High Performance Director

Climbing Business Journal; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation/PTO

Benefits package

Pro Deals

Job summary

USA Climbing is seeking a High Performance Director to lead the National Team program and drive Olympic/Paralympic performance strategy. This role oversees athlete development, contracts, coaching staff, and sports medicine, partnering with USOPC to maximize results.

The HPD will manage budgets, ensure athlete welfare, and align performance plans with global competition schedules while upholding USA Climbing values and safeguarding policies.

Qualifications

• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in Olympic/Paralympic or elite sport program management.
• Experience with USOPC High Performance planning, athlete agreements, and team selection processes.
• Demonstrated experience managing national team coaching staff, sports medicine/performance staff, or similar multidisciplinary teams.
• Working knowledge of World Climbing rules and governance structure a plus.
• Strong financial acumen, including departmental budget development, tracking, and reporting.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; ability to build trust with athletes, coaches, families, and volunteers.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally, including evenings and weekends.
• Valid passport; SafeSport certification or ability to obtain immediately upon hire.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic vision to develop and maintain USA Climbing as a perennial top 3 nation in all disciplines.
• Oversee all aspects of the High Performance Department with regular athlete engagement and feedback.
• Develop, implement, and continually refine athlete health and well-being efforts.
• Develop and refine the High Performance Plan in partnership with USOPC, aligning resources with performance goals.
• Create and administer Team Selection Procedures for all National Team programs in compliance with USOPC and World Climbing requirements.
• Lead planning and execution of participation in Olympics, Paralympics, Pan American Games, Worlds, and World Climbing Series events.
• Hire, direct, and manage the High Performance staff, contractors, and coaching pool.
• Oversee development of athlete agreements, roster/tier management, and athlete benefits programs.
• Oversee sports medicine coordination and medical coverage at events and camps.
• Oversee strength and conditioning support and coordination of providers.
• Develop and advance Coaching and Routesetting Certification programs.
• Maintain National Team communications, medal counts, and rankings; coordinate with Marketing on storytelling.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Strategic planning

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management/Exercise Science/Business

Advanced degree a plus

Job description

Title: High Performance Director

Location: USA Climbing National Headquarters – Salt Lake City, UT

Position Type: Full Time – Exempt

Reports to: President & CEO

Direct Reports: National Teams Manager, National Team Head Coaches, Physical Therapist/Medical Manager, Routesetting Program Manager, and the High Performance coaching pool.

About USA Climbing

USA Climbing is the National Governing Body for the sport of competition climbing in the United States. Competition climbing has grown rapidly since its historic Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games and its second Olympic appearance at Paris 2024, with continued growth expected heading into the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Our mission is to support the well-being, development, and competitive excellence of our athletes as we advance the accessibility and growth of the climbing community nationwide.

Position Summary

The High Performance Director (HPD) leads USA Climbing’s National Team program and the organization’s Olympic and Paralympic performance strategy, from athlete identification and development, through Olympic and Paralympic performance, and athlete retirement. The role oversees the development and implementation of the High Performance Plan, team selection, athlete agreements, National Team coaching staff, and sports medicine/performance support and is tasked with continually challenging what we do to be the best team in the world. The High Performance Director will work in close coordination with the USA Climbing Athlete’s Commission, to ensure an athlete first approach that values athlete input and safeguarding.

