Athletic Director Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities  

This post provides detailed information on the athletic director job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform, as well as a template employers can use.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the athletic director role by most employers.

What Does an Athletic Director Do?

An athletic director, or AD, is a professional responsible for the overall administration and management of a sports program, supervising sports teams, athletic departments, and coaches, usually at the collegiate or high school level.

The athletic director job description entails managing the program budget, supervising athletic staff, scheduling practices and games, maintaining facilities and equipment, and promoting relationships with stakeholders, like alumni and boosters for fundraising.

It also involves participating in the hiring and supervision of coaches and other athletic staff and ensuring that all team members adhere to appropriate ethical and safety standards.

Athletic directors can work with various people and departments to manage an entire athletic program, including athletic staff, student-athletes, coaches, university departments (such as marketing, finance, and human resources), parents, sponsors, and community partners.

An athletic director’s responsibilities can be as simple as scheduling games and managing basic budgets or as complex as ensuring ethical conduct and compliance with rules, navigating funding initiatives, setting strategic visions, and cultivating stakeholder relationships.

They are also expected to build relationships with boosters, alumni, and other key stakeholders, and are also responsible for securing funding for the program through donations and other means.

Athletic directors engage in a wide range of activities using tools and technologies, ranging from Zoom and Microsoft Teams for team management; diverse athlete performance technologies, such as GPS trackers, wearables; and video analysis software, like Hudl, to improve athlete performance and prevent injuries; as well as data analysis software for program evaluation.

They also use sports management platforms and digital tools for scheduling, community engagement, and record keeping.

Athletic directors may also be asked to engage in the development and implementation of training and conditioning programs for student-athletes, and the scheduling of games and competitions.

The specific reporting structure for athletic directors depends on the institution’s size and the political sensitivity of the athletics program, and typically falls under the school’s Principal or President, or a higher-level administrator, like a Vice President for Student Administration.

In larger operations, the specific reporting structure depends on the institution, but the athletic director functions as a senior administrator within the higher education system, overseeing athletics and fulfilling responsibilities to the leadership of the organization.

Therefore, athletic directors (ADs) typically report to the university president, chancellor, or a senior vice president for administration or finance.

Where Athletic Directors Work

Athletic directors work mostly in colleges and universities, high schools, and community sports organizations, with potential for growth in major cities like New York and San Diego.

Some athletic directors may work for recreational facilities and other private organizations to create and administer a sports program and physical education.

In the United States, the demand and valuation for athletic directors is typically high, with the role being a common and prominent position within its educational and sports systems.

Athletic Director Training

Formal education for athletic directors usually starts with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Administration or Management. For advancement, they pursue a Master’s degree in a related field.

This training can be offered by universities and colleges and certifications can be obtained from professional institutions like the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Athletic Director Job Description Example/Sample/Template 

The athletic director job description may consist of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities depending on where they work: 

• Develop and execute strategic plans for all athletic programs, ensuring their alignment with the institution’s mission
• Plan, manage, and distribute the athletic department’s budget, finances for equipment, salaries, and facility upkeep
• Ensure compliance with all related regulatory bodies like the NCAA, state high school athletic associations, or NAIA
• Direct all athletic games, including game management, emergency personnel and apparatus, security, and ticket sales
• Stand for the school, as required, at conferences and state meetings for administering the interscholastic athletic program
• Maintain records and proper documentation of athletic program activities, events, participation, and related information for the purpose of complying with school policies and applicable laws and regulations
• Ensure professional relationship with media sources for the purpose of providing information about schedules, postponements or cancellations, records, sporting event statistics, and other relevant information
• Work together with others for the purpose of scheduling additional activities that happen before, during, and after sporting events, such as musical programs, scorers tables, half-time programs, police coverage, ticket sales, availability of on-site medical care, recognitions, and other related activities
• Manage all injuries and accidents according to the school policies and applicable laws and regulations, such as reporting and documentation requirements
• Team up with other departments within the institution to promote an organized and unified vision for the school or university
• Engage in fundraising activities and build relationships with boosters, alumni, and the broader community to assist the athletic program
• Promote student-athletes’ academic, positive ethical standards, and athletic development, and ensure eligibility
• Set a strategic vision and plan for the athletics program, in the context of the Academy or institution’s larger vision, mission, and strategic goals
• Manage the High School and Middle School athletic programs in coordination with the Principal
• Create materials to advertise athletic and sporting events, both in electronic and printed formats, for the purpose of distributing information and promoting enhanced awareness among students, staff, and the community in recognizing and assisting the school’s athletic programs, and attending events
• Manage data documentation, proposal development, report preparation, and different other fundamental internal support activities
• Perform extra tasks as assigned by the assistant athletic director/marketing or associate athletic director/marketing
• Oversee scheduling community events and appearances by athletes and staff with the aim of building visibility in the community
• Team up with the assistant athletic director/marketing in creating a marketing strategy for group, season, and individual ticket sales for men and women baseball and basketball
• Research all avenues to drive ticket sales and create new ideas for interest and sales in all sports.

