Associate Athletic Director, NIL Strategy

Overview:

The Associate Athletic Director of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Strategy reports directly to the Director of Athletics and will manage a comprehensive platform to maximize NIL opportunities for Quinnipiac student athletes. The role requires collaboration with student athletes, coaches, compliance staff, external stakeholders, and university partners to develop a vibrant and innovative NIL program. The Associate Athletic Director of NIL Strategy will coordinate with Advancement staff to support and guide strategic external initiatives and with compliance staff to ensure adherence with NCAA guidelines and institutional polices.

About Quinnipiac:

Quinnipiac University is a private, coeducational institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university currently has an enrollment of 9,700 students in more than 100-degree programs through its Schools of Business, Communications, Computing & Engineering, Education, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing and the College of Arts & Sciences. Our 20 Division I teams have achieved remarkable success, boasting national and conference titles - including a 2023 NCAA national championship win in men's ice hockey, a trip to the Sweet 16 for our women's basketball team and NCAA Tournament appearances by many of our programs. The Quinnipiac University Poll is nationally recognized as a leader in public opinion research, and the university is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review. The Wall Street Journal ranked Quinnipiac #51 among the best colleges in the nation, and second in Connecticut, for our exceptional graduation rate, salary impact, learning facilities, career preparation and learning opportunities.

The university is in the midst of program expansion and renewal for both traditional and adult learners, the development of innovative strategic partnerships, and recently opened South Quad with three state-of-the-art buildings.

As Quinnipiac grows, the university remains guided by the core values that define our community and shapes the experience of every student and employee.

• We are fiercely committed to ensuring every Bobcat thrives. We are a lifelong partner for every learner.
• We passionately care about our community. Everyone should feel welcome and valued.
• We boldly shape our university's future. We will forge a path of impact together.

Overview:

The Associate Athletic Director of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Strategy reports directly to the Director of Athletics and will manage a comprehensive platform to maximize NIL opportunities for Quinnipiac student athletes. The role requires collaboration with student athletes, coaches, compliance staff, external stakeholders, and university partners to develop a vibrant and innovative NIL program. The Associate Athletic Director of NIL Strategy will coordinate with Advancement staff to support and guide strategic external initiatives and with compliance staff to ensure adherence with NCAA guidelines and institutional polices.

About Quinnipiac:

Quinnipiac University is a private, coeducational institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university currently has an enrollment of 9,700 students in more than 100-degree programs through its Schools of Business, Communications, Computing & Engineering, Education, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing and the College of Arts & Sciences. Our 20 Division I teams have achieved remarkable success, boasting national and conference titles - including a 2023 NCAA national championship win in men's ice hockey, a trip to the Sweet 16 for our women's basketball team and NCAA Tournament appearances by many of our programs. The Quinnipiac University Poll is nationally recognized as a leader in public opinion research, and the university is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review. The Wall Street Journal ranked Quinnipiac #51 among the best colleges in the nation, and second in Connecticut, for our exceptional graduation rate, salary impact, learning facilities, career preparation and learning opportunities.

The university is in the midst of program expansion and renewal for both traditional and adult learners, the development of innovative strategic partnerships, and recently opened South Quad with three state-of-the-art buildings.

As Quinnipiac grows, the university remains guided by the core values that define our community and shapes the experience of every student and employee.

• We are fiercely committed to ensuring every Bobcat thrives. We are a lifelong partner for every learner.
• We passionately care about our community. Everyone should feel welcome and valued.
• We boldly shape our university's future. We will forge a path of impact together.

