Purpose:
Reporting to the Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation, the Associate Director of Intercollegiate Sports provides leadership for the delivery of York's Varsity Athletics Program, in a culture of high-performance and academic excellence. This includes leadership of 19 varsity teams, and a comprehensive integrated support system covering athletic therapy, strength and conditioning, equipment, academic services, eligibility, compliance, and financial awards.As a key member of the A&R Senior Management Team, the Associate Director is responsible for annual and long-term planning, policy development, financial management, and resource allocation. The role champions equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment where teams and student-athletes feel safe, supported, and empowered to thrive.The Associate Director engages with coaches, managers, employees, students, faculty, alumni, donors, and external partners to build a high-performance, diverse, and inclusive varsity athletics culture aligned with the University's commitments to anti-racism and anti-oppression. This position requires familiarity working in a cross-functional organizational structure, with high degree of proactivity, accountability and follow-through.The Associate Director promotes Athletics & Recreation's core values of dignity, respect, fairness, inclusivity, and equity to create a safe and collaborative environment conducive to success and pride in varsity athletics.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline.

Experience:

Six years' related experience managing an elite or competitive sport program.
Four years' management experience.
Experience working with high performance coaches.
Experience administering budgets, managing schedules and sport event logistics.
Experience with program planning and evaluation, and committee work.
Experience with alumni engagement in the sports context or nonprofit context
Experience in revenue generation, fundraising planning, and financial award allocation.

Skills:
Knowledge
Understanding of Canadian university sport systems, including U SPORTS and OUA policies, eligibility rules, compliance, and governance structures.
Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning frameworks, including KPI development, performance measurement, and data-informed decision-making.
Understanding of student-athlete development, including academic success strategies, mental health supports, risk management, and high-performance environments.
Expertise in equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism (EDI-AR) principles, with demonstrated experience applying these in sport and educational settings.
Knowledge of financial management practices, including budgeting, forecasting, revenue generation, and financial aid/scholarship administration.
Familiarity with human resources policies, collective agreements, and effective leadership practices related to employee supervision, recruitment, and labour relations.
Thorough understanding of recruitment, transition, and retention strategies for student-athletes from diverse backgrounds.
Knowledge of risk management and safe sport principles as they apply to travel, facilities, training, and competition.
Understanding of higher education administration and how athletics aligns with institutional goals and the student experience.
Awareness of current issues and trends in sport, recreation, and student affairs, including mental health, gender equity, and sport integrity.Skills
Ability to develop and implement long-term strategies aligned with departmental goals.
Skilled in setting measurable objectives, using KPIs, and leading evidence-based planning.
Effective collaborative leadership and change management skills with an ability to lead diverse, cross-functional teams in a complex, unionized environment.
Skilled in performance management, coaching, team development, and change leadership.
Ability to foster a high-performance culture grounded in accountability and inclusion.
Demonstrated public speaking skills for presentations, and partner engagement.
Advanced written communication skills for reports, proposals, policy documents, and correspondence.
Ability to distill complex issues into clear, actionable messages for various audiences.
Effective interpersonal skills to build trust with students, employees, faculty, alumni, and external partners.
Skilled in managing diverse relationships with diplomacy, empathy, and professionalism.
Ability to address sensitive and complex issues with fairness and transparency.
Effective conflict resolution, negotiation, and mediation skills.
Capable of making timely, balanced decisions under pressure.
Demonstrated skill in applying a EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) lens to policies, programs, and daily operations.
Ability to lead meaningful dialogue and action around anti-racism, accessibility, and social justice.
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects.
Skilled in coordinating logistics for events, teams, and employees across varied timelines.
Familiarity with risk management and safe sport frameworks.
Competence in budget development, monitoring, and resource optimization.
Skilled in partner engagement and community outreach.
Proficiency in using technology for scheduling, reporting, and communication.
Ability to interpret and apply data to improve program effectiveness and inform decisions.
Proficiency with Office 365 applications.

Additional Notes:
Note: Verification of degree(s)/credential(s) required.

• Normal office work environment.

• Occasional work in the evening and weekend functions for Varsity Games and Events.

• Occasional travel to away games or may be required to support teams.

• Occasional work outdoors to attend events, complete walk throughs of outdoor facilities.

• Compensation:

York's CPM Compensation Framework has a salary grid consisting of 6 or 8 steps (depending on job grade) which is reviewed annually with possible adjustments, and a lump sum Performance Based Recognition Award. Employees will receive the grid adjustment and depending on performance, eligible permanent employees may move to the next step of the grid and may receive a lump sum Performance Based Recognition Award.Visit the CPM Compensation page on the HR Website to find out more about York's CPM Compensation Program.

The University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities (racialized), Indigenous Peoples and persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation. York University is committed to a positive, supportive and inclusive environment.

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PLEASE NOTE: This job posting is for an existing vacancy. Applications must be received by 11:55 pm EST on the posted deadline date, if applicable. Posting deadlines can be updated, or modified, at any time based on hiring needs. Please refer to the York U Career Portal when confirming posting deadlines.