Sports Information Director and Head Cross Country Coach

Position Summary:

The Sports Information Director & Head Cross Country Coach of Mount Mary University's NAIA programs is an integral member of the Athletic Department and requires an enthusiastic, pro-active, high-energy individual who is determined to see that the Athletics Department is successful. The primary roles of the Sports Information Director duties will consist of collaborating with the Director of Athletics / Athletics Senior Leadership Team to strengthen the Athletics Department in the areas of athletic communications, alumni engagement, stat-keeping, web and athletics social media management, promotional event supervision, and athletic game-day event management/operations/coordination. The primary function of the Head Cross Country Coach is to see that the program's roster goals are met and the student-athletes experience is positive. This individual must be committed to the NAIA values through "Character-driven Athletics" where MMU athletics staff embody and teach integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership on and off the field, in addition to the MMU Athletic Department pillars to "Recruit, Retain, and Develop".

The Sports Information Director & Head Cross Country Coach works primarily with the athletics staff, coaches, student-athletes, prospective student-athletes, student workers, marketing, admissions staff, faculty and other administrative offices to ensure that each Mount Mary University student-athlete and prospective student-athlete receives a quality experience. This opportunity requires the availability to work a varied in-person schedule. Hours will be determined by mutual agreement with the Director of Athletics and work to best accommodate the needs of the Athletics Department. Pre/post season hours likely to be slightly more consistent than in-season hours. Work schedule can vary during peak sports seasons.

The NAIA experience provides our student-athletes an integrated environment that focuses on academic success while offering competitive athletics and the support of meaningful non-athletics opportunities to enhance their overall educational experience.

Primary Responsibilities:

Sports Information Director

Serve as Primary SID for Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball and Softball

Additional coverage during a portion of Soccer may also be expected

Supplemental SID coverage for large scale tournaments hosted by MMU when applicable for non-primary sports

Supervise other staff/student workers assisting in SID coverage for non-primary sports

Website Content and Upkeep

Manage MMU Athletics website design when applicable

Enter/Update all Athletics website content; including, but not limited to staff page, rosters, schedules, scores, player and staff bios, and box scores

Write articles for athletics website site including: player of the week (ALL sports), game previews (ALL sports), game recaps (primary sports listed above – home & away games)

Home Game Days

Be present and available for all Mount Mary home sporting contests for primary sports listed above throughout all three seasons (fall, winter, spring)

Secure additional SID's when applicable for multi court/field events for ALL sports

Supervise home event set-up for ALL home contests

Hire, schedule, train, supervise and evaluate student interns/workers

Email 'Welcome Packet' to opponents for ALL home contests for ALL sports

Design Game Day Programs and maintain video board for ALL home contests for ALL sports

Create locker room signs for home contests for ALL home contests for ALL sports

Coordinate pictures, video, sports announcers, and postgame interviews during ALL home events

Write game day announcers intro and special event announcements when applicable

Take Live stats for primary sports' home games

Pre-set and manage live stream video for ALL home contests

Send final stats to visiting team SID, NAIA, and Conference affiliates when applicable for primary sports

Additional Responsibilities

Design and send monthly newsletters to MMU community and athletic alumni

Create a "Media List" and send all results, features, and media releases to the list, such as current student-athletes home town High School and local media outlets

Send out Word and Statcrew rosters to opponents that will be hosting MMU teams

Interview coaches and student-athletes to gather information for "feature" articles

Upload content and updates to all Athletics and Sport Team social media pages (Facebook, X, Instagram, etc)

Take team and individual athlete photos for purpose of posting to website and social media pages

Create senior and team posters when applicable

Create/Maintain "feature" pages for the website including, but not limited to:

Awards/Hall of Fame

Archives/Records & Statistics

Multimedia

New athletic staffing announcements

Submit weekly and seasonal conference and national nominations for player/team accolades for CCAC and NAIA awards

Work with University Marketing Department regarding athletics-based projects

Assist with MMU Homecoming Week programming and planning

Occasionally travel to road games vs. opponents that do not do their own/sufficient statistics when approved by Director of Athletics

Other Athletics media/promotions/communications related duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics

Follow budget guidelines set forth by the Director of Athletics and reconcile credit card statements on a monthly basis

Coordinate fundraising efforts when needed

Assist as needed in department fundraising events

Perform other duties, responsibilities, or special projects as assigned by the Director of Athletics

Head Cross Country Coach

Recruitment – coordinate recruiting efforts to meet agreed upon benchmarks to ensure the Cross Country program is playing and practicing at or above the ideal number of student-athletes.

