Assistant Athletic Director

Title: Assistant Athletic Director  

Department/Location: College Athletics /Elsah 

Position Type: Full-time, 12-month 

Summary  

The Assistant Athletic Director plays a key leadership role within Principia’s athletics program, serving as the Deputy to the Director of Athletics and supporting the institution’s vision and Division III philosophy. This position focuses on ensuring the effective operation of athletic facilities and events, fostering collaboration among coaches and staff, and promoting student success both athletically and academically. Responsibilities include oversight of recruiting strategies, coordination with admissions, and management of assigned sports programs. The Assistant Director serves as a primary liaison for internal and external stakeholders and contributes to strategic planning and daily operations to maintain continuity and excellence across the department. The Assistant Director may also serve as a head coach for a sport as qualified. 

Who We Are 

At our award-winning Early Childhood through grade 12 Principia School in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education—blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia’s team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of alumni and friends.  

At Principia College, our globally focused curriculum honors diverse perspectives and develops creative changemakers who use their academic skills for good in service to themselves, their communities, and the world. In-depth study meets real-world experience through study abroad programs, internships, capstone projects, and a robust slate of student activities, including a world-renowned mediation team, top-ranked solar car team, national champion rugby club, and the nation’s oldest student-run public affairs conference.  

Principia employees are part of an engaging academic community preparing students to be tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. We strive to create a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong and are valued.  

Primary Responsibilities 

Leadership 

• Collaborates closely with AD to provide and execute departmental vision, direction and strategic planning
• Collaborates with AD to help articulate and maintain student/athletic/academic balance
• Develops, organizes, and administers the facility management program by coordinating institutional priorities and best accounting practices
• Supports the AD as the internal voice of athletics
• May coach a sport, as needed and qualified
• Helps to ensure compliance with institutional, Conference, and NCAA level expectations
• Maintains strict confidentiality of departmental information, including performance plans and other sensitive details, due to the position’s role as a direct report for select coaches and staff

Management  

• Develops facility use policies and procedures, rules, and regulations, and ensures effective implementation and compliance
• Manages athletics facilities ensuring Principia athletics programs priority; formalize master schedule
• Leads and manages a team of coaches, providing strategic direction, mentorship, and performance oversight to ensure alignment with departmental goals and student-athlete success
• Establishes a clear and fair policy for campus stakeholders pertaining to facility usage
• Creates and maintains Outlook calendar or Google Docs for all facilities 
• Supervises facility event staff, hires student workers, and game management personnel for all home games and special events
• Coordinates and supervises game day event preparation and post event breakdown
• Reviews and responds to patron inquiries, concerns, and complaints
• Provides an annual facilities report (both usage of facilities and financial report through centralized data)
• Serves as a liaison with the Facilities Department for general services
• Confers regularly with AD, coaches, SID (Sports Information Director), Athletic Trainer, etc regarding athletics venues, and event management
• Manages graduate assistant schedules
• Works in collaboration with the AD to support coach development, including ongoing performance management and professional development

 Core Competencies   

• Leadership: Inspires and guides others with clarity, compassion, and accountability; supports individual and team growth in alignment with Principia’s mission and goals. 
• Culture & Team Building: Fosters a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication; demonstrates genuine care for team members’ well-being and development. 
• Inclusion & Belonging: Demonstrates respect for all people; values diverse perspectives and fosters a culture of inclusion, belonging, and mutual respect. 
• Problem Solving & Judgment: Approaches challenges thoughtfully, considers multiple perspectives, and makes sound, timely decisions that support institutional goals. 
• Communication: Shares information clearly and concisely; listens carefully to others and adjusts communication style for different audiences and situations. 
• Culture & Team Building: Fosters a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication; demonstrates genuine care for team members’ well-being and development. 

Minimum Qualifications 

1. Student of Christian Science preferred 
2. Supportive of Principia’s guiding statements as articulated here https://www.principia.edu/about/guiding-statements  
3. Bachelor’s Degree; Master’s degree preferred
4. 5 years of experience 
5. Administrative experience in the field of athletics
6. Experience managing people preferred 
7. Previous College coaching experience
8. Member of professional athletics associations, preferred

The statements above describe the general nature and level of work but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.   

Compensation and Benefits  

We offer a competitive starting salary range for this position: $77,000 - $87,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.  

In addition to salary, our comprehensive total rewards package includes:  

• Generous Employee Tuition Discount: Enjoy a 90% discount on tuition (pro-rated for part-time staff) for your eligible children enrolled from Pre-K3 through College (infant and acorn programs excluded).  
• Relocation: Principia provides a relocation imbursement of up to 12% of your annual salary, when moving from outside a radius of more than 50 miles.  
• Professional Development: Access to learning opportunities, training programs, and career growth support. 
• Comprehensive Benefits: Learn more about all our benefits here, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with Principia matching, and more.  

Equal Opportunity  

Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status.   

In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia—as an institution with a religious mission—gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.