Assistant Athletic Director for Communications

Whittier College is an independent, four-year Liberal Arts College distinguished by its small size (1,600 undergraduates) and a nationally recognized liberal arts program. The College has a history of strong and innovative interdisciplinary programs and a diverse student body, ideally situated in the scenic hills eighteen miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

About the role

The Assistant Athletic Director for Communications is responsible for coordinating Whittier College's Sports Information, communications, and media program. This position exercises discretion and independent judgment on matters affecting the policies, programming, and compliance of the Athletics Department. The role supervises the Assistant Director of Sports Communications, a graduate fellow, and a team of more than ten work-study students.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the overall operation of the Sports Information office, including internal and external department communications, production of live sporting events, and ensuring compliance with NCAA Division III and SCIAC policies related to sports information and statistical reporting for the 18 intercollegiate sports.
• Negotiate all departmental media contracts and coverage involving athletics and Whittier College athletes, exercising independent authority to commit the department to agreements within delegated limits.
• Manage the athletics communications budget, including allocation of funds, approval of expenditures, and vendor selection for branding, media, and production needs.
• Formulate, interpret, and implement departmental communications policy, including social media, messaging, crisis communications, and student-athlete conduct standards.
• Represent the department and the College in dealings with the SCIAC conference and NCAA national offices, committing the department to positions and reporting on its behalf.
• Exercise oversight of student-athlete social media conduct, including approval of design, content, and transmission of information.
• Promote and authorize procurement of all branding and media-related supplies for the Athletic Department.
• Serve as oversight personnel for all home events and championship contests hosted by Whittier College, assisting in hiring and managing event staff.
• Champion the achievements of Whittier's student-athletes, teams, and coaches through various media outlets.
• Direct the training of work-study students, departmental interns, and graduate assistants for gameday tasks.
• Establish and oversee protocols for disseminating results, scores, and highlights to the media and public.
• Ensure the department meets informational and statistical requirements of the NCAA and SCIAC Conference, including compliance with bylaws, formats, and deadlines.
• Monitor departmental and student-athlete social media, publicity, and promotional content for compliance with NCAA Division III rules, including recruiting and name, image, and likeness (NIL) policies.
• Maintain confidentiality and proper handling of student-athlete education records in compliance with FERPA and institutional policy.
• Ensure all use of NCAA, SCIAC, and institutional marks, logos, and trademarks complies with licensing and brand-standards requirements.
• Coordinate with Athletics compliance staff and the College's compliance officer to align communications practices with NCAA, SCIAC, and institutional policies.
• Arrange team photos, media days, and other College sports publications.
• Nominate and promote individual athletes for awards, scholarships, and post-season honors.
• Serve as the university contact with the conference and national offices, traveling with teams to post-season events as needed.
• Oversee the All Sports-Night awards banquet, including nominations, selection, and public announcement of recipients.
• Supervise the Assistant Director of Sports Communications, graduate fellow, and a team of more than ten work-study students, including recruitment, training, and performance evaluations.
• Direct and oversee sports information game coverage of all home varsity events, ensuring proper staffing and execution.
• Oversee the compilation, maintenance, and updating of statistics for all Whittier sports via PrestoStats and NCAA LiveStats.
• Develop and direct the department's social media strategy and approve messaging for fans, recruits, and supporters.
• Direct and approve the writing, editing, design, and publication of team sport announcements and press releases.
• Oversee the production of departmental publications for events such as tournaments, President's Club Luncheon, Purple & Gold Sports-Night, Hall of Fame, and the annual Purple & Gold Golf Tournament.
• Plan, staff, and produce live game broadcasts from the Whittier College Sports Network and SCIAC Network.
• Arrange Public Address Announcer coverage for home sporting events.

Supervision

• Directly supervise the Assistant Director of Sports Communications, a graduate fellow, and a team of more than ten work-study students, including hiring, training, and performance evaluations.
• Delegate coverage responsibilities and hold staff accountable for the quality and timeliness of assigned tasks.
• Participate in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of the Assistant Director of Sports Communications and other departmental staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Understanding of SIDEARM Sports, BlueFrame Production Truck, and NCAA statistical procedures required.
• Familiarity with HTML/CSS is a plus.

Pay

Salary range: $70,314–$71,200 annually.