Senior Associate Director of Athletics - Finance and Business Services

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Finance and Business Services serves as an essential member of the athletics department executive leadership team. The Senior Associate Director develops, plans, leads, and implements the department’s operating budget and long-range capital and operations strategic planning. The Senior Associate Athletic Director manages the athletic department’s central business administrative function while ensuring compliance with all University, Conference and NCAA regulations. This position plays a critical role in the future business model for a progressive Division I athletics department, including supporting additional benefits and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives for student-athletes.

Essential Functions

• Serves on UMass Athletics executive leadership team; provides strategic direction, decision-making, and formulates policy.
• Responsible for the leadership and oversight of the athletics department financial units and business service functions as the Chief Financial Officer.
• Plans, develops, administers, and evaluates areas of responsibility.
• Conducts periodic and timely evaluations of personnel.
• Represents UMass Athletics on campus, conference, and NCAA committees.
• Oversees the procurement, management, and maintenance of major purchases and related inventory for the department.
• Oversees financial reconciliation of team support services including team and coach recruiting travel, recess support, auxiliary services, sport camps, and equipment.

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Finance and Business Services serves as an essential member of the athletics department executive leadership team. The Senior Associate Director develops, plans, leads, and implements the department’s operating budget and long-range capital and operations strategic planning. The Senior Associate Athletic Director manages the athletic department’s central business administrative function while ensuring compliance with all University, Conference and NCAA regulations. This position plays a critical role in the future business model for a progressive Division I athletics department, including supporting additional benefits and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives for student-athletes.

Essential Functions

• Serves on UMass Athletics executive leadership team; provides strategic direction, decision-making, and formulates policy.
• Responsible for the leadership and oversight of the athletics department financial units and business service functions as the Chief Financial Officer.
• Plans, develops, administers, and evaluates areas of responsibility.
• Conducts periodic and timely evaluations of personnel.
• Represents UMass Athletics on campus, conference, and NCAA committees.
• Oversees the procurement, management, and maintenance of major purchases and related inventory for the department.
• Oversees financial reconciliation of team support services including team and coach recruiting travel, recess support, auxiliary services, sport camps, and equipment.
• Partners with athletics compliance unit in monitoring student-athlete financial aid and program scholarship budgets.
• Collaborates with compliance unit regarding NCAA and league rules education and adherence to internal and external policies and procedures.
• Develops and maintains positive and productive working relationships with external business partners, including university leadership, campus departments, sponsors, and other key external constituents.
• Directly supervises three (3) staff members and has indirect supervision of one (1) staff member in the finance and business services unit.
• Serves as the sport program administrator for assigned sport programs.
• Provides leadership in goal setting, personnel and performance management, budget planning and monitoring, and overall program support.
• Advises the Director of Athletics on department matters.

In addition, duties specific to the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Finance and Business Services shall include the following:

Responsible for functions related to Business Operations:

• Department budgeting process.
• Accounting services,
• Annual financial audit.
• Staff expenditure policies, forms and manual updates.
• Banking relationships.
• Monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements.
• Long-term financial forecasting.
• Analysis of revenues & expenditures.
• Liaison to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance.

Responsible for functions related to Legal Affairs:

• Insurance policies & claims.
• Contract negotiation.

Responsible for Team Support Services/Auxiliary Operations:

• Team travel.
• Recess support – organize & support financial aspects of pre-season, winter, and spring breaks for athletic teams.
• Campus dining, housing and parking services.
• Sport camps.

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Duties:

• Collaborates with Executive Director of Student-Athlete Marketing, Recruitment and Retention to develop and implement additional benefits strategies that align with the department’s goals and objectives and maximize financial aid and outside revenue resources.
• Monitors industry trends and regulatory changes to ensure compliance and adaptability in additional benefits and NIL initiatives.
• Manages significant budgets related to the department’s additional benefits plan, including resources related to student-athlete financial aid and NIL.

Responsible for functions related to External Report Production:

• EADA reporting.
• Division I – salaries.
• NCAA membership financial data.
• NCAA distributions and championship settlements.
• Department annual report.
• Faculty senate and athletics council annual financial report.
• Meeting regulatory standards for reporting NIL and other additional benefits related to financial aid.

Other Functions

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in business/finance or relevant field.
• Working knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills.
• Perform accurate, detail-oriented work and manage multiple tasks.
• Demonstrated experience with database and spreadsheet creation and management specifically Excel.
• Ability to communicate with student-athletes, parents, coaching staff members and other athletic, university, and public constituencies.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in building consensus and solving problems throughout the organizational structure.
• Ability to act independently and exercise sound judgement.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s Degree.
• 8 years of experience in NCAA Division I.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment activity.

Additional Details

• The position is typically for three years, with the possibility of reappointment.
• Reports to the Director of Athletics.

Work Schedule

Monday- Friday, 40 hours per week. Evenings, weekends and holidays may be required depending on the demands of the position.

S** alary Information**

Salary commensurate with experience.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

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