Associate Director of Sports Ministry

About the role

Emerald Youth is hiring a leader to build and grow its emerging and other youth sports ministry programs in Knoxville. This is a direct-supervision, program-building role — you’ll lead sport directors and coaches, develop scalable program models, and grow participation across EY’s emerging sports portfolio, all in service of a clear mission: raising urban youth who love Jesus and lead Knoxville.

What the right candidate brings

• Experience leading or scaling programs preferably in an urban area
• A discipleship-first approach to sports ministry
• Strong people development and team-building instincts
• Operational competence — success measures include growth in sports participation and retention; increased number and quality of mission-aligned coaches and other volunteers; strong program quality and participant satisfaction; and measurable faith, leadership, relationship, and health outcomes for participants
• Relational credibility with youth, families, and community partners

Essential job duties

• Communicate, model, and uphold the mission and values of Emerald Youth Foundation and its Sports Philosophy
• Provide leadership, vision, and strategic direction for Emerald Youth’s emerging and expanding sports programs
• Develop and implement a scalable program model for assigned sports with progressive offerings that advance through each stage of participant and program growth
• Establish measurable goals, track key performance indicators, and evaluate program outcomes
• Ensure programs maintain high standards of safety, supervision, and risk management
• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate mission-aligned staff and volunteers and build a culture of excellence, accountability, discipleship, and continuous improvement
• Develop and implement growth strategies that increase participation in Emerald Youth’s defined geographic area
• Monitor recruitment, participation, retention, and engagement across all assigned sports programs
• Develop and implement strategies to engage parents as volunteers and encourage other ways of family involvement and connection
• Develop and manage program budgets, equipment inventories, and operational resources
• Build relationships with schools, churches, community organizations, and sports partners to expand ministry opportunities
• Collaborate with other Emerald Youth programs to increase participants’ comprehensive engagement
• Manage additional projects and tasks as assigned and participate with any assigned groups or committees

Portfolio of sports reporting to this position: basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, track, golf, flag football, tennis, and performance training.

Success will be measured by

• Growth in sports participation and retention
• Increased number and quality of coaches and volunteers
• Strong program quality and participant satisfaction
• Measurable faith, leadership, relationship, and health outcomes for participants
• Effective staff development and leadership pipeline growth
• Consistent operational excellence, safety compliance, and budget stewardship

Minimum qualifications

• Dedicated Christian with clear knowledge of the Gospel and a passion for the mission of Emerald Youth Foundation; connected to a church community; possesses a strong reputation for honesty, integrity, and high moral standards
• Bachelor’s degree in sports-related field preferred
• 5-7 years of experience developing, refining, and evaluating sports programming – preferably in an urban setting
• Experience managing people
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills; ability to prioritize tasks
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to achieve results under pressure and meet deadlines
• Willingness to work extended hours
• Ability to work efficiently in a collaborative setting