These values are the foundation of who we are and reflect the Quinnipiac spirit found across our campuses. For more information, please visit qu.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and continuously evolve a comprehensive, institution-wide NIL strategy aligned with Quinnipiac University and Athletic Department goals.
• Serve as the primary Athletics leader responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day management of Quinnipiac’s NIL program.
• Develop and execute strategies to generate and expand NIL revenue opportunities, including corporate partnerships, community partnerships, philanthropic initiatives, events, campaigns, and other strategic opportunities.
• Identify, prospect, cultivate, negotiate, and manage relationships with brands, corporate partners, local businesses, alumni, donors, agencies, NIL platforms, and other external stakeholders to create meaningful opportunities for Quinnipiac student-athletes.
• Develop customized NIL partnership proposals and activation strategies that align student-athletes with partner objectives while creating measurable value for external partners.
• Lead the negotiation, structuring, execution, and fulfillment of NIL agreements and activations, in collaboration with University legal, compliance, finance, business operations, and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Build and maintain a strategic pipeline of prospective NIL partners and opportunities and establish systems to track outreach, negotiations, activations, deliverables, revenue, and results.
• Develop and manage NIL programs and initiatives that create opportunities across the full Quinnipiac student-athlete population, including Olympic sports and student-athletes who may have significant local, regional, national, or digital audiences.
• Develop programming that leverages Quinnipiac’s alumni network, community relationships, corporate partners, and institutional assets to create additional NIL opportunities for student-athletes.
• Work collaboratively with Advancement and Alumni Relations to identify opportunities to engage alumni and former student-athletes in NIL education, mentorship, networking, sponsorship, and other strategic initiatives.
• In conjunction with Student Development, develop and oversee student-athlete NIL education and professional development programming, including personal branding, social media strategy, content creation, financial literacy, contract fundamentals, evaluating opportunities, entrepreneurship, networking, and professional relationship management.
• Provide student-athletes with guidance and resources to develop sustainable personal brands and maximize appropriate NIL opportunities while maintaining alignment with University policies and applicable rules.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications, Sponsorship, Creative, Digital, and other external-facing departments to identify opportunities to integrate NIL into broader Quinnipiac Athletics marketing and partnership strategies.
• Collaborate with Athletics compliance staff to ensure NIL activities are conducted in accordance with applicable NCAA/CSC requirements, state and federal laws, University policies, and other governing regulations. Compliance will serve as the institutional resource for interpretation of applicable rules, while this position will be responsible for incorporating those requirements into NIL strategy, programming, and operations.
• Maintain working knowledge of NIL reporting and review systems, including CAPS and NIL Go, and ensure appropriate processes are established for the submission, tracking, review, and fulfillment of NIL activities.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory, NCAA/CSC, conference, and industry developments related to NIL and proactively recommend adjustments to Quinnipiac’s NIL strategy and operations.
• Develop and maintain systems for tracking NIL activity, partnership performance, student-athlete participation, revenue, deliverables, and other key performance indicators.
• Utilize data, analytics, and market intelligence to evaluate NIL initiatives, demonstrate return on investment to partners, and inform future strategy.
• Develop an annual NIL operating plan and budget in collaboration with the Director of Athletics and appropriate Athletics and University personnel.
• Provide regular updates and strategic recommendations to the Director of Athletics regarding NIL performance, opportunities, challenges, industry trends, and emerging risks.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for Quinnipiac Athletics within the broader NIL and collegiate athletics community and represent the University at relevant conferences, industry events, partner meetings, and other external engagements
• Evening and weekend hours may be required

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in sports management, marketing, business, communications, public relations, athletics administration, or a related field is required.

Qualifications:

• 3-5 years of experience in collegiate athletics, NIL, sports marketing, sponsorships, corporate partnerships, athlete relations, business development, or a related field
• Strong working knowledge of NCAA regulations related to NIL and intercollegiate athletics compliance.
• Experience in relationship building, contract negotiation, customer service, and project management & coordination.
• Knowledge of social media and other web-based platforms.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of contract development and execution.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to effectively balance multiple projects and priorities.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

TO APPLY:

Applications must be submitted electronically and include a resume, a cover letter detailing how your experience aligns with the position requirements, demonstrated commitment to intentional leadership that values individuals of all backgrounds and experiences, and contact information for three references.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time faculty and staff which includes tuition remission and a culture that is inclusive and driven by excellence.

Quinnipiac University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful community.

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