|   | | | |   | |

Director of Sports Performance (GA039)

| |

| | | |

Category:

|   | | | |   | |

Director of Sports Performance (GA039)

| |

| | | |

Category:

Administrative/Professional

Subscribe:

New Job Alerts
RSS Job Feed

Department:

Athletics - Sports Performance

Locations:

Farmville, VA

Posted:

May 11, 2026

Closes:

Open Until Filled

Type:

Exempt

Ref. No.:

GA039

Position ID:

200340

Share

About Longwood University:

A comprehensive university with a strong liberal arts foundation, Longwood has a distinctive mission to develop citizen leaders who are prepared to make positive contributions to the common good of society. Founded in 1839, Longwood is the third-oldest public university in Virginia. 

Longwood is part of the proud tradition of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Roughly one hour's drive from Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Longwood is located in the historic two-college community of Farmville.  Longwood currently has approximately 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students and 41,000 alumni. It maintains affiliations with the neighboring Robert Russa Moton Museum of civil rights history and the Longwood Center for Visual Arts, a nationally accredited university art museum. A member of the Big South Conference, Longwood competes at the NCAA Division I level.

Job Description:

Longwood University invites applications for the position of Director of Sports Performance (GA039) in Athletics. The Director of Sports Performance is responsible for the comprehensive development and implementation of performance training programs that enhance athletic performance, reduce injury risk, and support the overall health and well-being of student-athletes competing at the NCAA Division I level. This position will work directly with Men's Basketball and collaborate closely with sports medicine, mental performance, and athletics administration staff to create a high-performance environment aligned with departmental and program goals.

In addition to working with Men's Basketball, this position will provide leadership and strategic direction for assigned Olympic Sports and oversee the daily operations of the strength and conditioning staff within the athletics department.

This position is located in Farmville, Virginia, and is required to work in person on Longwood University's campus.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

_ Essential Responsibilities and Duties: _

Performance Training & Athlete Development

• Design, implement, and oversee year-round strength and conditioning programs specific to basketball performance demands.
• Develop individualized and team-based training plans focused on strength, power, speed, agility, mobility, conditioning, recovery, and injury prevention.
• Lead all team training sessions, including in-season, off-season, preseason, and return-to-play programming.
• Utilize evidence-based training methodologies and sports science principles to optimize athletic performance.
• Monitor athlete workload, readiness, and recovery through testing, technology, and performance data analysis.
• Provide oversight and support for performance programming for other assigned sports within the athletics department.

Leadership & Staff Oversight

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate assistant strength and conditioning coaches, interns, and support staff.
• Provide leadership and strategic planning for the strength and conditioning department in alignment with athletics performance goals.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and professional development of sports performance staff.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, professionalism, and student-athlete centered development throughout the department.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work directly with the Men's Basketball coaching staff to align performance initiatives with team goals and practice demands.
• Collaborate with athletic trainers, team physicians, nutritionists, and mental performance staff to support holistic athlete development.
• Participate in performance planning meetings and communicate athlete progress, concerns, and recommendations to coaching staffs.
• Coordinate rehabilitation and return-to-play protocols in partnership with sports medicine personnel.
• Serve as a departmental resource for best practices in athlete development and performance enhancement.

Sports Science & Data Management

• Collect and analyze performance metrics, including strength testing, movement assessments, conditioning data, and recovery indicators.
• Maintain accurate records related to athlete performance, attendance, testing results, and program outcomes.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies and best practices in collegiate sports performance.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Assist with budgeting, equipment maintenance, facility oversight, and scheduling related to the sports performance program.
• Ensure proper operation and safety of strength and conditioning facilities and equipment.
• Coordinate staffing coverage for practices, competitions, and training sessions across assigned sports.
• Maintain certifications and continuing education requirements.
• Ensure compliance with NCAA, conference, and institutional policies and procedures.

Requirements:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Sports Performance, or related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of collegiate or professional strength and conditioning experience, preferably with basketball athletes.
• Demonstrated supervisory or leadership experience within a sports performance setting.

• Current certification through one of the following:

  • CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) through NSCA
  • SCCC (Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified) through CSCCa

• Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification.

• Demonstrated knowledge of basketball-specific athletic development and injury prevention.

• Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Master's degree in Exercise Science, Sports Science, or related field.
• Experience working within an NCAA Division I athletics program.
• Experience overseeing multiple sports and supervising sports performance staff.
• Familiarity with athlete monitoring systems, GPS technology, force plates, velocity-based training, and data analytics platforms.
• USA weightlifting level 1 certified coach.

Physical Demands

• Ability to demonstrate exercises and training techniques.
• Ability to lift and move heavy equipment and weights.

Work Environment and Expectations

• Evening, weekend, holiday and extensive travel required.
• Commitment to Longwood University's mission and values.

Additional Information:

This position is a full-time, administrative & professional faculty, exempt position. A successful fingerprint-based criminal background investigation is required. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply. 

Commonwealth of Virginia benefits accompany this position to include:

• State health and dental benefits & flexible spending accounts
• Paid leave (which may include sick leave, personal leave, annual leave, etc.), and 13 holidays
• Retirement savings plans (some with limited employer match available (VRS)
• Life & Long-Term care insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee discounts for various services, including Verizon.
• Educational benefits for most employees
• Cost-effective Fitness Center membership for employees

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Longwood University will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodations to applicants in order to provide access to the application and/or interview process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on your application. If, however, you require accommodations in the application and/or interview process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 434-395-2074 or humres@longwood.edu.

Per CFR: Title 34, the Title IX Coordinator's contact information can be located through this link http://www.longwood.edu/titleix/.

A diversified workforce is an important part of our strategic plan.  EOE/AA

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Position posted 5/11/2026. To apply for this position, qualified applicants must complete the online information section and questions, and attach (under Resume) a letter of interest, resume, and names and contact details of three references.

  | | |

Apply Now