Job Description - Athletic Director Job Summary/Goal: The Athletic Director serves as a member of the District and high school leadership teams and provides leadership and oversight for South Lake Schools' interscholastic athletic programs. The Athletic Director advances the District's vision and mission by fostering a safe, inclusive, and student-centered athletic environment; promoting academic achievement, student well-being, sportsmanship, and competitive excellence; supervising coaches and athletic personnel; and collaborating with students, families, staff, and community partners. The Athletic Director ensures effective athletic program operations, compliance with District policies and applicable athletic regulations, and responsible management of athletic events, facilities, budgets, and student eligibility while contributing to a positive culture that promotes character, school pride, and student success.
Minimum Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree or higher in education, sports management, athletic administration, business administration, or a related field from an accredited institution.
- Valid Michigan teaching certificate and/or School Administrator Certificate preferred.
- Minimum of five years of successful experience in coaching, teaching, athletic administration, school leadership, or a related field, preferably at the secondary level.
- Demonstrated knowledge of interscholastic athletic program management, student-athlete development, and Michigan High School Athletic Association rules and eligibility requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and manage athletic operations, including supervising coaches and athletic personnel; coordinating schedules, events, facilities, transportation, and budgets; and supporting student-athlete health and safety.
- Strong leadership, organizational, technological, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build positive relationships with students, families, staff, and community partners.
- Ability to fulfill the scheduling and attendance requirements of the position, including regular evening and weekend responsibilities.
- Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent or designee may find appropriate and acceptable.
Reports to: Principal
Supervises: Coaches, athletic support personnel, event workers, and middle and high school interscholastic athletic programs as assigned.
Essential Competencies: - Leadership and Program Improvement: Ability to collaboratively advance the District's vision and continuously improve education-based athletic programs that promote achievement, equity, well-being, sportsmanship, and excellence.
- Athletic Program Management: Ability to manage schedules, events, facilities, transportation, officials, equipment, budgets, purchasing, records, and other operational requirements.
- Compliance and Safety: Knowledge of MHSAA rules, eligibility standards, District policies, applicable laws, emergency procedures, and student-athlete health and safety practices.
- Personnel Leadership: Ability to select, supervise, evaluate, develop, and support coaches and athletic personnel while promoting professionalism and accountability.
- Data-Informed Decision-Making: Ability to use participation, eligibility, academic, financial, safety, and program data to guide decisions and allocate resources.
- Culture and Community Engagement: Ability to foster an inclusive, respectful athletic culture and build productive relationships with students, families, staff, officials, booster organizations, and community partners.
- Communication and Problem-Solving: Ability to communicate effectively, resolve concerns, adapt to changing circumstances, and make timely, fair, and sound decisions.
Performance Duties and Responsibilities: Leadership and Program Management - Provides leadership, supervision, and continuous improvement of the District's middle and high school interscholastic athletic programs.
- Develops and communicates a clear vision for education-based athletics aligned with the District's mission, values, policies, and strategic priorities.
- Promotes academic achievement, equitable participation, student well-being, sportsmanship, ethical conduct, character development, school pride, and competitive excellence.
- Evaluates athletic programs, participation opportunities, and program outcomes and recommends improvements based on student needs, available resources, data, and established best practices.
- Participates as a member of District and high school leadership teams and contributes to goals, procedures, and initiatives related to interscholastic athletics.
- Represents the District at league, conference, regional, and Michigan High School Athletic Association meetings and activities.
Personnel Management - Recruits, interviews, recommends, or hires, as authorized, qualified coaches and athletic personnel in accordance with District procedures.
- Supervises, supports, and evaluates coaches and assigned athletic personnel.
- Provides orientation, mentoring, professional development, feedback, and performance support for coaches and athletic personnel.
- Establishes and communicates expectations for professional conduct, student-athlete development, program operations, safety, and sportsmanship.
- Ensures coaches and athletic personnel satisfy applicable District, league, and Michigan High School Athletic Association training and qualification requirements.
- Verifies completion of required safety training and certifications, including CPR, AED use, first aid, concussion awareness, and sudden cardiac arrest response.
- Promotes collaboration, professionalism, accountability, and consistent expectations across athletic programs.
Student-Athlete Support - Promotes academic achievement and monitors student-athlete eligibility in accordance with District policies and Michigan High School Athletic Association requirements.
- Coordinates and verifies athletic registration, physical examinations, consent forms, eligibility records, and other participation requirements.
- Collaborates with administrators, teachers, counselors, coaches, students, and families to support student-athletes' academic achievement, attendance, behavior, health, safety, and overall well-being.
- Promotes student leadership, teamwork, sportsmanship, character development, positive behavior, and responsible decision-making.
