Assistant Director, Athletics Communications

University of South Florida; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of South Florida Athletics is seeking an Assistant Director of Communications to lead media relations, digital content, and statistics for designated programs. The role shapes the voice, visibility, and public perception of USF Athletics across media outlets while advancing a modern Division I brand.

The position emphasizes strong writing, media operations, and collaboration with marketing and creative teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, sports management, or related field.
• At least 2 years in athletic communications, sports information, or SID role preferred.
• Proficiency in media operations including press box management and interview coordination.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary media contact for assigned sports.
• Develop and execute proactive media strategies for local, regional, and national exposure.
• Produce and manage content including game notes, bios, recaps, feature stories, and postseason materials.
• Coordinate interview requests, press conferences, and media availability for coaches and student‑athletes.
• Travel with teams for game day communications and media operations.
• Oversee game day statistics and distribution of official information.
• Support department-wide creative and communications initiatives.

Skills

Writing

Media relations

Storytelling

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications

Bachelor's degree in journalism

Bachelor's degree in sports management

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

NCAA Live Stats

StatCrew

Job description

Job Description

The Assistant Director of Communications serves as the primary communications, media relations, and digital content lead for designated USF Athletics programs. This role blends strategic storytelling, brand elevation, and meticulous record management to effectively promote and protect the reputation of USF Athletics. The position plays a key role in shaping the voice, visibility, and public perception of the department across local, regional, and national media outlets, while contributing to the advancement of a modern Division I athletics brand. The Assistant Director is an integral member of a dynamic and forward-thinking communications team and reports directly to the Managing Director.

Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with local media. Proficiency with statistical software (e.g., NCAA Live Stats, StatCrew), Adobe Creative Suite, and major social media platforms. Ability to produce, edit, and distribute official communications materials, including game notes, recaps, feature stories, postseason guides, and press releases. Knowledge of media operations, including press box/table management, interview coordination, credentialing, and postgame workflow. Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays, with travel as needed is a must.

Responsibilities

Communications & Media Relations

• Serve as the primary media contact for assigned sports, managing all day-to-day communications operations.
• Develop and execute proactive media strategies to increase exposure locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Produce and manage all content for assigned sports, including game notes, bios, recaps, feature stories, and postseason materials.
• Coordinate all interview requests, press conferences, and media availability for coaches and student-athletes.
• Travel as needed with teams for game day communications and media operations.

Digital Content & Social Media

• Oversee and create compelling digital content across social media platforms to enhance storytelling and fan engagement.
• Collaborate closely with creative services, marketing, and social media teams to produce consistent, high-quality brand representation.
• Utilize analytics to improve content performance and fan engagement strategies.

Game Operations & Statistics

• Manage all statistical record-keeping and historical documentation for assigned sports.
• Oversee game day communications operations including press box/table management, stat crews, and distribution of official information.
• Work with conference and NCAA partners to ensure accurate, timely reporting of results and statistics.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Supervise, train, and mentor student workers, interns, and part-time staff within the office.
• Contribute to department-wide creative and communications initiatives in a highly collaborative environment.
• Support other team units including marketing, creative services, social media, and game-presentation with communications-related needs.

Compliance

• Maintain working knowledge of and compliance with all NCAA, conference, and institutional rules and regulations.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and 2+ years of related experience. A degree in communications, journalism, sports management, or a related field is preferred. At least 2 years of experience in athletic communications, sports information, or a related SID role is also preferred.

About Us

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.