VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
RECREATION & WELL-BEING
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR FITNESS
The Assistant Director for Fitness is responsible for the management and administration of the Fitness Program in alignment with the mission of RecWell to advance student success by empowering the VCU community to prioritize well-being, connect with others, and learn through play. The responsibilities encompass a wide variety of administrative duties including financial, personnel, and program management; policy development; risk management; assessment; and student staff development. This position reports to the Senior Associate Director for Programs & Assessment.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
Personnel Management
● Provide leadership to the fitness Team, including direct supervision of two full-time coordinators for group exercise and fitness, and hourly/student staff or interns as applicable.
● Effectively communicate departmental, Division, and University mission, vision, values, and goals to staff and work with teams to align programmatic initiatives with strategic priorities.
● Effectively prepare staff to identify risks and make critically sound decisions that uphold the department’s shared values.
● Support the training and development of direct reports by establishing individual goals and development opportunities, routinely providing feedback on performance and identifying specific areas for continued growth.
● Ensure compliance with all departmental and University guidelines and policies.
Program Management
● Manage the Well-Being Lounge and designated fitness spaces within RecWell facilities.
● Oversee the development and implementation of a long-term plan for fitness equipment replacement with others in the department.
● Lead the ongoing planning, implementation, and evaluation of inclusive, accessible, and welcoming programs that minimize risk while focusing on fun and positive experiences for participants.
● Participate in the development of department and program area specific strategic plans, goals, and measurable outcomes to guide and evaluate all activities.
● Foster programmatic growth by encouraging collaborative efforts, supporting student learning, and identifying emerging trends in programmatic areas.
● Work with team members to assess and report strategic outcomes.
● Facilitate collaboration with key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to programs that addresses key recreation and well-being issues, such as belonging and connectedness that provide multiple points of entry for participation by prioritizing introductory programs and services for new students.
● Work with key stakeholders to integrate programs into academic and other learning environments, potentially instructing courses in partnership with academic departments.
● Work through the established channels to engage in dynamic and purposeful marketing and promotion of programs through the collaborative development of digital, print, social, and other media.
● Work with others to develop innovative models that remove barriers to student engagement while ensuring the long-term sustainability of programs.
● Ensure the creation, revision, and implementation of standard operating procedures for Fitness in adherence with established University and departmental guidelines.
● Provide guidance in the development and implementation of an effective risk management plan for all areas of oversight, ensuring compliance with department and university guidelines and appropriate follow-up on critical incidents.
Administrative
● Serve as a member of the department’s leadership team, contributing to long-range strategic planning, facility planning, budget development, and student learning.
● Collaborate with campus partners within the Division of Student Affairs and across the university to develop and implement programs and events that contribute to student success.
● Provide responsible and ethical management of resources within designated program area(s), including developing, managing, and reconciling program budgets and setting revenue projections for all programming areas.
● Investigate new and emerging trends and explore opportunities for growth within recreation and well-being programming.
● Maintain professional skill sets and certifications as appropriate for job responsibilities and as a professional.
● Actively contribute to shared knowledge in this growing field by participating in professional organizations.
● Participate in Division and University-wide events and committees as needed.
● Serve as part of the onsite/on-call team, providing regular evening and weekend supervisory support.
● Other duties as assigned.
Core Competencies:
● Accountability/Integrity - Accountable for measurable high-quality, timely and cost-effective results and displays a strong commitment to organizational success and delivering on individual responsibilities as a university citizen.
● Achievement/Development - Commitment to the pursuit of excellence, high achievement and ongoing professional development by proactively seeking opportunities to develop new capabilities, skills, and knowledge.
● Collaboration - Ability to work collaboratively within and across departments to achieve shared goals.
● Broad Perspectives - Demonstrates an open-minded approach to understanding people from all backgrounds, identities, abilities, perspectives and experiences, and effectively works with and treats all people fairly and consistently, with dignity and respect.
● Innovation - Applies creative problem-solving skills to work to develop solutions to problems and demonstrates the value in taking responsible risks and learning from mistakes.
● Service Excellence - Demonstrates a commitment to the highest quality service to internal and external communities and ensures that actions are aligned with University objectives, practices and core values.
● Leading Others - Demonstrates the ability to lead people toward meeting/exceeding the department’s and University’s vision, mission, and goals, while providing an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
Other Requirements:
● Position involves working some evening and weekend hours.
● Position is located in a non-smoking work area.
POSITION: This position is a full-time twelve-month University and Academic Professional
position
SALARY: Salary range is $65,000-$67,000. Position includes full-time University and Academic Professional benefits package.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications
Required:
●Master's degree in Recreation, Exercise Science, Health and Fitness, Kinesiology, or related field and 3-5 years of relevant professional experience or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, preferably in a higher education setting.
● Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
● Demonstrated administrative skills and experience in: planning, implementing, and evaluating programs; budget development and fiscal/statistical management; long-range planning; project management; organizational strategic planning; and risk management.
● Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
● American Red Cross First Aid CPR/AED certification or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.
●Ability to respond to requests with a professional and positive demeanor; the desire to create a positive and enthusiastic environment within DSA
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred:
● Experience in a university/college setting.
● Experience supervising full-time staff with demonstrated experience in all aspects of personnel management and staff development.
● Nationally accredited fitness certifications in personal training, group fitness or health coaching such as ACE, NASM, ACSM or AFFA.
Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.
FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt
Hours per Week: 40
Restricted Position: No
ORP Eligible: Yes
Job Slotting: 35911Y - Administrator SS 1
Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully On-site
Contact Information:
Contact Name: Trisha Saunders
Contact Email: trsaunders@vcu.edu