Director of Athletics

Carney, Sandoe & Associates, an educational recruitment organization partnered with Greenhills School, an independent school for grades K-12, to find their next Athletic Director in Ann Arbor, MI, with a start date of July 2026.

Overview:

Greenhills School, an independent day school enrolling approximately 850 students in grades K through 12, seeks a visionary, dynamic, experienced, passionate, and nurturing leader for its next Director of Athletics. We seek an Athletic Director who has the capacity to form meaningful relationships with creative and curious students from diverse backgrounds and who has the qualities that make for a natural leader amongst a strong team of extraordinary faculty coaches and external coaches. The Director of Athletics provides strategic leadership to sustain a comprehensive athletic operation designed to provide students with a well-rounded experience that offers opportunities to develop fully as athletes, competitors, teammates and individuals, through athletic teams, sports performance, and athletic training.

Opportunities and Challenges:

The Director of Athletics reports to the Head of School and has comprehensive responsibility for the entire athletic operation and all athletic activities, teams, programs, and athletic training in the whole school. The Director of Athletics oversees the day-to-day operations of athletic department facilities and works collaboratively with coaches, teachers and school leaders to advance the mission of the school. The Director is responsible for recruiting, retaining and mentoring a diverse and talented athletic staff; providing fiscal oversight for the athletic department budget; and working closely with division heads and grade level leaders, faculty, staff, and parents to instill in our students a lifelong love of physical activity and the joy of competitive play.

Specific Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Maintain a student-first approach to athletic administration and coaching.
• Manage and oversee all Varsity, Junior Varsity and Club level and middle school sports with an eye toward expanding athletics into the lower school.
• Ensure that all athletic programs are conducted according to the policies of the league, local and state athletic associations, and the school.
• Recruit, hire, develop and maintain an inclusive and diverse athletic coaching staff, while continuing efforts to balance hiring practices to ensure qualified teacher/coaches.
• Serve as a member of the school's leadership teams, acting as a strategic thinker and master planner for the athletics department.
• Establish and manage the athletic budget. In collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, strategize around auxiliary income (such as summer camps and clinics) to drive revenues and elevate the program.
• With the Associate Athletic Director(s) of Upper and Middle School, oversee the purchase of all athletic equipment and uniforms.
• Manage athletic assemblies and award presentations (3 seasons), and work to build a culture that celebrates individual student and team success through recognition.
• Create mutually beneficial relationships with league schools and athletic directors that are important to the school and the athletic program's success.
• Provide professional development opportunities to coaching staff.
• Provide direction and leadership to coaches as they develop team captains.
• With the College Counseling department and the athletic department liaison, guide aspiring student-athletes through the college recruitment process.
• Oversee and support the Associate Athletic Director of Upper School and Transportation Coordinator in arranging team schedules, the use of fields and facilities, transportation and officials for all contests; the receipt of medical authorization forms; training rules agreements; concussion education forms and overnight trip forms; record keeping of individual contests and team results as well as team and individual awards; communication to families and student athletes; and oversee supervision of the fitness center.
• Work closely with the Director of Communications and Marketing to amplify the various methods of communication of the athletic program using social media, live-streaming, print, and digital media.
• Set the direction for the Athletics Department while also overseeing a growing leadership team that currently includes the Associate Athletic Director(s) of Upper and Middle School, and Assistant Athletic Director for Event Operations and the Student-Athlete Experience, Athletic Trainers, and Strengths & Conditioning Coaches.
• Establish a strong linkage between Upper School (Varsity) and Middle School programs by having Varsity Head Coaches act as sport program directors to teach MS coaches consistent techniques and terminology.
• Develop sensible guidelines that address the intrusion of outside club teams into the school's commitment to teamwork, establishing consistent expectations for when in-season Greenhills athletes can compete for outside teams.
• Strategize to retain athletes from Middle School into Upper School, ensuring MS participation is meaningful and challenging, and address issues where the "no-cut policy" may lead to negative learning experiences due to large team sizes.
• Advance the community's commitment to be inclusive and equitable, and foster a culture of belonging. Work with the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to implement specific strategies and activities that foster understanding and dialogue and achieve the shared goal of an equitable and inclusive athletic program and school community.
• In collaboration with the school's Chief Financial Officer and Human Resources Director, review the compensation model for coaches.
• Maintain and update the Coach's Manual each year, making certain that all coaches understand the school's expectations. Create an Athletic Department Operations Manual (to include Athletic Trainer duties and protocols) and update yearly.
• Collaborate with the school's enrollment, development, and marketing communications teams to ensure the athletics program supports the School's mission and contributes to the broader strategic vision for the school.
• Manage the expectations of aspirational students and families with care and compassion.
• With the Head of School shape and articulate a compelling vision of the athletic programs values and objectives.
• May teach or coach one class or season. Completes other duties as assigned.

Skills and Experience Required

The ideal candidate will:

• Be a student-centered educator, skilled in fostering persistent problem solving.
• Demonstrate a love of working with children and adolescents and have extensive knowledge about early adolescents' intellectual, social, and emotional development and be willing to positively greet the challenges and opportunities they present.
• Be eager to partner effectively with other directors and staff throughout the school, and seek out opportunities for collaboration.
• Be a lifelong learner, committed to fostering our middle and upper schoolers' incredible growth, autonomy, kindness, and resilience, and their developing identities.
• Value and embrace diversity, exhibiting a high degree of cultural competency and demonstrated success in working with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Have a sense of humor, and a joyful commitment to their work on behalf of students.
• Be able to work effectively under pressure and within time constraints while maintaining an optimistic and growth-oriented mindset.
• Maintain a student-first approach to athletic administration and coaching.
• Demonstrate experience or expertise in modern athletic training protocols and implementing comprehensive life-long wellness initiatives beyond curricular requirements.
• Have experience leading significant facility improvement, upgrade, and configuration efforts.

Education and Experience:

• Several years experience preferred in school administrative and leadership; head coaching experience expected but not required.
• Significant successful managerial experience, with an emphasis on clear and timely verbal and written communication, high level of visibility, willingness to provide specific and relevant feedback, and collaboration with colleagues.
• A proven record of establishing trust and respect within a community.
• A sense of humor and joy in working with teenagers and their families and in a school community.
• Communication Skills: Superb written and oral communication skills that capture and effectively communicate the school's mission to all constituencies and that enrich the school's culture.
• Superior interpersonal skills: the ability to engage effectively with students, parents, faculty, and other members of the school community in a way reflective of the school's culture and to project professional competence, leadership capability, discretion, judgment and personal maturity.
• Leadership: Proven track record as a leader of faculty, students and programs in schools, including creating a caring, dynamic, and inclusive culture for students, faculty /staff, coaches, and families.

Potential Benefits:

Compensation and benefit packages are competitive but will differ by school and will typically depend on geographic location, your experience, and your level of degree.

?? Competitive pay

?? Professional Development Opportunities

?? Classroom Resources

?? Medical, dental and vision insurance

?? 401(k) plan – Employer match

?? Paid holidays, vacation and personal time

?? Housing (boarding schools only)

Carney Sandoe does not discriminate on the basis of physical handicap, sex, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its services, consulting, events, professional development, or other programs.