Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs

California State University-Sacramento; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 112,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus incentives

Job summary

California State University, Sacramento—Sacramento State Athletics—seeks a Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs to lead ticketing, marketing, branding, fan engagement, corporate partnerships, donor engagement, and NIL initiatives. The role reports to the Director of Athletics and oversees multiple revenue-generating units to grow revenue and engagement.

The successful candidate will drive a unified external strategy across units, ensuring alignment with NCAA regulations and

Qualifications

• Executive leadership capability
• Strategic planning and execution
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Negotiation and relationship management
• Data-informed decision making

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for external affairs, including ticketing, marketing, brand and partnerships
• Oversee multiple revenue-generating units and drive revenue growth
• Align ticketing, donor engagement, partnerships into a cohesive external strategy
• Lead and develop staff through subordinate managers and ensure accountability
• Represent athletics department with campus leadership, partners and community

Job description

Working Title: Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs

Classification Title: Administrator III

Priority Application Date (Posting will remain open until filled): Sunday, November 22nd @ 11:55pm PT

Hiring Preference

Not Applicable

Position Summary

The Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs serves as a senior leader within the Athletics Department and is responsible for the strategic leadership, integration, and performance of all external operations, including ticket sales and service, marketing and branding, corporate partnerships, fan engagement, and athletics advancement collaboration. The position provides executive oversight of multiple revenue-generating units and establishes a unified external affairs strategy designed to increase revenue, expand audience engagement, and elevate the visibility and reputation of Sacramento State Athletics.

Reporting directly to the Director of Athletics, the incumbent leads through subordinate managers to set direction, establish performance expectations, and ensure accountability across all external units. This role is responsible for aligning ticketing, marketing, donor engagement, and partnership efforts into a cohesive model that drives attendance, strengthens the fan and donor experience, and supports long-term financial sustainability.

The position operates in a highly visible NCAA Division I environment and serves as a key representative of the Athletics Department with campus leadership, corporate partners, donors, alumni, and the broader community. The incumbent ensures that all external strategies and initiatives align with institutional priorities, brand standards, and NCAA and conference regulations while supporting the overall mission and competitive success of Sacramento State Athletics.

Sacramento State Athletics is seeking an innovative, relationship-driven, and results-oriented leader to serve as Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs. Reporting directly to the Director of Athletics, this position will provide strategic leadership for ticketing, marketing, branding, fan engagement, corporate partnerships, donor engagement, advancement collaboration, and NIL initiatives.

The successful candidate will lead through subordinate managers, develop integrated strategies to grow revenue and engagement, elevate the Hornet brand, strengthen campus and community partnerships, and support the long-term success of Sacramento State Athletics.

FLSA: Exempt (Not eligible for overtime)

Anticipated Hiring Range: $10,000.00 per month - $14,584.00 per month plus bonus incentives*

CSU Classification Salary Range: $6,891.00 per month - $22,119.00 per month

Salary placement will be determined based on relevant qualifications and professional experience.

• Available bonus incentives will be discussed with selected candidates during the interview process.

Salary Grade/Range: 3

Recruitment Type: Regular (At-Will)

Time Base: Full-Time

Work Hours: Monday through Friday with the frequent need to work evenings and weekends to meet operational needs.

Department Information

The program of Intercollegiate Athletics is organized and conducted as an integral part of the total educational program of the University. Academic excellence and athletic accomplishments go hand in hand at Sacramento State. There are three separate and unique missions in this program: to contribute to the educational objectives of the University; to provide a healthy, competitive athletic experience to individual student-athletes; to serve as a public relations vehicle within the community.

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics offers both academic courses and an intercollegiate athletics program. Academic courses offer the opportunity for individuals to gain knowledge and understanding in a particular area of expertise related to intercollegiate athletics.

Sacramento State has made a strong commitment to the achievement of national excellence at the NCAA Division I level. It also is committed to maintaining an equitable program between men and women.

Intercollegiate Athletics are members of the Big West, Western Athletic Conference, Mid-Western Athletic Conference, Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and American Athletic Conferences. http://hornetsports.com/landing/index

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education or equivalent work experience.

Experience

• Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in intercollegiate athletics, external relations, revenue generation, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple revenue-generating functions, including ticketing, marketing, corporate partnerships, and/or development
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing through subordinate leadership structures, including setting expectations and driving accountabilities

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to provide executive-level leadership and strategic oversight of integrated external affairs operations
• Knowledge of comprehensive revenue generation models, including ticketing, marketing, partnerships, and donor engagement
• Ability to develop and execute long-term strategic plans using data-informed decision-making
• Ability to lead and influence teams through subordinate managers and drive performance outcomes across multiple units
• Strong understanding of fan engagement, brand strategy, and revenue alignment
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship management skills with ability to engage campus leadership, donors, and external partners
• Strong executive communication and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and independent decision-making in complex environments
• Knowledge of NCAA regulations and NIL frameworks relevant to external operations
• Ability to manage complex operations, competing priorities, and organizational change
• Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of the community

Conditions of Employment

• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and travel as required.
• Satisfactory completion of the background check process.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in sport management, business administration, higher education, or a related field.
• Experience working in or with NCAA Division I athletics or a comparable environment preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading comprehensive external affairs or revenue-generating operations at the NCAA Division I level or comparable environment
• Proven track record of developing and executing integrated revenue strategies, including ticketing, marketing, partnerships, and advancement
• Experience overseeing ticket sales operations and fan engagement strategies, including pricing and revenue optimization
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale budgets, revenue goals, and financial performance metrics
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams through subordinate managers
• Proven success securing and managing high-value corporate partnerships
• Experience collaborating with campus leadership and advancement units to align revenue and engagement strategies

Documents Needed to Apply

• Resume

Failure to upload required documentation may result in disqualification.