Assistant Director - Recreation & Wellness

The Culinary Institute of America; Town of Hyde Park (NY); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage at no cost for some

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement savings with employer match

Generous paid time off

Job summary

The Culinary Institute of America is seeking an Assistant Director of Recreation & Wellness to lead intramurals, athletics, and the Student Recreation Center. You will supervise part-time coaches, lifeguards, and student staff while coordinating budgets for multiple facilities.

The role requires strong organizational and communication skills, with experience in campus recreation or fitness programs, and a commitment to creating an inclusive environment for students.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or Bachelor’s with relevant experience in athletics, recreation, or fitness.
• Experience in campus recreation, athletics administration, or fitness programs.
• Licenses/certifications as applicable (CPR/First Aid, Lifeguard, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Create and manage a robust intramural events calendar.
• Recruit and manage CIA mascot STING program.
• Forecast and manage budgets for athletic teams, intramurals, fitness center, and pool.
• Oversee intercollegiate athletic program operations, scheduling, equipment, and inventory.
• Ensure fitness center and pool facilities meet health and safety standards.
• Provide training and supervision to student workers and part-time staff.
• Collaborate with CIA and community partners to enhance student engagement and wellness.
• Support Director – Campus Life in managing Student Recreation Center operations.

Skills

Organizational skills

Written and verbal communication

Time management

Problem solving

Customer service

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Education

Master’s Degree in Higher Education, Recreation Management, Sports Administration, or related field

Bachelor’s Degree with 2 years relevant experience

Job description

Job Details

Posting Details

• • Posted on October 22, 2026

Locations

• Showing 1 location
  Hyde Park
  Hyde Park, NY 12538, USA
• Student Life
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: ASSIS005773

Description

The hiring rate for this position is $65,000.00

The CIA offers a substantial benefits package that includes medical coverage available at no cost to qualifying employees, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, short and long term disability insurance, retirement savings plan with high employer contributions, a generous paid time off program, and more!

As the benefits package at the CIA results in a significant value above the base hiring rate for this position, we encourage you to apply so that our recruiters can share more information with you about the benefits of working for the CIA.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Assistant Director - Recreation & Wellness is directly responsible for all recreation-based programming and wellness. This includes intramurals programming, athletics, and oversight of both the fitness center and pool facilities within the Student Recreation Center (SRC). This position also provides direct supervision of all part‑time athletic coaches, group fitness instructors, lifeguards, and student staff.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for creating and implementing a robust calendar of intramural events that cultivate an inclusive, safe, and diverse environment for students.
• Responsible for the recruitment and management of the Culinary Institute of America mascot, STING.
• Responsible for creating, forecasting, monitoring, and allocating the various budgets associated with athletic teams, intramurals, the fitness center, and the pool.
• Manages all aspects of the CIA Steels intercollegiate athletic program, including, but not limited to, game scheduling, home and away contest management, uniform and equipment ordering, and inventory management.
• Responsible for overseeing all aspects of the fitness center, including the handling of broken equipment, scheduling of maintenance, and overall organization.
• Ensures that the pool is properly maintained and in compliance with all Dutchess County Department of Health standards.
• Provides training, work direction, and guidance to student workers; plan, assign, and monitor their tasks and work schedules.
• Reviews and revises the policies and procedures associated with any aspect of their position, including athletics, intramurals, the fitness center, and the pool.
• Establishes measurable outcomes and use participation data, assessment finding, institutional metrics, and student feedback to evaluate effectiveness, identify gaps, and guide continuous improvement.
• Responsible for the interview, hiring, supervision, and evaluation process of all part‑time professional staff members, including Athletic Coaches, Group Fitness Instructors, and Lifeguards.
• Builds collaborative partnerships across the CIA and community that advance an integrated approach to both student engagement and wellness.
• Assists the Director – Campus Life and department colleagues with overall management and oversight of the Student Recreation Center within the Student Commons.
• Assists with applicable School, Student Life, and Departmental programs and services as requested by the Associate Director – Campus Life.
• Any and all other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Higher Education, Recreation Management, Sports Administration, or a closely related field or a Bachelor’s Degree with two (2) years of relevant experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of one (1) years of related work experience either as a full-time professional or graduate student within the field of athletics, campus recreation, or fitness.

Licenses / Certifications:

• New York State driver’s license, or the ability to obtain.
• Current CPR/First Aid certification or the ability to obtain certification.
• Certified Pool Operator certification or ability to obtain certification.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Para-professional or Graduate Assistant experience in the field within a higher education setting.
• Prior coaching experience.
• Previous experience working in a collegiate recreation program.
• Strong social media knowledge and experience.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Exceptional organizational skills.
• Excellent written, verbal communication, and presentation skills required.
• Must have demonstrated ability in organizational, time management, problem solving and interpersonal skills.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Strong computer experience, which must include the ability to work effectively with MS Office Suite products, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Must display a high level of energy and self-motivation.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment and maintain collaborative relationships.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Must be available to work nights and weekends as required due to business needs.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, regularly including nights and weekends, as required due to business needs.
• Able to lift up to fifty (50) pounds as needed.
• Able to bend, stoop or reach as needed.
• Regular work requires a great deal of sitting and standing for extended periods of time.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.