Athletic Director Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success 

The athletic director requires certain skills, industry knowledge, and a number of personal attributes to be successful on the job and career and to qualify for hiring by most recruiters/employers, including: 

• Strong leadership skills to manage coaches, athletes, and sports program operations
• Organizational and administrative skills for scheduling games, budgeting, hiring staff, and coordinating events
• Excellent communication skills for interacting with staff, athletes, parents, school boards, and media
• Budgeting and financial management skills to manage program expenses, equipment purchases, and facility costs
• Decision-making and problem-solving ability for resolving conflicts, handling emergencies, or making staffing choices
• Knowledge of sports rules, regulations, and compliance to ensure adherence to league, school, state, and NCAA guidelines
• Time management skills for overseeing multiple teams, coaches, and activities at once
• Conflict resolution skills for addressing issues among athletes, parents, and coaches
• Public relations and community engagement skills to build positive relationships with donors, sponsors, and the community
• Program development and strategic planning skills for improving sports programs and expanding opportunities
• Ability to supervise coaches and athletic staff to ensure program quality and adherence to standards
• Experience coordinating athletic events and tournaments for scheduling venues, officials, and logistics
• Knowledge of facility and equipment management to maintain safe, functional sports facilities
• Understanding of sports injury protocols to ensure proper safety procedures and athlete well-being
• Ability to recruit and mentor coaching staff
• Familiarity with athletic fundraising and sponsorship
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and irregular hours
• Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, Physical Education, Athletic Administration, Sports Science, Business Administration
• Master’s degree in Athletic Administration, Sports Management, Education Leadership, Business Administration (MBA)
• Courses in leadership, budgeting, sports law, and facility management for administrative and compliance responsibilities
• Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) for high school athletic directors
• Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA)
• First Aid, CPR, and AED certification for safety and emergency response on campus or at events
• Coaching or teaching certification (sometimes required for school settings), especially in K-12 institutions where athletic directors may also teach
• Professional development training
• State administrative or teaching license – Required in some school systems, especially K-12, where ADs must also be licensed educators
• Driver’s license for traveling to games, supervising athletic events, or transporting equipment
• Background checks and fingerprint clearance for school-based positions working with minors.

Athletic Director Job Description Template

Here is an athletic director job description template employers can edit and use in their job postings to attract the best athletic directors to their companies:

Athletic Director Job Description for Resume 

If you have worked before as an athletic director or are presently working in that role and are making a resume or CV for a new job, then you can create a compelling Professional Experience for your resume by applying the sample athletic director job description provided above. 

You can express the duties and responsibilities you have carried out as an athletic director in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones provided in the above athletic director job description example. 

This will show to the recruiter/employer that you have been successful working as an athletic director, which can boost your chances of getting the new job, especially if it requires someone with some athletic director work experience. 

Conclusion 

This post has provided detailed coverage of the athletic director job description, highlighting the major responsibilities and duties that they typically perform.  

Individuals interested in the athletic director career will find this post helpful in learning about what they do.

Also, employers needing to hire a competent person for the athletic director role will find this article useful in making a detailed job description for the position.

They can actually apply the athletic director job description template provided on this page in making one for their organization.