Assistant Director for Fitness and Wellness

The University of Kansas - Staff; Cobalt; On-site; CAD 62,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Ontario seeks an Education Program Coordinator to manage the KU Fit program, coordinate fitness classes, and develop wellness events. This full-time position requires strong leadership in fitness management and group exercise instruction. The salary range is $45,000-$55,000 with an anticipated start date of November 3, 2025.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or bachelor's degree with 3 years in fitness management.
• Experience as a group exercise instructor required.
• Current NCCA-accredited certification in group fitness.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the KU Fit Program including scheduling and instructor management.
• Develop and manage incentive programs and special events.
• Create educational workshops and curricula for fitness staff.

Skills

Group exercise instruction

Fitness management

Team leadership

Event coordination

Education

Master's degree or bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Canvas

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Overview

KU RECREATION SERVICES, a department within Student Affairs, provides a campus-wide impact by improving the quality of life for all students, faculty, staff, affiliates, retirees, alumni, spouses, and domestic partners through fitness and wellness initiatives. RECREATION SERVICES offers state-of-the-art recreational programs, facilities, and services. The University of Kansas RECREATION SERVICES department seeks an Education Program Coordinator (with a working title of Assistant Director of Fitness & Wellness) to support core functions including coordinating the KU Fit group fitness program, developing KU Fit Instructors, and creating fitness and wellness special events. The role aligns with RECREATION SERVICES values of Community, Excellence, Experience, Growth, and Integrity and with KU Institutional Priorities of Healthy and Vibrant Communities and Student Success. The Education Program Coordinator is a full-time unclassified, non-exempt position reporting to the Senior Assistant Director of Programs. The role involves recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and developing KU Fit Instructors and a Program Manager, creating KU Fit Group Fitness schedules, developing and evaluating special events, and assisting marketing on promoting programs and events across responsibilities. Programs within RECREATION SERVICES include Fitness, Intramurals, Sport Clubs, and Outdoor Pursuits. Fitness offers KU Fit group fitness with classes focused on cardio, strength, mind and body, Personal Training, and fitness assessments. Intramurals include team sports and tournaments; Sport Clubs conduct a variety of competitive, recreational, and instructional sports; Outdoor Pursuits offers a rock-climbing wall and equipment rental. Further information is available at www.recreation.ku.edu.

Responsibilities

65% - Coordinate the KU Fit Program

• Plan and implement semester schedules with approximately 45 classes per week, including classes such as Pilates, yoga, strength, cycle, dance fitness, fitness boxing, and more.
• Recruit, hire, train, document, supervise, and evaluate approximately 15–20 KU Fit instructors; approve payroll.
• Update the employee manual as needed and add sections with specific training information for each KU Fit class (equipment use, participant expectations, certification reimbursement procedures, tips, and example routines).
• Oversee daily operations of the KU Fit program (registration, optional fees, attendance, equipment/facility upkeep, program assessment, and policies to ensure safe instruction and risk management).
• Provide continuing education for staff to enhance skills and maintain certifications through one-on-one coaching and workshops. Supervise a KU Fit student Program Manager. Manage Les Mills license and instructor training.
• Manage KU Fit instructor reimbursement program for retention and recruiting.
• Develop and implement the ACE Group Fitness Instructor (GFI) Prep Course; prepare monthly, semester, and yearly class reports with recommendations as needed.
• Oversee protocols for KU Fit and specialty programs such as FIT45 (bootcamp) including Fusion access, POS, and programming software; develop in-house trainings for choreographed and non-choreographed KU Fit classes.
• Create new choreography for KU Fit classes and train instructors as needed.
• Purchase, evaluate, and inventory equipment for KU Fit classes and related facilities (e.g., stability balls, Bosu, dumbbells, mats, resistance bands).
• Ensure employees maintain required training and certifications (CPR/AED, concussion, conceal carry) and host fitness certifications and CEU opportunities.
• Research industry trends and develop a diverse range of offerings to meet patron needs; collaborate with campus departments to host fitness/wellness events in partnership with Recreation Services (e.g., Dance Therapy, Trauma Yoga with CAPS).

15% - Develop and manage incentive programs and special events

• Coordinate, promote, and evaluate “Rec Connect” each semester and communicate expectations to professional staff.
• Coordinate Jayhawk Fitness Challenge and the Movin’ with the Rec 5K fun run/walk/roll annually.
• Create and implement special events for KU Fit classes each semester (incentive challenges, themed classes).
• Design medium- and large-scale programs or events (e.g., virtual triathlons, challenges) to expand participants’ fitness/wellness knowledge and skills.
• Coordinate with student organizations and KU community requests for private KU Fit classes at ASRFC and on campus.
• Collaborate with marketing to provide fitness/wellness educational content through social media, blogs, and outreach.

10% - Develop educational workshops/curriculum

• Create curricula for in-house trainings for fitness staff and participants on equipment use (e.g., TRX bands, Bosu balls).
• Develop fitness/wellness workshops for participants (nutrition, corrective exercises, programs for beginners).
• Lead trainings and workshops as needed.

5% - Assist with the development and management of the fitness budget.

5% - Other duties

• Serve on Recreation Services committees as needed.
• Assist the Senior Assistant Director of Programs with personal training, ACE Personal Training Prep Course, and fitness assessments (FIT4U).
• Develop collaborative relationships with other departments and participate in University committees to support Chancellor’s Strategic Initiatives.
• Instruct CPR/AED trainings on a rotational basis.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree or bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with 3 years of professional work experience in fitness management; 2 years as a graduate assistant equals 1 year of work experience (must have graduated with a bachelor's degree by employment start date).
• Experience as a group exercise instructor.
• Current NCCA-accredited certification in group fitness (ACE or equivalent) or must be completed within 6 months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in physical education, recreation, exercise physiology, health education, exercise science, or related field.
• Experience in fitness management in a campus recreation setting and supervising staff.
• Experience teaching and administering Les Mills Programs.
• Current certification in personal training from an NCCA-accredited organization (ACE, ACSM, W.I.T.S, NASM, NSCA, or similar).
• Certification in indoor group cycling (Keiser, Krank Cycle, Schwinn, Spinning).
• At least one year of experience instructing indoor cycling.
• Professional involvement with fitness organizations (NIRSA, ACE, ACSM, IDEA Health and Fitness).
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Canvas, Microsoft Teams, and/or Fusion.
• CPR/AED instructor certification.
• Experience developing and implementing programs and/or events.

Application Instructions

Contact Information to Applicants

Jason Krone
[e-mail]

Additional Candidate Instructions

In addition to the online application, please provide:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume
• List of three professional references

Note Some wording requires addressing how you meet each qualification with specific examples to help the search committee evaluate your fit.

Only complete applications will be considered. Application review begins 10/3/2025 and will continue until a qualified pool is identified.

Additional Job Details

Advertised Salary Range 45,000-55,000

Application Review Begins 26-Sep-2025

Anticipated Start Date 03-Nov-2025

Primary Campus University of Kansas Lawrence Campus

FTE 1.0

Reg/Temp Regular

FLSA Status Nonexempt

Employee Class U-Unclassified Professional Staff

Work Schedule Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm

Job Family Educational Support & Delivery - KUL

Work Location Assignment On-Site

Equal Opportunity

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The designated Title IX coordinator for inquiries is Associate Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights and Title IX, [e-mail], Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY.