Director of Athletics

Job Description

Job Description

About Portledge School:

Founded in 1965, Portledge School is an independent, pre-nursery through twelfth-grade preparatory day school set on a pastoral 63-acre campus on Long Island's North Shore, just 50 minutes from NYC. Serving approximately 525 students, Portledge offers a rigorous, student-centered college preparatory program delivered through small class sizes and inquiry-based learning.Our community is grounded in the Portledge Pillars of Kindness, Honor, Purpose, and Respect, and we're committed to helping students develop the critical thinking skills and moral courage — defined at Portledge as acting with kindness, honor, purpose, and respect, even when it isn't easy — needed for lifelong learning.

Portledge School is seeking a passionate and experienced Director of Athletics. This 12 month, full-time position reports to the Head of School and plays a vital role in fostering a vibrant and mission aligned athletic program that supports the development of students both on and off the field.

The Director of Athletics will oversee all aspects of the school’s athletic programs, including strategic visioning, coaching, scheduling, and program development, while promoting sportsmanship, teamwork, and personal growth. This position requires weekday evening work and occasional weekend commitments to support events, practices, and competitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Portledge is re-envisioning and refining its athletic program and offerings. The successful candidate will lead this initiative — defining a bold five-year strategic vision and driving its implementation — with outstanding organization, clear and proactive communication, and strong, collaborative leadership.

• Fully administer the 5th–12th grade athletics program, ensuring high standards of performance, safety, and sportsmanship, with opportunities for student-athletes to develop skills in age-appropriate ways and to experience competitive success.

• Provide clear, timely communication of schedules, updates, and information about athletic procedures, initiatives, and events to students, families, and other stakeholders. 

• Manage updates to the Athletics website, calendar, TeamSnap, and other communication channels as needed.

• Manage all Athletic Department staff, including the administrative team, athletic trainer, and head coaches.

• Oversee the Athletics Department budget and resource allocation transparently and effectively, collaborating with the CFO and Controller as needed.

• Ensure adequate staffing and transportation for all competitions, programs, and events, and provide staff training in First Aid, CPR, AED, heat exhaustion prevention, and concussion management.

• Hire, retain, and evaluate knowledgeable, personable, and skilled coaches and support staff.

• Develop and manage the annual calendar of athletic practices, competitions, and interscholastic games.

• Coordinate facility setup and logistics for practices and games.

• Represent Portledge professionally at league meetings, conferences, and other professional gatherings.

• Manage and update the Athletics Department Parent-Student Handbook, along with all athletic policies and procedures, to ensure compliance with state and league requirements and clear communication of expectations to parents, coaches, and student-athletes.

• Sit on the Senior Leadership Team; collaborate with other senior administrators — particularly Divisional Directors and the Director of Admissions — and participate in school-wide initiatives as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned to support the mission and success of the Athletic Department and Portledge.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; advanced degree preferred.

• 5+ years of leadership and management experience in school athletics, including at least one prior role in a strategic-planning capacity.

• Experience supervising Athletic Department staff and coaches.

• Strong knowledge of athletics program development, sports safety, and compliance with league and school policies.

• Demonstrated experience managing budgets and resources effectively.

• Proficiency with Blackbaud and Google Workspace.

• Familiarity with First Aid, CPR, AED, concussion management, and other student-athlete safety protocols.

• A genuine passion for athletics and student-athlete development.

• Availability for evenings and weekends to support athletic events.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage multiple constituencies in a fast-paced, collaborative setting.

• Outstanding organization and attention to detail, paired with the ability to keep sight of the school's broader mission and priorities.

• A commitment to the qualities embodied by the Portledge pillars: Kindness, Purpose, Honor, Respect.

What We Offer

• Paid Time Off: 10 PTO days annually for full-time employees; part-time PTO prorated based on hours worked.

• Vacation: 15–25 days for full-time, 12-month employees.

• Paid Holidays: up to 18 per year for full-time employees.

• 403(b) retirement plan, with up to 5% employer match for qualifying employees.

• Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage available through UHC/Oxford.

• HSA, FSA, and DCA accounts available for eligible employees.

• Voluntary insurance through Lincoln Life and Aflac.

• Professional development subsidies.

• Free lunch from our in-house food service.

• Tuition remission for eligible employees, budget permitting.

• Graduate assistance for eligible employees, budget perm