Deputy or Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs/Athletics

Sr Assoc AD,CMO/Athletics

Requisition ID

req37011

Working Title

Deputy or Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs/Athletics

Position Grade

16

Position Summary

The University of New Mexico (UNM) Athletic Department seeks ambitious and creative applicants for the position of Deputy or Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs. This position provides leadership in various capacities to support the Athletics Department and serves as a member of the executive leadership team, and provides strategic leadership and planning related to all Athletics marketing, communications, fan engagement, social media strategy, broadcast, and creative services. This position reports directly to the Vice President and Director of Athletics and deputizes for them, as assigned. This position will serve as a sports administrator for athletic programs as designated by the Vice President and Director of Athletics.

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Sr Assoc AD,CMO/Athletics

Requisition ID

req37011

Working Title

Deputy or Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs/Athletics

Position Grade

16

Position Summary

The University of New Mexico (UNM) Athletic Department seeks ambitious and creative applicants for the position of Deputy or Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs. This position provides leadership in various capacities to support the Athletics Department and serves as a member of the executive leadership team, and provides strategic leadership and planning related to all Athletics marketing, communications, fan engagement, social media strategy, broadcast, and creative services. This position reports directly to the Vice President and Director of Athletics and deputizes for them, as assigned. This position will serve as a sports administrator for athletic programs as designated by the Vice President and Director of Athletics.

The title and level of the position (Deputy or Senior Associate Athletic Director) will be determined based on the successful candidate’s profile  and experience in the areas of revenue generation and administrative experience.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Leads the external affairs units of the Athletics Department including marketing, fan engagement and experience, promotions, public relations, media relations, broadcast, brand management, local media partnership agreements, social media, and creative services.
2. Serves as liaison and meets regularly with key internal and external stakeholders. Represents the department in a positive manner and effectively advocates for the interests of the University and department.
3. Collaborates with Athletics leadership to align marketing, branding, ticket sales, fundraising, and corporate sponsorship strategies with overarching departmental goals.
4. Oversees and maintains media partnerships and trade agreements with local media outlets and advertisers.
5. Leads the Athletics social media strategy, including website management.
6. Serves as Athletics marketing/external liaison to the University Communications and Marketing Office, as well as other external partners.
7. Oversees Athletics’ multi-faceted broadcast department, including supervision of the Broadcast and Live Events department and the implementation and monetization of the MW+.   
8. Oversees the supervision of personnel, which includes work allocation, training, promotion, enforcement of internal procedures and controls, and problem resolution; evaluates performance and makes recommendations for personnel actions; motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and performance. Directly supervise and oversee various department heads including, but not limited to, the Associate AD for Marketing and Revenue Generation, the Associate AD for Communications, Associate AD for Broadcasting and Live Events, and the Associate AD of Creative Services.
9. Supervises gameday staff, vendors, and entertainment for home matches, games, and special events. Provides oversight of gameday scripts and serves as a liaison to the University Band and Spirit programs.
10. Participates in strategic planning and critical decision-making events. Develops solutions for difficult problems/issues.
11. Serves as sports coordinator for one or more NCAA Division I team sports providing oversight of sport budget(s), personnel management, NCAA/MWC compliance, team athletic/academic performance, and annual reviews.
12. Responsible for implementing and maintaining a departmental budget and ensuring projects are completed within budget guidelines.
13. Establishes and implements long- and short-range goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures; monitors and evaluates program effectiveness; effects changes required for improvement.
14. Ensures compliance with all laws, policies, rules, and regulations set forth by the Board of Regents, University, NCAA, Conference, state and federal laws, and other governing bodies/agencies.
15. Potential for additional oversight of ticketing, corporate sponsorship, concessions, licensing, and other external facing areas as deemed necessary by the Director of Athletics and as consistent with experience.
16. Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of all operational and administrative aspects of managing NCAA Division I team sports games.
• Knowledge and understanding of NCAA and MWC rules and regulations, compliance standards and reporting requirements.
• Knowledge of a range of major and minor intercollegiate athletics activities, strategic planning and programs.
• Knowledge of communications and public relations principles and practices.
• Exceptional program planning and executive leadership skills.
• Knowledge of marketing strategies, processes, and available resources to plan, develop, and implement.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate media activities and special events.
• Knowledge and understanding of product branding principles, methods, and techniques.
• Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management.
• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• Employee development and performance management skills.

See the Position Description for additional information.

Conditions of Employment

• Employees in this job title are subject to the terms and conditions of an employment contract. Employment contracts are typically subject to review and renewal on an annual basis.
• Compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations is required in this position.
• Must pass a pre-employment criminal background check.
• Employees who provide services or work in patient care or clinical areas are required to be in compliance with the University's influenza vaccination requirement.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree; at least 7 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working directly with or supervising an NCAA FBS Football Program.
• Experience overseeing a diverse and multi-faceted external affairs team.
• Excellent leadership and management skills, including leading and motivating diverse, multi-functional, senior teams to achieve high performance.
• A deep understanding of the athletics industry, including trends, developments, and best practices.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate diplomatically and collaboratively with employees at all levels.
• Advanced Degree in a related area.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight reporting deadlines; attention to detail; and excellent organizational skills required.

Additional Requirements

Campus

Main - Albuquerque, NM

Department

Athletics Marketing (925FB)

Employment Type

Staff

Staff Type

Contract

Term End Date

Status

Exempt

Pay

Monthly: $7,014.80 - $13,166.66

Benefits Eligible

This is a benefits eligible position. The University of New Mexico provides a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. In addition, UNM offers educational benefits through the tuition remission and dependent education programs. See the Benefits home page for a more information.

ERB Statement

As a condition of employment, eligible employees working greater than .25 FTE as determined by the New Mexico Education Retirement Act must make mandatory retirement contributions. For more information, review the Benefits Eligibility at a Glance grid.

Background Check Required

Yes

For Best Consideration Date

6/30/2026

Eligible for Remote Work

No

Eligible for Remote Work Statement

Application Instructions

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Please attach updated resume and list at least three professional references.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details. The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.

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