Director of Athletics at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri

Job Description:

Truman State University seeks a Director of Athletics (AD) who fosters high standards of integrity, athletic excellence, and academic success and has strong strategic, management, relational, communication, and fiscal skills.  The next AD must be forward-thinking, able to excel in the dynamic and evolving collegiate athletics landscape and work effectively with many different constituencies.

 

The AD is the chief administrator for Truman State University's intercollegiate athletics program and leads the development and management of 18 sports with over 30 head and assistant coaches and approximately 400 student-athletes.  Truman Athletics has experienced success as a member of the NCAA DII Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).  Over the past few seasons, Truman State teams have qualified for postseason opportunities in multiple sports, including advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight in men’s basketball and having an individual win a national championship at the Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.  In addition, Truman has had multiple major award winners (Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year) within the Great Lakes Valley Conference and over 20 students earned all-conference honors through the GLVC in 2023-24.  Bulldogs also excel academically, earning an average GPA of 3.4, with over 70% of all student-athletes earning Academic All-GLVC honors during the 2023-24 academic year.  Truman is also one of four public Division II institutions to earn the NCAA President’s Excellence Honor for achieving over a 90% Academic Success Rate.

 

The Position

The AD reports directly to the President and serves as a member of the President’s Administrative Council.  The AD supervises a staff of four athletics administrators - Associate Athletics Director/Director of Athletics Communication, Head Athletic Trainer/Senior Women's Administrator,  Assistant Athletics Director – Operations, and Assistant Athletics Director – Compliance.  The AD is accountable for ensuring a positive holistic student-athlete experience that robustly supports athletic success, academic success, and overall health and welfare.  In addition, the Director of Athletics supports excellence in all athletics operations and compliance.  Specifically, the AD is responsible for:

 

• Developing and executing a visionary strategic plan for the Department of Athletics that reflects the mission, vision, and values of Truman.
• Ensuring that the athletics program achieves the parallel goals of the development of high-quality, competitive athletics teams and support of the individual educational and personal development needs of student-athletes. This is achieved through collaboration with Academic Affairs and Student Engagement to create and execute a well-defined holistic strategy that supports the academic success, personal development, and physical and psychological well-being of student-athletes.
• Recruiting, supervising, supporting, mentoring, and evaluating athletic administration and coaching staff dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of student-athlete welfare, compliance, and excellence in athletic competition.
• Ensuring proactive compliance with federal, state, NCAA, GLVC, and Truman policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Collaborating with the Office of Advancement to build successful alumni and donor (including corporate) relations and develop a comprehensive fundraising plan with specific strategies to achieve department and team fundraising goals.
• Strategically developing and managing the Athletics budget.
• Managing Athletics facilities maintenance and operations and developing priorities and plans for construction and capital improvement projects.
• Collaborating with the division of Student Engagement, Enrollment, and Marketing to develop initiatives to enhance campus and community engagement with Athletics.
• Overseeing marketing, promotions, and public relations and serving as a spokesperson for intercollegiate athletics at professional meetings and on professional and community committees.

 

 

Required Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
• Five years of experience in college/university intercollegiate athletics administration
• Demonstrated skills in fiscal management
• External relations and fundraising experience

 

Preferred Qualifications

• An advanced degree from an accredited college or university
• Supervision or leadership in college/university intercollegiate athletics administration
• NCAA Division II athletics administration experience
• Demonstrated understanding of NCAA DII compliance requirements

 

 

The Institution

 A vibrant community of teacher-scholars engaged with an academically talented student body, Truman is a residential university providing its approximately 3,700 students with a distinctive blend of liberal arts and science programs across 52 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate programs.  Truman is nationally recognized for the quality of educational opportunities it offers and for its leadership in the assessment of student learning and continuous improvement.  The institution is committed to a strong focus on high-impact learning experiences, and more than one-third of Truman’s undergraduates go on to pursue graduate education.  Truman is consistently ranked among the nation’s best colleges.  For 28 consecutive years, U.S. News and World Report has recognized Truman as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest Regional Category.  Other accolades include Washington Monthly, which listed Truman as the No. 7 best master’s university in the nation, and Fiske Guide to College magazine, which ranked Truman as one of the top 10 public schools named as a “Best Buy” offering outstanding educational value.  In addition to its commitment to excellence, the University promotes a welcoming culture that puts people first and supports students, faculty, and staff.  More information about Truman State University can be found at www.truman.edu.

 

Location

Located in Kirksville, Truman plays a vital role in the thriving regional center of northeast Missouri.  The campus spreads across 180 acres and is recognized as a Tree Campus USA School.  The city enjoys a low crime rate, excellent schools, and a low cost of living.  Within a short drive, a broad range of outdoor recreational opportunities is easily accessible.  Kirksville is connected to Chicago (ORD) by Contour Airlines (www.contourairlines.com).  Amtrak operates the Southwest Chief on daily schedules from La Plata (13 miles from Kirksville) to Chicago, Kansas City, and points southwest to Los Angeles.  A. T. Still University maintains dental and medical schools in Kirksville.  More information about Kirksville can be found at www.visitkirksville.com.

 

Application

Please submit a letter of interest addressing the required/preferred qualifications and experience with the responsibilities of the position, resume/CV,  and names with contact information for three references.

 

Application materials must be submitted electronically at http://employment.truman.edu/.  For assistance with submitting an application, please contact Human Resources at 660-785-4031 or hrstaff@truman.edu. Final candidates will be expected to undergo and successfully pass a background check.

 

To receive priority consideration, applications must be received by October 21, 2024.  Application submission will remain open until the position is filled.

 

Truman offers an attractive benefits package, including paid sick and vacation time; paid holidays; medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; and retirement plan.  Paid parental leave and tuition discount are available for eligible employees after one year.  For more information, visit https://hr.truman.edu/benefits/.

 

Starting annual salary range is $105,000 to $115,000 commensurate with experience.

Truman State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, Truman State does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or protected veteran status in its program or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Inquiries may be directed to the Institutional Compliance Officer, 660-785-4354, and titleix@truman.edu.
Truman State is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate form or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources, McClain Hall 101, 100 E. Normal, Kirksville, MO 63501, 660-785-4031 or hrstaff@truman.edu.
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