University of San Diego

Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Communications

University of San Diego$83K — $86K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required.
  • 3+ years in athletics marketing/communications or related field.
  • Proven experience with integrated marketing campaigns and fan engagement.
  • Strong grasp of revenue generation strategies such as ticket sales and sponsorships.
  • Excellent written and communication skills.

Responsibilities

  • Lead overall marketing and communications strategy for sports programs.
  • Oversee marketing initiatives to boost attendance and revenue.
  • Create sport-specific marketing plans aligned with priorities.
  • Manage game-day marketing and fan experience.
  • Develop marketing strategies for ticket sales and promotions.
  • Direct storytelling initiatives across various media platforms.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • University-sponsored retirement contributions.
  • Access to on-campus fitness centers.
Full Job Description
Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Communications

Posting #: 5539
Position Status: Full-time regular
Location: San Diego
Position Type: Administrator, Athletics

Position Title & Department:

Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Communications; Athletics

Posting #
5539

Department Description:As part of the University of San Diego, a Roman Catholic University, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is committed to advancing academic and athletic excellence and enhancing students' lives while promoting the University of San Diego.

Detailed Description:
The Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Communications oversees the department's integrated marketing and storytelling strategy across all athletics programs. This position ensures alignment between marketing campaigns, creative storytelling, digital platforms, and communications efforts to elevate the athletics brand and drive attendance, engagement, and revenue.

In addition to leading marketing initiatives, this role provides minimal sports information support for assigned programs by assisting with storytelling content, written communications, and media coordination when needed. The position plays a key role in ensuring consistent messaging, compelling storytelling, and strong fan engagement across all athletics platforms.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Marketing & Fan Engagement

  • Lead the marketing and communications strategy for all sports programs with assignment to specific sports programs.
  • Oversee marketing campaigns focused on attendance growth, fan engagement, and revenue generation.
  • Develop sport-specific marketing plans aligned with departmental priorities.
  • Manage and execute game-day marketing initiatives and fan experience activations.
  • Coordinate marketing support for ticket sales initiatives and promotional campaigns.
  • Oversee Kids Club and like programs to help increase fanbase and revenue.

Storytelling & Content Strategy

  • Direct storytelling initiatives across digital, video, social, and written platforms.
  • Collaborate with creative services to produce compelling content highlighting student-athletes, coaches, and program success.
  • Ensure consistent brand messaging and storytelling across athletics communications channels.

Digital & Email Marketing

  • Develop and execute email marketing campaigns, including promotional and coordinate solicitation emails.
  • Coordinate and guide digital marketing initiatives across social media, web, and paid marketing channels to promote events while growing top of funnel data.
  • Use fan data and analytics to guide marketing strategy and audience engagement.
  • Supervise marketing and communications staff including assistant directors, graduate assistants, and student workers.
  • Provide mentorship and professional development to team members.
  • Oversee cross-functional work between marketing, creative, communications, and revenue units.

Collaboration with Revenue Units

  • Work closely with ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise teams to support revenue initiatives.
  • Assist with the promotion of ticket sales, season ticket campaigns, and special revenue initiatives.
  • Ensure marketing campaigns align with revenue generation goals.
  • Provide limited sports information support for assigned programs when needed.
  • Assist with written content including press releases, feature stories and program notes.
  • Support media relations efforts in coordination with the Director of Sports Information and Media Relations.
  • Assist with game-day communications support when coverage demands require additional staff.

Role in the Athletics External Affairs Structure

The Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Communications will report to the Senior Associate AD for External Affairs and plays a central role in the department's storytelling and fan engagement strategy, working closely with:

  • Associate AD for External Affairs
  • Director of Sports Information
  • Director of Creative Video
  • Marketing and communications staff
  • Revenue generation units (ticketing, sponsorship, merchandise)

This role helps ensure that marketing, communications, and storytelling efforts operate as an integrated strategy to grow attendance, elevate the athletics brand, and support revenue generation.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

  • Heartsaver CPR /AED certification required within 6 weeks of employment.
  • California driver's license required within 6 weeks of employment.

Special Conditions of Employment:

  • Works a significant number of athletic events during the year.
  • Ability to work nights, weekends, and travel as required, including attendance at on- and off-campus events.
  • Ability to attend on and off campus events is required.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.

Job Requirements:
Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree required.
  • Minimum 3 years of professional experience in athletics marketing, communications, or a related field required.
  • Demonstrated experience leading integrated marketing campaigns, digital strategy, and fan engagement initiatives.
  • Strong understanding of revenue generation strategies, including ticket sales, promotions, and sponsorship activation.
  • Excellent written, interpersonal, and communication skills required.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple projects and sports programs simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.


Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master's degree preferred.
  • Four or more years of related experience preferred.
  • One or more years of supervisory experience with full-time staff, graduate assistants, or student workers preferred.
  • Experience in media relations, storytelling, and content development preferred.
  • Knowledge of college athletics and external operations (marketing, communications, fan engagement) preferred.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, email marketing platforms (e.g., Eloqua), and digital/content systems required; experience with Adobe Creative Suite and social media platforms preferred.

Performance Expectations - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Marketing strategy and fan engagement
  • Digital storytelling and creative direction
  • Strong writing and communications ability
  • Staff leadership and collaboration
  • Data-driven marketing decision making
  • Ability to manage multiple sports and initiatives simultaneously


Posting Salary:

$6,916.66-7,166.67 per month; Excellent Benefits

The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers. Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer. USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Special Application Instructions:

Resume and Cover Letter Required

Click the 'Apply Now' button to complete our online application. In addition, please upload a cover letter and resume to your application profile for the hiring managers' review. If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at [email protected].

Additional Details:
Hours: 40 hours per week

Closing date: Open until filled

Note: External job postings will be up for at least three days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

Advertised: April 21, 2026 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

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About University of San Diego

The University of San Diego (USD) is a private Roman Catholic research university in San Diego, California. Founded in July 1949 as the San Diego College for Women and San Diego University, the academic institutions merged from the California school system into University of San Diego in 1972. The university offers 42 baccalaureate degrees, and several degrees in law, nursing, (master's, PhD, and DNP), and other doctorate programs. The university comprises seven different academic colleges.
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