Director of Athlete Compensation

CLEMU Clemson University; Clemson (SC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Clemson University Athletics seeks a Director of Athlete Compensation to lead strategic negotiation and compensation design for student-athletes. You will partner with athletics leadership, sport administrators, and analytics to craft competitive, sustainable models that support roster planning and retention while aligning with NCAA regulations.

Responsibilities include developing market-informed strategies, managing cap considerations, and integrating NIL opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership in athlete compensation strategies and negotiations.
• Support roster management and athlete retention through market analysis and financial modeling.
• Coordinate with athletics leadership, coaches, and analytics to calibrate compensation structures.
• Develop and monitor compensation plans, benchmarking, and NIL integration in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Maintain documentation of negotiated agreements, obligations, and trends for informed decision-making.

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Clemson University Athletics is looking for a Director of Athlete Compensation to fulfill the duties outlined below. - The Director of Athlete Compensation position serves as a key member of the Athletics Central Front Office, providing strategic leadership and analytical support in the development, negotiation, and administration of student‑athlete compensation strategies. - This position partners closely with athletics leadership, sport administrators, coaches, and analytics to develop competitive and sustainable compensation models that support roster management, student‑athlete retention, and long‑term program success. - The position is responsible for evaluating market trends, compensation data, and roster dynamics to inform negotiation strategies and institutional decision‑making. - Through financial analysis, market intelligence, and collaborative planning, this position contributes to Clemson Athletics' ability to recruit, retain, and support elite student‑athletes while aligning with institutional priorities, NCAA regulations, and evolving collegiate athletics legislation. - This position serves as the institution's subject matter expert in athlete negotiations and cap management, integrating player evaluation, market intelligence, compensation strategy, negotiation planning, financial analysis, and relationship management to support informed decision‑making and maximize the institution's investment in student‑athletes. - Other duties as assigned.

JOB DUTIES

• 20% - Athlete Negotiation Strategy and Contracts: Serve as a strategic resource during athlete recruitment, retention, transfer portal, and renewal discussions. Support sport programs throughout the negotiation process with athletes and their representatives. Evaluate requests, competing offers, and market positioning to inform negotiation approaches. Develop comprehensive negotiation strategies for athlete recruitment, retention, transfer portal, and renewal discussions by identifying institutional objectives, market conditions, leverage points, timing considerations, concession strategies, walk‑away positions, and long‑term relationship implications. Prepare negotiation plans and briefing materials, including market analyses, comparable compensation data, valuation models, negotiation scenarios, and decision‑support tools to assist coaches, administrators, and front office leadership. Develop negotiation analytics, success metrics, concession tracking, market comparisons, and outcome analyses to continuously improve negotiation effectiveness and institutional decision‑making. Assist with drafting, documenting, administering, and tracking negotiated agreements while maintaining complete records of negotiation history, compensation commitments, amendments, renewals, and future obligations.
• 20% - Athlete Compensation Structure & Development: Assist in the development and structuring of athlete compensation offers ensuring alignment with roster priorities. Analyze compensation proposals and assess financial implications, risk factors, and long‑term commitments. Support forecasting and planning for revenue‑sharing distributions, roster allocations, and athlete retention initiatives.
• 20% - Roster Strategy Operations: Assist in coordinating roster planning processes in collaboration with coaches and sport administrators. Assist in analyzing roster composition, positional depth, retention rates, and recruiting priorities. Assist in forecasting roster turnover, transfer portal activity, recruiting class integration, and future compensation obligations.
• 20% - Above‑the‑Cap NIL Integration & Strategy: Develop strategies that integrate institutional compensation structures with external NIL opportunities. Evaluate the impact of third‑party NIL opportunities on athlete recruitment, retention, and overall compensation packages. Assist athletics leadership in developing comprehensive athlete compensation strategies that combine revenue‑sharing and NIL opportunities.
• 20% - Market Intelligence & Compensation Analysis: Monitor compensation trends across collegiate athletics, including revenue sharing, NIL activity, transfer portal movement, and peer institution strategies. Develop benchmarking reports comparing compensation practices against conference and national peers.

JOB CODE

UH16

EMPLOYEE TYPE

Time‑Limited (TLP) Staff

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Education - Bachelor's Degree

RESPONSIBILITIES

• JOB KNOWLEDGE Comprehensive knowledge of theories, concepts and practices and ability to use in complex, difficult and/or unprecedented situations.
• SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Not responsible for supervising employees.
• BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITIES No fiscal responsibility for the department's budget.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Sit (stationary position) for prolonged period: 20%
• Recognize or inspect visually: 20%
• Communicate, converse, give direction, express oneself: 20%

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Overnight travel: 10%

WORK SCHEDULE

Standard Hours: 40

COMPENSATION INFORMATION

Expected Salary Range Salary Commensurate with Experience - - Salary is dependent upon several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's previous experience, knowledge, skills and performance in accordance with Clemson's compensation guidelines.

ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL LEVEL

Normal Operations - Required to follow emergency facility closure and modified operations directives, and not normally expected to work on‑site during emergency situations.

JOB LOCATION

Clemson, SC

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Open until filled.

MILITARY AND VETERAN

Military Equivalency: Clemson University is proud to allow educational equivalency for military technical certifications and trainings that directly relate to the job duties. Veteran Preference: South Carolina provides employment preference to eligible veterans for qualifying full‑time permanent positions. To be considered, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications, have been discharged under honorable conditions, and indicate their veteran status in the application by uploading a DD-214 for confidential review. A request for Veteran Preference can be made via the application process.

CLOSING STATEMENT

Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.

ABOUT US

One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University attracts and powerfully unites students, faculty and staff whose greatest desire is to make a difference in the lives of others. Clemson has recently been named a top 25 public college in the country by the Wall Street Journal, a top South Carolina employer by Forbes and a Military Friendly Employer for five years running. Through our research, outreach and entrepreneurial projects, Clemson University and its employees are driving economic development and improving quality of life in South Carolina and beyond.