California State University, Northridge is seeking a Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. 

At CSUN, we aspire to grow continually as an inclusive, cooperative community and strive to be a work place community that advances student success and provides exemplary service to all stakeholders. We foster an environment of success, for our students, our employees, and the broader San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles communities that we serve. We have a foundational commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of the University.  As a campus leader, the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics will have the opportunity to thrive in a community in which our leaders share common traits as identified in our Leadership Principles https://www.csun.edu/leadership-principles. The successful candidate for this position will also have the opportunity to realize their own personal goals, be recognized for the work they do, and enjoy the unique value the CSUN community can offer. 

The University: 

One of the largest universities in the country, California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is an urban, comprehensive university that delivers award-winning undergraduate and graduate programs to over 36,000 students annually and counts over 425,000 alumni who fuel the region’s economy. Since its founding in 1958, CSUN has made a significant and long-term economic impact on California, generating nearly $1.9 billion in economic impact and more than 12,000 jobs each year. We are a designated Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving Institution and nationally recognized for our success in serving our diverse student body. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked CSUN ninth in the nation for social mobility, CollegeNET ranked CSUN 11th on the 2024 Social Mobility Index, and The New York Times named CSUN the No. 1 public university for economic diversity. 

The Position of Director, Intercollegiate Athletics: 

California State University, Northridge is seeking an experienced, dynamic and energetic individual as its Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. The position is responsible for leading a competitive and respected Division I intercollegiate sports program that supports a balanced, high-quality educational and athletic experience for student-athletes. The Director of Intercollegiate Athletics is responsible for administering the program within the framework of appropriate national, regional, state, conference and university policies. The successful candidate will be responsible for the development, maintenance and promotion of the university's Intercollegiate Athletics program within an environment of uncompromising integrity and excellence. As a leader, demonstrates a commitment to student success that is mission aligned with the university’s vision, values and priorities and demonstrates a commitment to and ability to implement CSUN’s Leadership Principles: https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/CSUN_Leadership_Principles.pdf 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Student Athlete Success & Well Being: 

• Develops and maintains a competitive and respected Division I intercollegiate sports program that supports a balanced, holistic experience for student-athletes, emphasizing educational, student life and athletic success; 

• Provides executive oversight of the recruitment of student athletes who can compete successfully within the program, achieve academic success, and graduate from the university; 

• Serves as the spokesperson of the Intercollegiate Athletics Program and a role model for student athletes, promoting the philosophy and mission of the program;  

• Develops structures and programs that contribute to the development of athletes as students and responsible members of the community; fosters an environment that encourages sportsmanship and personal excellence; 

• Develops and maintains strong relationships with leadership in Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to ensure collaboration in supporting student-athlete success;  

• Collaborates with appropriate university staff to develop and implement strategies to ensure that student athletes sustain adequate academic progress, earn degrees and succeed in all aspects of their university experience; 

• Reviews and recommends approvals of requests for admissions of student-athletes to the university that require exceptions to minimum admission requirements;  

• Recruits, hires, and retains a high-quality coaching staff with the skills and ability to motivate and inspire student athletes in their charge, as well as a commitment to student athlete health and well-being; 

Administration and Fiscal Management: 

• Establishes and actively manages annual and long-term operating and capital budget plans;  

• Oversees administrative operations, financial operations and facilities management, ensuring fiscal integrity is maintained; 

• Recruits, retains, evaluates and motivates high performing management and support staff; 

• Develops and maintains effective communication programs and channels throughout the department, across the campus and with external constituencies; 

• Negotiates and approves coach and staff employment agreements and departmental contracts; 

• Oversees development of and approves sport competition and travel schedules; 

• Establishes short and long-term objectives and planning for athletics facility improvements; 

• Establishes and oversees programs and procedures to effectively manage the maintenance, use, operations and care of athletics facilities and equipment; 

• Works collaboratively with the College of Health and Human Development and University Licensing to effectively manage the utilization of shared athletic and academic facilities; 

