Student-Athlete Development & Belonging Lead

Kansas Athletics; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Kansas Athletics in Lawrence, Kansas seeks an Associate Director, Student-Athlete Development to lead initiatives that strengthen belonging, engagement, and community for student-athletes. This role focuses on relationship-building with athletes, coaches, staff and campus partners within KU Leads’ framework.

The successful candidate will mentor students, coordinate leadership programs, and manage projects from concept through execution, while advancing inclusive environments and strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of one year of relevant professional experience in the sports industry, higher education, student development, leadership development, community engagement, student affairs or related field.
• Demonstrated experience building authentic relationships with students, colleagues and/or community partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish trust with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage projects from concept through completion.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively while also taking initiative and operating independently.
• Demonstrated commitment to creating inclusive and welcoming environments.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, professionalism and discretion when working with student-athletes and confidential information.
• Ability to work an irregular schedule, including evenings, weekends and occasional holidays.

Responsibilities

• Build authentic relationships with student-athletes and serve as a trusted resource and advocate within KU Leads.
• Serve as a KU Leads liaison to assigned sport programs, partnering with coaches and staff to communicate opportunities, understand student-athlete needs and strengthen engagement.
• Support initiatives that foster belonging, connection and engagement across Kansas Athletics, including RISE, Athlete Ally and international student-athlete initiatives.
• Mentor student-athletes through KU Leads programs, including Leadership Academy and other leadership and engagement experiences.
• Support student-athlete groups and initiatives that promote leadership, personal growth and community.
• Gather student-athlete feedback and use insights to strengthen the student-athlete experience.
• Develop meaningful partnerships with campus and community organizations that create opportunities for student-athletes to engage, serve and learn.
• Lead and support community engagement initiatives that connect student-athletes with diverse communities throughout Lawrence and Kansas.
• Represent KU Leads with university and community partners to expand meaningful student-athlete experiences.
• Independently lead assigned KU Leads projects from concept through execution, including planning, communication, logistics, budgets and assessment.
• Collaborate with KU Leads staff and Kansas Athletics partners to deliver high-quality student-athlete experiences.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining strong communication, organization and follow-through.

Skills

Communication skills

Relationship building

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Independent project management

Collaboration

Diversity & inclusion commitment

Judgment & discretion

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Kansas Athletics in Lawrence, Kansas seeks an Associate Director, Student-Athlete Development to lead initiatives that strengthen belonging, engagement, and community for student-athletes. This role focuses on relationship-building with athletes, coaches, staff and campus partners within KU Leads’ framework.

The successful candidate will mentor students, coordinate leadership programs, and manage projects from concept through execution, while advancing inclusive environments and strong