Managing Director - Center for Active WV - College of Applied Human Sciences

West Virginia University; Morgantown (WV); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

37.5-hour work week

13 paid holidays

24 vacation days per year

18 sick days per year

Health insurance

401(a) retirement with 6% match

Job summary

West Virginia University's Center for Active WV seeks a Managing Director to provide strategic leadership and oversee center-wide initiatives that enhance well-being across the state. You will partner with faculty and leadership to articulate vision, develop programs, and secure resources to ensure organizational excellence.

The role requires coordinating with university units, external partners, and funders, while shaping the center's narrative and outreach to elevate statewide impact.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience guiding center-wide strategies and initiatives.
• Ability to develop and evaluate strategic initiatives.
• Experience coordinating with multiple university units and external partners.
• Strong financial oversight and resource development experience.
• Ability to represent the Center on internal and external committees.

Responsibilities

• Provide essential vision and leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the Center's goals.
• Develop, create, and evaluate new strategic initiatives.
• Lead planning and programmatic steps to advance priorities.
• Lead efforts to acquire resources and establish internal structure for operational excellence.
• Serve as the senior staff member for the Center and provide leadership to all constituents.
• Coordinate with School, College, and University administrative units to support compliant operations (administrative, financial, technological, space, and facilities).
• Improve current processes and coordination of organizational procedures for increased efficiency and productivity.
• Represent the center on internal and external committees/working groups.
• Build and cultivate partnerships that advance Center goals and elevate visibility.
• Lead external engagement and stewardship activities with School, College, University, and development leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with organizational partners, state agencies, schools, community organizations, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Oversee coordination of the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan with partners and advisory bodies.
• Help define the Center's identity, impact narrative, and communication strategy.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Grant writing

Fundraising

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Job description

About the Opportunity

Working alongside the Center for Active WV's faculty, the Managing Director will provide essential leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the goals and activities of the center. The portfolio of the center encompasses a comprehensive set of initiatives and programs designed to help improve the well-being of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout West Virginia. The Center's work involves multiple grants and contracts, statewide and community-based partnerships, schools, county systems, state agencies, community organizations, funders, faculty affiliates, staff, and students. The Managing Director reports to the Director of the School of Sport Sciences, with a faculty leadership group composed of senior founding faculty providing strategic guidance on scholarly direction, grant alignment, project priorities, and academic integration.

Benefits

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays ( staff holiday calendar )
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year ( employee leave )
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)

WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits

401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information ? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership

• In partnership with the Center's faculty leadership group, provide essential vision and leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the Center's goals.
• Deeply engage in the development, creation, and evaluation of new strategic initiatives.
• Further the advancement of strategic priorities through planning and programmatic steps.
• Lead efforts to acquire resources to establish the internal structure that ensures the center flourishes and reflects operational excellence.

Administrative Leadership and Operational Management

• Serve as the senior staff member for the Center and provide leadership to all constituents of the Center.
• Coordinate with School, College, and University administrative units to support compliant operations, including the administrative, financial, technological, space and facility components.
• Responsible for the improvement of current processes and coordination of organizational procedures for increased efficiency and productivity.
• Represent the center on both internal and external committees/working group.

Outreach and External Engagement

• Build and cultivate partnerships that advance the goals of the Center, elevate its visibility, and strengthen its statewide and national impact.
• Lead external engagement and stewardship activities on behalf of the Center in coordination with School, College, University, and development leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with organizational partners, state agencies, schools, community organizations, funders, and other stakeholders that support Center priorities.
• Provide oversight for the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan, including coordination with organizational partners, advisory board members, and implementation teams.
• Help define the Center's identity, impact narrative, and communication strategy to increase visibility and support partner engagement.

Financial Stewardship and Funding Development

• Provide leadership for Center sustainability, funding development, and responsible stewardship of resources in coordination with appropriate School, College, University, Foundation, and sponsored-program units.
• Monitor the Center's overall funding portfolio, including grants, contracts, philanthropic support, and other external resources.
• Review budget information to inform staffing, program planning, project priorities, and long-term sustainability.
• Support appropriate use of funds and compliance with institutional and funder expectations.
• Identify external funding opportunities aligned with the Center's mission, programs, and strategic priorities.
• Lead or support proposal development, grant renewal efforts, and funding strategies in collaboration with faculty, staff, partners, and sponsored-program offices.
• Coordinate with appropriate development personnel to identify and cultivate foundation, donor, and corporate partnership opportu