Provide monthly recruiting updates to the Director of Athletics and/or Associate/Assistant Director of Athletics along with the Admissions team

Attend all recruiting meetings with the Admissions Department.

Schedule recruiting visits and coordinate visits with Visitors Services

Review Slate and Teams lists consistently and update varsity coded list on a regular basis

Utilize Front Rush as main athletic recruiting database and communication resource

Manage annual Cross Country athletic scholarship budget and athletic scholarship offers (Letters of Intent)

Prepare and conduct all practice and competition plans

Targeting a 24-week training regimen along with meeting NAIA minimum competition requirements, but striving to max out competition schedule

Responsible for putting a practice and competition schedule together that meets NAIA requirements and minimizes the amount of class time missed for competitions

Prepare travel arrangements for team away competitions

Complete travel itinerary for each away competition

Drive MMU vehicle

Responsible for team management, academic monitoring, fundraising, community service events (minimum 1 per semester) and team building event planning (minimum 1 per semester)

Regular office time availability outside of Cross Country practice/game schedule for player check-in meetings

Create annual team rules/sport program expectations, approved by the Director of Athletics and signed by student-athletes

Promote and encourage a positive learning experience for student-athletes and a commitment to develop the whole person and nurturing bold, brilliant women

Focus on player and personal development, supporting a growth mindset

Manage and update programs apparel / equipment inventory list on an annual basis

Responsible for acquiring all issued apparel / equipment from Cross Country student-athletes and coaching staff after season has been completed

Follow budget guidelines set forth by the Director of Athletics and reconcile credit card statements on time, monthly

Coordinate fundraising efforts when needed (estimate 2 events per year for sport program)

Assist as needed in department fundraising events

Hire, train, supervise and evaluate assistant coaching staff, including a team manager if applicable

Attend staff, admissions, athletic conference, and/or institution meetings / events when required

Knowledge of, and adherence to, MMU Athletics Department Coaches and Student-Athlete Handbooks, NAIA and Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rules / regulations regarding recruiting, eligibility, competition, compliance, etc.

Complete annual NAIA coaching course requirements & MMU employment training requirements

Manage coaching staff (assistants and volunteers) regarding course completion requirements

Perform other duties, responsibilities, or special projects as assigned by the Director of Athletics and/or Associate/Assistant Director of Athletics

Skills and Experience:

Coaching experience – 2-5 years desired. Collegiate-level Head Coaching experience, at the NAIA level, preferre

Experience within a collegiate athletic department ideal

Collegiate varsity or club playing experience preferred

Exceptional ability to multitask, prioritize projects, and extraordinary attention to detail

Solid graphic design experience with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva

Computer skills are required, along with the expectation to learn additional computer software programs for Athletics; such as PrestoSports, Front Rush, Slate, Jenzabar, Hudl, scouting / film breakdown software, and a variety of recruiting sites, video editing and social media platforms

Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to work with diverse groups, facilitate group process, and foster collaborative decision making

Strong organizational, leadership, communication, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, ability to work independently, and possess a high level of confidentiality

Ability to work independently and under minimal supervision and exceptional ability to multitask and prioritize project

Strong problem-solving skills

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required

Master's degree preferred – in field of Sport Management/Administration desired

Applicant must pass background check and motor vehicle records authorization

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to accomplish primary duties adequately. The requirements listed are representative of the Knowledge, skill, and/or ability required

The individual will become familiar with athletic department program's recruiting software and digital tools along with admissions software; i.e. Slate and Jenzabar

The individual will identify, evaluate, contact, and build relationships with prospective student-athletes. This will be accomplished through attending high school and Junior College competitions, attending showcase events and club / travel tournaments, reaching out to HS and Travel coaches, reviewing competition / skills footage, and other activities as determined by the Head Coach and/or Director of Athletics and/or Assistant Athletic Director

Candidate needs to feel confident talking on a phone and creating coherent, professional correspondences (emails, letters, text messages, etc.)

Strong communication and customer service skills

Physical Demands:

Ability to Lift/Carry up to 50 lbs.

Must reach, bend, stoop, lift

Must sit, walk or stand for long periods of time

Some repetitive motion may be required

Working Conditions:

Work schedule can vary, especially during peak sports seasons

Evening and weekend hours as needed

Travel required

Driving required

Varying workflow; sometimes stressful with high workload times of the year

Complete work required within a limited space

Complete work required within a limited time

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform primary functions

The individual will be primarily located at the Milwaukee, WI – MMU campus, with flexibility for some remote work

Mount Mary University practices equal opportunity employment as part of our ongoing commitment to diversity in our workplace.