Executive Associate Athletic Director for Marketing

Executive Associate Athletic Director for Marketing Department: Stanford Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) Location: Stanford, CA (On-site) Reports to: Chief Operating Officer (COO) Job Code: 4144 Salary Range: $360,000 - $448,000 Position Summary Stanford University seeks an experienced, innovative storyteller to serve as Executive Associate Athletic Director for Marketing. This pivotal leadership role will define and execute a brand vision that cultivates a deeper emotional connection to Stanford athletics, resulting in increased attendance, higher fan engagement, stronger donor affinity, and a larger Cardinal fanbase. Reporting directly to the COO, the Exec Assoc AD will partner across functions to strengthen and grow diverse audiences. The role requires translating Stanford’s academic and athletic excellence into compelling narratives that resonate locally, nationally, and globally. The leader will aggressively acquire new audiences while stewarding the holistic development and experience of student‑athletes, and will oversee seven direct reports within DAPER’s internal and external communications, External Relations, Fan Engagement, Digital Media, Brand, Band, and Cheer departments. Core Responsibilities Define and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy aligned with Stanford’s goals and brand identity. Own the development and maintenance of the brand identity, ensuring consistent, innovative storytelling and creative standards throughout the organization. Lead the content team in producing compelling marketing materials, including long‑form and real‑time digital content that highlights the student‑athlete experience. Directly oversee the Social Media and content teams to develop strategies that acquire new fans and foster a genuine emotional bond with the existing base. Collaborate with Community Relations and Events to align marketing initiatives with community engagement goals and build connections across the university and the broader San Francisco Bay Area community. Lead and mentor a high‑performing marketing team, setting clear goals and providing professional development opportunities. Mentor DAPER’s sport‑ and operationally‑focused employees to ensure a unified brand voice. Serve as an active participant in strengthening and driving the culture within the DAPER leadership team. Maintain brand integrity across stakeholders, including the Admissions Committee and University Cabinet‑level members. Support the Chair of Athletics and development leadership in fundraising activities with creative marketing initiatives. Liaise with academics and staff to evolve student support functions and academic excellence narratives. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 10+ years of storytelling and marketing experience with a proven ability to translate engagement data into innovative narratives. Keen emotional intelligence to build deep relationships and foster a magnetic atmosphere for fans and student‑athletes. Thoughtful approach to the evolving college athletics landscape, including NIL, while maintaining strict adherence to Cardinal values. Superior influencing skills to connect dots across silos and remove friction. Strategic grit and relentless work ethic to balance multiple high‑priority projects in a fast‑paced environment. Qualifications Minimum Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or an advanced degree in Marketing or a related field is highly desirable. Experience: 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in athletics administration, marketing, or strategic execution. Content Leadership: 5+ years of supervisory experience leading diverse creative teams and content creators. Industry Insight: Deep familiarity with growing audiences; prior experience within the college athletics space and increasing fanbases is ideal. DAPER’s Integrity This position, along with all DAPER coaches and staff, is responsible for the integrity of Stanford’s intercollegiate athletics program and for the reputation of Stanford University. Responsibilities include ensuring that involvement with athletics activities maintains the integrity of the University’s reputation and does not negatively impact relationships with faculty, staff, students, or alumni, and compliance with University policies, NCAA, and Conference rules and regulations. Why Stanford Is For You Freedom to grow through career development programs, tuition reimbursement, and learning opportunities. A caring culture with superb retirement plans, generous time‑off, and family care resources. Health and fitness support with world‑class exercise facilities and extensive health care benefits. Inspiring surroundings with historic sculptures, trails, and museums. Enviable resources including free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, and discounts. The expected pay range for this position is $360,000 - $448,000 per annum. Stanford University provides pay ranges as a good faith estimate. The actual pay will depend on factors such as job scope, qualifications, internal equity, and external market pay. Base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. Detailed benefits information can be found on the Cardinal at Work website. Job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to be a comprehensive inventory of all duties. Specific duties may vary and employees may also perform other duties as assigned. Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring an accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources. Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Stanford University