New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint a Director of Athletics, reporting to the Dean of Students.
The Director of Athletics provides overall supervision, management, leadership, and vision for the Athletics Department. The Director establishes the department's strategic direction in alignment with the NYU Abu Dhabi mission and values. The Director provides leadership, supervision, and motivation for department staff as they support the needs of the students and the wider university community, with an emphasis on well-being, education and continuous learning.
The Director establishes a vision and quantifiable standards of excellence in intercollegiate and club sports, physical & health education, recreation and intramurals embedding the importance of overall well-being throughout. In addition, the Director develops, implements, and guides department-level policy, as well as administering and managing the department and all its related programs and services.
The Director effectively develops and communicates the department's mission, vision, and goals, as well as creates successful plans and proposals for senior administration on behalf of the department and its strategic initiatives, which also reflect the Division of Student Affairs' mission and alignment with the overall institutional strategy for student and community engagement. This includes external stakeholder engagement and development and implementation of events on and offsite that embed NYUAD into the UAE community.
The primary responsibility of the Director of Athletics is to oversee all aspects of the athletic programs, operations and facilities that are sponsored by the university.
Required to lead a full time staff of 15 full time employees.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Direction and Vision
Establish and manage the department's vision and strategic direction, with a focus on leadership, education, and development
Develop partnerships with relevant stakeholders
Employ effective hiring and management practices to meet staffing needs and ensure professional excellence
Review policies annually and ensure that operational and statistical reporting standards are met and completed for all stakeholders
Encourage, promote, and instill a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as a high level of cultural competence and respect for a diverse range of identities and experiences within the university to build community
Mediate issues, resolve conflict and handle all concerns that surround athletics programming, facilities, staffing and program participants
Facility and Operational Oversight
Direct the comprehensive scheduling of all athletic facilities, as well as the oversight of the annual master athletic calendar in conjunction with the master university calendar
Provide strategic direction for athletics and recreational equipment and facilities' maintenance, construction, and restoration, with a purposeful design for safety and future facility needs.
Administrative and Other Duties
Show strong leadership of the department's programs and services through budget preparation, administration and management; provide effective and strategic resource management and facility utilization; and administer and monitor the capital, operations, and personnel budgets
Oversee planning projects, international student travel and large scale partner events
Campus Community Responsibility
Consult with all students including student government leaders, student athlete leaders, and student-athletes on a regular basis to ensure that the department programs and services meet the needs of the various constituencies, including the leadership and support required for ongoing growth and student development
Understand the needs of the NYUAD community and provide offerings as such
Participate in educational programs and take on leadership roles in professional organizations to continue professional development
External Relations
Build relationships within the sports and wellness communities in the UAE, governing bodies and institutional partners
Continuously share the progress of NYUAD Athletics by telling its story through online engagement and appropriate delivery of communications plans and collaborations with the university external relations team
Student Affairs Divisional Leadership Support
Provide ongoing support to the Student Affairs division by leading various committees, working groups and promoting a culture of professional development for staff
Involvement in candidate recruitment weekends, welcome week and graduation will be required
Required Education:
Master’s Degree in Sports Management, Education or Business
First Aid / CPR certification or willingness to obtain
Proficiency in the use of computer applications relevant to job duties, including Microsoft office suite, Google Workspace, IMLeagues, Adobe Creative Cloud.
Preferred Education:
Master’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
Leadership Training Certification
Required Experience:
5-7 years of experience in a university or college sports program or related field
5 years in a leadership capacity and supervisory
Previous experience sports coaching, teaching PE or group fitness classes
Problem-solving skills
Ability to multi-task and work with frequent interruptions
Skill in effective listening.
Excellent verbal communication skills, in the English language.
Conflict Resolution
Preferred Experience:
8-10 years experience in a university or college sports program or related field
7 years in a leadership capacity and supervisory experience
Previous experience sports coaching, teaching PE or group fitness classes
Demonstrated strong leadership acumen
Advanced knowledge of program activity and best practices sports programming within Higher Education
Other Information
About NYUAD
NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.
