Assistant AD, Athletic Communications

Summary

As a member of the Army West Point Athletics Association Inc.(“AWPAA”) Business Development and Fan Experience leadership team, the Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Communications provides strategic leadership for all athletic communications, media relations, storytelling, and public relations efforts across 30 NCAA Division I programs and more than 1,200 cadet-athletes. This position serves as the primary communications contact and strategic advisor for Army West Point Football and the Head Football Coach, while leading a team of communications professionals responsible for promoting and protecting the Army West Point Athletics brand. Through effective media relations, content strategy, and cross-functional collaboration, this role advances the priorities of the AWPAA Strategic Plan, The Fruits of Victory, enhances national visibility for Army Athletics, and supports meaningful engagement with fans, alumni, media, recruits, and key stakeholders.

Scope of Impact

The Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications position is a highly complex position responsible for managing the football team’s public relations campaign, creating internal and external awareness and interest in Army football, coordinating messaging with the United States Military Academy public affairs staff and managing six staff positions who are responsible for the public relations and social media campaigns for their respective sports.

Level of Decision Making

The level of decision making for this position is impactful. This position requires collaborative decision-making involving executive, communications, digital marketing, marketing, ticketing, social media, creative services, broadcast and coaching staff.

Success Factors

Success in this position will be evaluated by the Supervisor on the employee’s performance in a variety of areas, including but not limited to: Commitment to AWPAA Mission, Vision and Values; and supporting the AWPAA Strategic Plan and Priority Results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

View Full Description

Summary

As a member of the Army West Point Athletics Association Inc.(“AWPAA”) Business Development and Fan Experience leadership team, the Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Communications provides strategic leadership for all athletic communications, media relations, storytelling, and public relations efforts across 30 NCAA Division I programs and more than 1,200 cadet-athletes. This position serves as the primary communications contact and strategic advisor for Army West Point Football and the Head Football Coach, while leading a team of communications professionals responsible for promoting and protecting the Army West Point Athletics brand. Through effective media relations, content strategy, and cross-functional collaboration, this role advances the priorities of the AWPAA Strategic Plan, The Fruits of Victory, enhances national visibility for Army Athletics, and supports meaningful engagement with fans, alumni, media, recruits, and key stakeholders.

Scope of Impact

The Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications position is a highly complex position responsible for managing the football team’s public relations campaign, creating internal and external awareness and interest in Army football, coordinating messaging with the United States Military Academy public affairs staff and managing six staff positions who are responsible for the public relations and social media campaigns for their respective sports.

Level of Decision Making

The level of decision making for this position is impactful. This position requires collaborative decision-making involving executive, communications, digital marketing, marketing, ticketing, social media, creative services, broadcast and coaching staff.

Success Factors

Success in this position will be evaluated by the Supervisor on the employee’s performance in a variety of areas, including but not limited to: Commitment to AWPAA Mission, Vision and Values; and supporting the AWPAA Strategic Plan and Priority Results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

55% Football Communications & Strategic Media Relations

Serve as the primary media relations contact for the football program. Additionally, serve as the primary media relations contact for 1-2 other selected sports.

• Provide game day support for football, men’s and women’s basketball, hockey, volleyball and men’s and women’s lacrosse.
• Write, edit and ensure publication design and coordination, which includes but is not limited to the football media guide, the football game program and game notes.
• Find compelling stories about cadet-athletes and pitch them to local, regional and national outlets.

35% Athletic Communications Leadership & Staff Management 

Supervise six full-time Athletic Communications employees as well as available interns. 

• Generate publicity for all 30 AWPAA sports. 
• Ensure all athletic contests and events are covered from an Athletic Communications standpoint. 
• Oversee the writing of weekly press releases, compiling team statistics and records, and archiving and reporting them the respective leagues and NCAA as required.
• Manage the Athletic Communications budget.

10% Other Duties as Assigned

• Assist with the daily maintenance of Army West Point’s website and all social media efforts.
• Must be available to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position directly supervises six athletic communications staff members. This position also is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the athletic and football content teams. 

Key leadership responsibilities include:

• Recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, and evaluating staff.
• Establishing performance goals and conducting performance reviews.
• Coaching and mentoring staff to support professional growth and advancement.
• Managing workload distribution and departmental staffing plans.
• Overseeing the communications internship program.
• Recommending compensation, scheduling, and personnel actions in accordance with organizational policies.
• Promoting a high-performance culture focused on teamwork, service, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Work Conditions & Physical Requirements

Perform duties in a fast-paced, ever-changing work environment.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for 50% of the time.
• Occasionally moves boxes weighing up to up to 30 lbs. 
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. 
• Constantly operates a computer, printer, and phone. 
• The person in this position frequently communicates with team members, United States Military Academy (“USMA”) staff and vendors. 
• Occasionally works in outdoor weather conditions.
• Must be able to work nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Travel 

This position will travel with the football team during the regular season, conference championships, bowl games and conference meetings. Additional travel may be necessary to fulfill specific projects.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, Public Relations, Sports Management, or 4 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success in athletic communications, media relations, public relations, or sports communications, preferably at the NCAA Division I level.
• Exceptional written, verbal, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Strong knowledge of NCAA rules, Division I athletics, and sports media operations.
• Experience managing media relations for high-profile athletic programs.
• Proven ability to supervise, mentor, and develop professional staff.
• Proficiency with NCAA Genius, StatCrew, PrestoSports, or similar statistical and communications platforms.
• Advanced project management, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite and digital content platforms.
• Experience managing social media strategy and digital communications initiatives. (X, Facebook) 
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects and perform effectively under pressure.
• Commitment to collaboration, innovation, and customer service.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Sports Administration, or a related field.
• 5 or more years of progressively responsible experience in Division I athletics communications or media relations.
• Previous supervisory or management experience leading professional communications staff.
• Experience serving as the primary communications contact for an FBS football program.
• Demonstrated success securing national media coverage and managing high-profile communications initiatives.
• Experience in military, governmental, or mission-driven organizations strongly preferred.
• Crisis communications and reputation management experience.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

• Must be eligible to work in the United States of America, without sponsorship.
• Must be eligible to work on a military installation, including a willingness to submit to a background screen.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.

Pay Range

$70,000 to $80,000

This job posting contains a pay range, which represents the range of salaries that AWPAA believes, in good faith, at the time of this posting that it might be willing to pay for the posted position. AWPAA expects to hire for this position near the middle of the range. Only in truly rare and exceptional circumstances, where an external candidate has experience, credentials or expertise that far exceed those required or expected for the position, would AWPAA consider paying a salary or rate near the higher end of the range.

About Us

USMA is renowned as the world’s preeminent leadership development institution. Located on the banks of the Hudson River in West Point, NY, it is approximately one hour from New York City. The mission of USMA is "to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the Army Values and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army." This position will be housed within the AWPAA, which is a non-profit corporation organized to manage and support the 30 intercollegiate athletic programs at the Academy. The AWPAA mission is to recruit, educate, train and inspire leaders of character who are committed to the Army an extraordinary NCAA Division I athletic experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

AWPAA is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by law.

Applicant qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by law.

Disclaimer Statement

This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Apply Now

View Less Description