Director of Student - Athlete Development

Department: Univ Athletics - Admin
Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Impact, Leadership and Student Engagement, this position is responsible for the development of the overall strategy and management of the King NU P.R.I.D.E. Program, the focus of which is the holistic development of Northwestern Student-Athletes. The Director of the King NU P.R.I.D.E. Program will be fully immersed in the athletics and broader northwestern community and will be responsible for collaborating with athletics department teams/coaches and units as well as campus and community partners.

Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.

*Willingness and ability to work a non-traditional schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays as required.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with key stakeholders including Campus Partners, Kabiller NU for Life (Career Enhancement & Employer Relations), and 'Cats Give Back (Community Outreach) to design and deliver holistic student-athlete programming; co-develop assessment tools to evaluate programming effectiveness.
• Lead the Student-Athlete Advisor Committee (SAAC) and other student-athlete leadership and well-being initiatives, fostering engagement, advocacy, and personal development.
• Establish goals and objectives for each respective group; coordinate regular meetings and collaborate on the development of workshops, trainings, and dialogue spaces; spearhead the selection and personal development of student executive boards.
• Lead a committee to deliver large scale student-athlete events, such as fall "Kick-Off" and the end of year award show (NESPYs).
• Assist in the facilitation of external leadership engagement opportunities for student-athletes (conferences / workshops), such as the NCAA Leadership Forum and Big Life Series Programming.
• Work alongside key stakeholders to design and implement transition programming that supports student-athletes through pivotal academic, athletic, and personal development milestones.
• Communicate regularly with coaches, team support staff, compliance, and academic advisors on King NU P.R.I.D.E. student-athlete engagement opportunities and programming.
• Manage the INVEST NU social media accounts in partnership with External Staff to connect student-athletes to resources, amplify campus and Northwestern University Athletics and Recreation events, promote storytelling, and drive awareness through strategic content.
• Recommend and manage fiscal year budget for approval and manage expenditures to ensure compliance with department policies.
• Coordinate external reporting of King NU P.R.I.D.E. initiatives to program benefactors and University leadership, annually as needed.
• Remain up to date with trends and best practices to ensure NUDAR provides cutting edge support to a diverse population of student-athletes and remains an industry leader promoting student-athlete growth and wellbeing.
• Assist in other projects and programs at the request of the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Impact, Leadership and Student Engagement.
• Responsible for adhering to all Department and University policies and procedures, as well as the rules, regulations, bylaws and interpretations of the Big Ten Conference, CSC and the NCAA.
• Responsible for adhering to all Department and University continuing education initiatives and required certifications and trainings.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree, or appropriate combination of education and experience.

• Minimum 3-5 years relevant experience with student services in intercollegiate athletics; experience with the development and facilitation of training/educational workshops and dialogue spaces.

• Ability to communicate effectively one-to-one, in small groups, and in public speaking contexts.

• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated effective written communication skills, including but limited to well-organized emails, letters and proposals.

• Ability to be self-motivated, detail oriented, and to prioritize competing demands in fast-paced environment.

• Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends, as needed.

• Ability to work cooperatively with others and effectively interact and establish engaging relationships with a wide variety of constituents.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of rules and regulations of the NCAA, CSC, Big Ten Conference and Northwestern University preferred

• Advanced degree in applicable areas of study preferred.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $70,017-$75,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.