- Supports equitable access to athletic opportunities and works to identify and reduce barriers to student participation.
- Administers and enforces the District's athletic code of conduct and other athletic participation requirements.
- Investigates athletic program concerns, incidents, complaints, and alleged violations and refers student discipline or broader school matters to the appropriate administrator.
- Responds to student and family questions and concerns in a timely, professional, consistent, and impartial manner.
- Coordinates student-athlete and team recognition programs and celebrations.
Operations and Compliance - Ensures compliance with District policies, athletic codes, league and conference regulations, Michigan High School Athletic Association requirements, and applicable state and federal laws.
- Serves as the District's primary liaison to the Michigan High School Athletic Association and applicable athletic leagues and conferences.
- Develops and coordinates schedules for practices, contests, tournaments, and other athletic events.
- Coordinates contest arrangements, transportation, officials, facilities, security, medical coverage, event personnel, and other operational needs.
- Supervises or arranges appropriate supervision for home athletic events and designated away contests.
- Oversees athletic event management and game-day operations, including ticketing, crowd management, visiting-team accommodations, and spectator conduct.
- Coordinates the use of athletic facilities and works with appropriate personnel to address maintenance, custodial, security, and scheduling needs.
- Determines, in consultation with appropriate administrators and personnel, whether athletic practices or contests should be postponed, relocated, suspended, or canceled because of weather, facility conditions, or safety concerns.
- Maintains accurate participation, eligibility, scheduling, financial, personnel, safety, and program records and prepares required reports.
- Develops and maintains athletic handbooks, calendars, procedures, forms, contracts, rosters, and program communications.
- Uses appropriate technology and athletic management systems to coordinate registration, eligibility, scheduling, communications, records, and event operations.
Student-Athlete Health, Safety, and Risk Management - Promotes a safe environment for student-athletes, coaches, officials, event personnel, and spectators.
- Develops, communicates, implements, and annually reviews emergency action plans for athletic facilities, practices, contests, and events.
- Ensures compliance with applicable concussion, sudden cardiac arrest, heat illness, injury-response, and return-to-participation requirements.
- Coordinates with administrators, medical providers, athletic trainers, emergency responders, and facilities personnel regarding athletic health and safety procedures.
- Inspects or arranges for the inspection of athletic facilities, fields, equipment, and playing conditions and responds appropriately to identified safety concerns.
- Maintains required documentation concerning injuries, incidents, emergency responses, and return-to-participation clearances.
- Supports emergency response, crisis communication, evacuation, crowd management, and reunification procedures during athletic activities.
Budget, Facilities, and Equipment - Develops, administers, and monitors the athletic department budget in accordance with District procedures and financial controls.
- Monitors expenditures and coordinates athletic purchasing, contracts, and requisitions within delegated authority.
- Coordinates the inventory, distribution, maintenance, storage, replacement, and appropriate use of athletic uniforms, supplies, and equipment.
- Oversees ticket sales, event receipts, athletic accounts, and other program revenues in accordance with District procedures.
- Coordinates the maintenance, safety, scheduling, and improvement of athletic facilities and equipment.
- Promotes the effective and equitable allocation of athletic staff, facilities, equipment, and financial resources.
- Develops short-term and long-term recommendations regarding athletic facilities, equipment, staffing, and program needs.
- Coordinates fundraising and sponsorship activities in accordance with District policies and applicable requirements.
Communication and Community Relations - Builds positive relationships with students, families, coaches, staff, officials, league representatives, booster organizations, youth athletic programs, community members, and other athletic stakeholders.
- Serves as the primary representative and point of contact for the District's interscholastic athletic programs.
- Communicates schedules, participation requirements, program expectations, eligibility standards, safety information, accomplishments, and schedule changes in a timely and accessible manner.
- Conducts or coordinates preseason meetings for student-athletes, families, coaches, and athletic personnel.
- Promotes athletic programs, student-athlete accomplishments, sportsmanship, and community participation through District-approved communication channels.
- Develops partnerships with booster organizations, youth programs, local agencies, and community organizations that support District athletic programs.
- Promotes positive spectator conduct, school spirit, and community pride at athletic events.
- Responds to and assists in resolving concerns involving athletic programs with professionalism, consistency, fairness, and sound judgment.
Other Responsibilities - Maintains current knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, technologies, professional standards, and best practices in interscholastic athletic administration.
- Participates in appropriate meetings, conferences, professional associations, and professional development activities.
- Maintains a visible presence at athletic practices, contests, tournaments, recognition activities, and community events, including regular evening and weekend responsibilities.
Employment Conditions: - Employees shall remain free of any alcohol or non-prescribed controlled substance abuse in the workplace throughout their employment with the District.
- Perform other responsibilities and duties as assigned by the Principal, Superinte
