Associate Director, Campus Recreation

University of Dayton, Ohio; DeKalb (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Dayton is seeking an associate director for Campus Recreation, leading facility operations, member services, fitness, and aquatics. The role emphasizes holistic student wellbeing, policy formation, and strategic planning within a Marianist-inspired environment.

The ideal candidate will oversee leadership, budget management, and strategic growth across facilities serving 10,000+ students, with collaborative work across departments and communities.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Five years of progressive experience administering collegiate recreation programs and facilities.
• Demonstrated supervision of professional staff or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, facility management, project management, policy formation, and assessment for Campus Recreation.
• Support executive, operational and administrative duties with strategic planning and leadership involvement.
• Foster holistic student wellbeing and inclusivity while managing facilities serving 10,000+ students.

Skills

Excellent written communication

Attention to detail

Leadership abilities

Education

Master's degree in Recreation Management or related field

Tools

Innosoft Fusion

Connect2

TCP/Humanity

Job description

Apply now Job No: 503718
Work Type: Staff Full Time (1500 hours or greater)
Location: Dayton, OH
Categories: University Staff
Department: Campus Recreation - 700800
Pay Grade: B - Exempt
Advertised: 14 Jul 2026
Applications close:

Position Summary

Lead. Innovate. Inspire Well-Being.

The associate director provides support to the execution of numerous executive, operational and administrative duties of considerable scope and complexity, in which the ideal candidate will possess excellent initiative, judgment, knowledge, critical thought, and executive level presence. This person is an integral part of the department’s leadership team and consequently plays a vital role in addressing long range and strategic planning, affecting department and divisional initiatives, ensuring operational excellence, cleanliness and safety, developing policy, building partnerships, providing leadership, and inspiring professional and student staff. We are seeking an energetic, action-oriented leader with a history of developing strong interpersonal relationships, leading innovation and growth, and whose passions, strengths, and skills are centered around development.

The ideal candidate for this position will provide leadership, facility management, project management, policy formation, and assessment. Through the provision of leadership and strategic direction, the associate director supports the management of functional areas of Campus Recreation including Facility Operations and Member Services Fitness, and Aquatics that serve a student population of 10,000+, requiring basic knowledge of all areas, which are unique to themselves. The successful candidate for this position will focus on holistic student health, expanding our contributions to the physical, mental, and social wellbeing created through physical activity, while providing access equity to all facility and program participants. The associate director is expected to display a commitment to understand and support the University of Dayton's distinctive Marianist tradition and educational vision, as well as a willingness to model institutional values of service to others, community, and inclusivity.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Recreation Management, Sports Management, Education, Student Development, Business Administration, Higher Education, or a related field
• Five years of relevant and progressive professional experience in administering collegiate recreation programs and facilities, with a strong service and developmental orientation;
• Two years of supervision of professional staff or comparable experience (i.e. personnel management skills developed through leadership certificate programs; leadership of peers within work teams, etc.);
• Working knowledge of current risk management standards and practices in collegiate recreation;
• Experience working collaboratively with various constituents;
• Evidenced creation of an inclusive, participant-oriented environment, to include familiarity in working with various populations from youth to adults;
• Experience in budget development and management;
• Articulated passion for promoting holistic wellbeing and student learning;
• Excellent written communication skills;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to work on a flexible basis including occasional evenings, weekends, and on/off campus activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three years of successful supervisory experience of professional staff members with knowledge of human resource management theories and best practices in staff development, group dynamics and motivation techniques;
• A broad understanding and experience base in collegiate recreation facilities, programs, and services; specifically, those areas in which this position will supervise (facility operations and member services, aquatics, fitness);
• Current certification as a Certified Pool Operator (CPO);
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives, programs, and responsibilities while ensuring excellence in the provision of direct services;
• Experience with a multifaceted budget, including general financial management and accountability, data base systems, and spreadsheets;
• Demonstrated experience in establishing and facilitating strategic goals;
• Exhibit a strong emphasis on student development philosophy;
• Ability to articulate collegiate recreation’s role within Student Affairs and higher education;
• Commitment to the Marianist tradition of education that includes educating the whole person through a learning community of challenge and support; connecting learning to leadership and service; and collaborating for adaptation and change;
• Demonstrated analytical skills to identify problems, assess alternatives, and render consistent, logical decisions;
• Demonstrated experience and success in assessing programmatic effectiveness;
• Ability to write concise, logical, and persuasive reports;
• Technological proficiency with a strong working knowledge of various computer applications, specifically experienced in Innosoft Fusion, Connect2, and TCP/Humanity software programs;
• Capacity to independently manage a variety of tasks with frequent interruptions and shifting priorities;
• Demonstrated integrity, dependability, sound judgment, teambuilding, and resourcefulness to establish and maintain collaborative, positive, and effective working relationships with multiple constituency groups;
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence and ability to develop and maintain inclusive environments; possess evidence of multicultural competencies, while advancing diversity through hiring and retaining professionals from a variety of backgrounds; and
• Ability to thrive in an environment that values high expectations, accountability, servant leadership, and balanced lifestyles, while possessing exceptional verbal communication skills, enthusiasm, positive attitude, and be a self-starter with the ability to instill the same in others.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The University does not provide work visa sponsorship for this position.

Closing Statement

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the dignity of every human being. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity in all of its forms, achieve fair outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. The University is committed to policies of affirmative action designed to increase the employment opportunities of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1973.