletics-adjacent Cranbrook-owned social media channels.
• Produce photography, video, graphics, interviews, highlights, profiles, feature stories, and other digital content.
• Provide timely coverage of contests, championships, senior nights, signing celebrations, awards, and other significant moments.
• Coordinate athletic media days, team photography, and major content initiatives.
• Develop recurring content that highlights the identity, tradition, and accomplishments of Cranbrook Athletics.
• Maintain an organized digital archive of photos, video, graphics, and other media assets.
• Use engagement data and analytics to inform content strategy.

Promotion, Collaboration & Department Support

• Serve as a site administrator for home contests.
• Develop communications and promotional plans for major home athletic events.
• Coordinate digital and visual presentations for rivalry games, championships, senior nights, signing celebrations, and other high-profile events.

• As an extended member of the Cranbrook Educational Community communications and marketing team, ensure regular coordination and collaboration with Cranbrook Schools Communications and Marketing leadership.

• Collaborate with Admissions, Advancement, Alumni Relations, and other departments to share athletic stories and support institutional priorities.
• Assist the Director of Athletics with department communications, strategic initiatives, meetings, and special projects.
• Represent Cranbrook Athletics at school, league, and community meetings as assigned.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Three to five years of experience in athletic communications, sports information, digital media, journalism, marketing, content creation, or a related field preferred.
• Experience in athletics, education, collegiate athletics, professional sports, or a similar environment strongly preferred.
• Strong writing, editing, interviewing, and storytelling skills.
• Demonstrated experience creating social media, photography, video, graphics, or other digital content.
• Familiarity with social media management, website publishing, graphic design, and video editing platforms.
• Ability to maintain accurate schedules, statistics, records, and historical information.
• Excellent judgment and interpersonal skills when representing Cranbrook Athletics.
• Evening and weekend availability during athletic seasons is required.
• Regional travel may be required.
• Valid Driver’s License with satisfactory driving record required.

The starting salary for this position is $80k/annually. 

Cranbrook offers competitive compensation and benefits that include medical, dental, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, and retirement programs with employer contribution. We offer employee discounts, and a unique environment in an educational setting that values collaboration.

For consideration, please submit your resume to: Associate Athletic Director for Communications & Creative Content | Cranbrook Employment Opportunities