• Coordinates athletics staff resources to cooperate and assist with internal and/or external audits;  

• Establishes and oversees university sports camps, ensuring full compliance with campus and CSU policies and procedures related to youth programs; 

Fundraising, Marketing and Community Engagement: 

• Working collaboratively with University Relations & Advancement, develops, maintains and promotes the university's Intercollegiate Athletics program with the university community, alumni and supporters; 

• Working collaboratively with University Relations & Advancement, cultivates a robust fundraising program including annual fund and major gifts; fosters strong external relationships with potential donors and sponsors; 

• Directs marketing and other activities to promote the program and ensure the integrity of the Matador Athletics brand; 

• Seeks opportunities to strengthen relationships with local and regional media to expand broadcasting of athletic events;  

• Develops a comprehensive strategic plan for major facility improvements, including financial goals, funding strategies and timelines; 

• Pursues corporate partnership opportunities supporting university goals, both within athletics as well as in collaboration with various campus entities;     

• Develops and oversees student athlete Name, Image and Likeness (N.I.L.) policies and procedures in order to maximize student athlete opportunities while maintaining strict compliance with NCAA, conference, state and federal policies and regulations;   

• Attends a significant number of regional and campus events as a representative of the university; 

Compliance: 

• Operates the Intercollegiate Athletics program in strict compliance with NCAA, Big West Conference, and university policies and regulations; 

• Establishes and maintains and unwavering culture of ethical behavior, integrity and compliance throughout the Athletics program; 

• Develops and implements systems and protocols to monitor compliance, provide comprehensive and continual staff training, and ensure any instances of non-compliance are expeditiously detected, reported and rectified; 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: 

• Actively promotes diversity, equity and inclusion in employee recruitment and retention efforts, staff and student athlete training, student-athlete experiential opportunities, and community engagement and outreach efforts; 

• Monitors and enforces Title IX compliance within all aspects of Athletics operations; 

• Takes a leadership role in promoting the University's commitment to gender equity in education and athletics. 

Qualifications: 

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; 

• Minimum five years’ experience in progressively responsible positions within the athletics/sports industry; 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution; 

• Demonstrated successful administrative experience, preferably in senior athletics administration at the Division I level;  

• Demonstrated experience in administering successful athletic programs that excel competitively, academically, and in terms of student athlete health and well-being; 

• Evidence of ability to recruit, motivate and retain student-athletes;  

• Demonstrated experience, commitment, knowledge and ability to adhere to NCAA and other relevant compliance regulations;  

• Proven record as a leader able to promote the University, Athletic Program and all facets of student-athlete welfare with a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and Title IX compliance; 

• Experience in development, fundraising and external relations with the ability to develop rapport and establish networks of leadership level benefactors; 

• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, supervising and leading coaches and administrative staff within a high-performing team environment; 

• Demonstrated experience in effectively managing departmental operations and financial resources; 

• Evidence of ability to lead diverse teams and foster an ethical, inclusive and collegial work environment;  

• Evidence of ability to lead varying initiatives through a collaborative, service-oriented and communicative approach; 

• Proven record of commitment to employee development, recognition, and accountability to further operational goals; 

Effective Date of Appointment: As soon as possible. 

How to Apply:  

The position is open until filled, but only applications received by Monday, August 4, 2025, can be assured full consideration.  

The University is being assisted by The Pictor Group. Applications should consist of a substantive cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and a list of professional references with full contact information. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate.  

Candidates should apply by completing the CSUN on-line application. To submit an application and for more detailed information on the application and hiring process, please visit this link: www.csun.edu/careers  

Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting consultant Cary Groth at cgroth@thepictorgroup.com.  Information about California State University Northridge is available at http://csun.edu/ 

Background check: This position is a sensitive position as designated by the CSU. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the status of candidates who apply for the position. 

CANRA: The person holding this position will be considered a 'limited reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.