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic vision to develop and maintain USA Climbing as a perennial top 3 nation in all disciplines.
• Oversee all aspects of the High Performance Department with regular athlete engagement and feedback.
• Develop, implement, and continually refine USA Climbing’s athlete health and well-being efforts.
• Develop, implement, and continually refine USA Climbing’s High Performance Plan in partnership with the USOPC, aligning coaching, sport science, and budget resources behind performance goals including the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Create, publish, and administer Team Selection Procedures for all National Team programs (Elite, Paralympic, Collegiate, Para, and Youth) in compliance with USOPC and World Climbing requirements; review and act on discretionary selection proposals in coordination with the Team Selection Committee and others as necessary.
• Lead planning and execution of USA Climbing’s participation in the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, World Climbing World Championships and World Climbing Series events, including National Team travel, training camps, and competition logistics.
• Hire, direct, and manage the High Performance staff, contractors, and coaching pool – including the National Teams Manager, National Team Head Coach(es), and Physical Therapist/Medical Manager.
• Oversee the development of athlete agreements, National Team roster and tier management, and athlete benefits programs; ensure timely intake of required athlete documentation and enforcement of the Athlete Agreement and Code of Conduct, including team discipline and dispute resolution.
• Oversee USA Climbing’s medical staff to ensure a robust sports medicine and performance program, including athlete injury prevention and treatment, USOPC sports medicine coordination, and medical coverage at Training Center sessions, National Team travel, and international competitions.
• Oversee strength and conditioning (S&C) support for the National Teams at the Training Center, including coordination of contract S&C providers as needed.
• Oversee and develop USA Climbing’s Coaching and Routesetting Certification and development programs to continually advance the quality of coaching and routesetting in the US.
• Serve as the staff liaison on the Team Selection and Coaches Committees.
• Serve as the primary point of contact on Team Selection, coach development, athlete eligibility, and National Team matters.
• Maintain comprehensive athlete eligibility lists.
• Regularly engage with the athlete population, solicit feedback, address athlete concerns, and have the “pulse” of our athletes.
• Build and manage the High Performance department’s annual budget – including National Team travel, training camps, coaching contracts, and sports medicine spend – in close collaboration with the CFO.
• Partner with the Director of Events to create the season competition calendar, World Climbing Series hosting, and National Event operations to align with National Team training, travel, and performance needs.
• Set policy and procedures for coaches, athletes, and the Training Center, including hiring, onboarding, and performance management of contract and staff coaches across the Paraclimbing, Collegiate, Youth, and Elite programs.
• Maintain National Team communications, medal counts, and rankings; coordinate with the Marketing & Communications team on athlete storytelling, media requests, and brand partner/apparel needs for the National Team.
• Represent USA Climbing’s High Performance program to the Board of Directors, USA Climbing Foundation, and sponsors as requested.
• Oversee the development of the youth athlete pipeline, integrating the Youth National and Development Teams into long‑term strategic planning for high performance through talent identification, targeted training camps, and continued education for both the Youth National Team coaching pool and broader Youth coaching community.
• Promote a standard of excellence across the High Performance program by establishing clear, robust expectations for staff and athletes in support of USA Climbing’s values/strategic vision, and holding individuals accountable to those expectations.

Qualifications/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management, Exercise Science, Business Management or relevant field; advanced degree a plus.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in Olympic/Paralympic or comparable high-performance/elite sport program management, including leadership of staff and budgets.
• Experience with USOPC High Performance planning, athlete agreements, and team selection processes preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing national team coaching staff, sports medicine/performance staff, or similar multidisciplinary performance teams.
• Working knowledge of World Climbing (or a comparable international federation’s) competition rules and governance structure a plus.
• Strong financial acumen, including departmental budget development, tracking, and reporting.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; proven ability to build trust with athletes, coaches, families, and volunteers.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively, domestically and internationally, including evenings, weekends, and holidays around the training and competition calendar.
• Valid passport required; current SafeSport certification, or ability to obtain immediately upon hire.
• Strong passion for sport, the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and developing athletes to compete on the world stage.
• Required to pass a background screen, social media check, and adherence to USA Climbing policies.

Compensation/Other

• Annual salary commensurate with experience (final range to be set by USA Climbing leadership/HR, benchmarked against comparable NGB High Performance Director roles).
• Vacation / Paid Time Off included.
• Inclusion in USAC benefits package (Health/Vision/Dental, SIMPLE IRA, including company match).
• “Pro Deals” with participating companies.
• Position involves extensive travel, including international travel, and regular evening and weekend work around training camps and competitions.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a resume to [e-mail] with the subject line “High Performance Director”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

USA Climbing supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms and strives to incorporate DEI into all it does. We encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply.