Athletic Directors

Employers

Nearly every college and university in the United States employs athletic directors. Opportunities exist at private and public institutions, community colleges, and universities both large and small. At a smaller college, a coach, not a traditional administrator, may serve as the athletic director. High schools with large sports programs may also employ athletic directors.

Starting Out

Professional publications such as the Chronicle of Higher Education (https://www.chronicle.com) have job listings for athletic directors. The human resources departments in most colleges and universities maintain listings of job openings at the institution and often advertise the positions nationally. The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources also has job listings on its Web site, https://www.cupahr.org/jobline. In addition, college athletics associations such as the NCAA (https://ncaamarket.ncaa.org/jobs) also offer job listings on their Web sites.

Landing a job as an athletic director can be difficult; dozens of applicants may apply for a single position. For this reason, it is very important that you gain experience in the field and develop good networking skills. Work as a coach, assistant athletic director, or physical education instructor, or in another related position to get experience. Take advantage of any networking opportunities, such as league meetings, trade shows, and association membership, to get to know others working in the field. Some of the best job leads in the industry come by word of mouth. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics also offers internships for aspiring athletic administrators.