Senior Associate Athletics Director, External Affairs

Position Title: Senior Associate Athletics Director, External Affairs

Department: Intercollegiate Athletics

Reports to: VP for Intercollegiate Athletics

Appointment: Full-Time (12 months)

Status: Exempt

The Senior Associate Athletics Director, External Affairs serves as a senior member of the Athletics Department leadership team and reports directly to the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. This position provides executive leadership in donor engagement, departmental administration, fiscal oversight, contract management, strategic partnerships, and sport supervision. This role serves as an extension of the Vice President in cultivating relationships with key stakeholders while helping advance the department's mission of competitive excellence, student-athlete success, and institutional integrity.

Primary Responsibilities

Executive Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor and member of the Athletics Department senior leadership team.
• Represent the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at meetings, events, and donor functions as assigned.
• Provide strategic leadership on departmental initiatives and operational priorities.
• Assist with the development and implementation of long-term departmental strategic goals.

Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Lead the cultivation, engagement, and stewardship of athletics donors in partnership with the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics.
• Serve as an extension of the Vice President in building and maintaining meaningful relationships with alumni, donors, community leaders, and athletics supporters.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen donor engagement and enhance the overall donor experience.
• Collaborate closely with University Advancement to create a unified fundraising strategy that maximizes philanthropic support for Bradley Athletics.
• Coordinate donor visits, stewardship activities, and special recognition opportunities.

Revenue Sharing Administration

• Serve as the department's administrator for all student-athlete revenue sharing agreements.
• Coordinate the development, execution, tracking, and management of revenue sharing contracts.
• Ensure compliance with applicable NCAA, conference, institutional, and legal requirements.
• Work collaboratively with university leadership and external legal counsel regarding contract administration and implementation.

Financial Administration

• Assist in the oversight and management of the Athletics Department operating budget.
• Oversee athletics scholarship budget administration, monitoring scholarship allocations and expenditures.
• Support financial planning efforts that align departmental priorities with available resources.

Human Resources and Contract Administration

• Manage coach and athletics-related employment contracts from development through execution.
• Serve as the Athletics Department liaison to the University's Human Resources Office.
• Coordinate employment processes including appointments, contract renewals, compensation actions, and related personnel matters.
• Assist department leadership with organizational planning and staffing initiatives.

Sport Administration

• Serve as the sport administrator for the Cross Country and Track & Field programs.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and evaluation for head coaches while supporting student-athlete success.
• Monitor competitive performance, budget management, scheduling, personnel matters, and program operations.

Strategic Partnerships

• Serve as the primary Athletics Department contact for key partnership agreements.
• Manage relationships and operational coordination with external partners, including the Peoria Civic Center and Louisville Slugger.
• Ensure contractual obligations are fulfilled while identifying opportunities to enhance strategic partnerships.
• Coordinate with campus and community stakeholders to maximize the value of external agreements.

Wheels Club Management

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for the Bradley Athletics Wheels Club.
• Coordinate membership engagement, events, communications, and annual initiatives.

Collaboration and Relationship Building

• Foster strong collaborative relationships across campus, including University Advancement, Finance, Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Student Affairs, and Academic Affairs.
• Promote a culture of teamwork, transparency, and service excellence throughout the Athletics Department.
• Represent Bradley Athletics with professionalism and integrity in interactions with campus and community constituents.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in NCAA Division I athletics administration, higher education, fundraising, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects, budgets, and administrative operations.
• Knowledge of NCAA rules, conference regulations, and collegiate athletics governance.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working collaboratively with donors, alumni, university leadership, and external partners.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or Juris Doctor.
• Experience in donor cultivation, major gifts, or athletics development.
• Experience overseeing NCAA compliance operations.
• Experience administering employment or revenue sharing contracts.
• Experience supervising Division I sport programs.
• Familiarity with Title IX compliance and gender equity initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading strategic initiatives within an athletics department.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Relationship Management
• Donor Engagement
• Financial Stewardship
• Contract Administration
• NCAA Compliance
• Organizational Collaboration
• Communication and Diplomacy
• Problem Solving
• Ethical Decision-Making
• Student-Athlete Centered Leadership

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and complete contact information for a minimum of three professional references with telephone numbers.

Please submit all materials at the time of initial application.

Screening will begin immediately.

Bradley University offers a competitive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life and disability coverages, FSA, HSA, and retirement plan options. Bradley also offers significant higher education cost savings for employees and dependents through the Tuition Remission program. Information regarding our benefits can be found here: https://www.bradley.edu/offices/business/human-resources/benefits/

Bradley University is a top-ranked, private university in Peoria, Illinois, offering nearly 6,000 undergraduate and graduate student’s opportunities, choices, and resources to build their futures. Innovation, action, and collaboration drive Bradley students to generate ideas and create solutions that remake the world around them. Our comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs includes business, communications, education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, liberal arts and sciences, and technology.

Employment with Bradley University is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Bradley University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The administration, faculty and staff are committed to attracting qualified candidates from underrepresented groups.