Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Campus Life & Dean of Students, the Executive Director for Campus Recreation provides visionary leadership, strategic direction, and comprehensive management for the university's campus recreation facilities and programs. This includes fitness, intramural and club sports, outdoor programs, and aquatics. The Executive Director plays a central role in developing and implementing innovative, state-of-the-art programs and services that promote physical fitness and holistic wellbeing among students, faculty, and staff. The Department of Campus Recreation manages extensive facilities, including the WFU Wellbeing Center, playing fields, tennis courts, and other activity spaces. As a member of the Campus Life Leadership Team, the Executive Director contributes to divisional strategy and collaborates with colleagues to position Wake Forest as a national leader in campus recreation and student wellbeing. This role oversees a department with 14 full-time staff, over 300 part-time and student staff, and manages a fee-generated budget over $2 million.

Job Description

Essential Functions: 

• Strategic Program Leadership and Development

  • Provide visionary and strategic leadership, developing and implementing comprehensive, innovative recreation programs and services (fitness, intramurals, club sports, aquatics, outdoor adventures, etc.) aligned with the university and Campus Life missions.

  • Foster a culture of wellness, innovation, and access, ensuring high-quality, safe, and engaging experiences for everyone in the university community.

  • Develop and assess short-term and long-term strategic plans, making complex decisions to meet objectives while staying current with national trends, best practices, and relevant regulations in collegiate recreation and wellness.

• Facility and Program Operations

  • Oversee the management, operation, and maintenance of all campus recreation facilities.

  • Develop, manage, and maximize a departmental budget of approximately $5 million, ensuring fiscal integrity, revenue generation,  and effective resource allocation for all operations.

  • Develop and implement capital improvement plans and equipment upgrades/replacements, making data-driven decisions based on financial reports and aligning resource allocation with departmental, divisional, and university objectives.

  • Develop goals and strategies to maximize facility utilization, resulting in recognition and additional revenues.

  • Ensure facilities meet safety standards and risk management protocols. 

• Staff Supervision & Development: 

  • Lead, mentor, and motivate a large team, including 6 direct full-time reports, 8 indirect full-time reports, and over 300  part-time and student staff.

  • Maximize student employment to foster leadership development, substantive employment opportunities, transferable life skills, and personal and career development.

  • Foster a cohesive and positive team environment, promoting professional development and student learning.  

• Assessment & Administration:

  • Develop and implement effective evaluation strategies to measure program success, participation, student learning outcomes, and overall departmental effectiveness.  

  • Develop and oversee comprehensive marketing and communication strategies, including digital and social media marketing, to effectively promote Campus Recreation programs, services, and facilities.

Other Functions:

• Serve as a member of the Campus Life Leadership Team, contributing to divisional goals.  

• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with internal campus partners (students, faculty, staff, other departments) and external constituents.  

• Represent Campus Recreation effectively across the university and potentially at state/national levels.

• Oversee the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures.  

• Ensure compliance with university policies, risk management guidelines, and relevant regulations.  

• Prepare and present reports as required.   

Accountabilities: 

• Supervision of full-time, part-time and professional staff.

• Management of the Wellbeing Center and outdoor playing fields and courts.

• $2M fee-generated budget.

• Robust fitness and recreation including risk management.

Physical Requirements:

Work Hours Flexibility – Ability to work evenings and weekends as required for events, programs, or meetings. 

Mobility – Ability to move independently across campus and navigate various recreational facilities, including stairs, fields, and courts, for meetings, facility oversight, and event attendance. This may involve walking and standing for periods of time.

Communication – Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, including clear speech and hearing for conversations in person, over the phone, and during presentations.

Lifting/Carrying – Occasional need to lift, carry, push, or pull light objects and equipment typically weighing less than 50 pounds.

Environmental Conditions: 

General Office Environment – Ability to work comfortably in a standard office setting, utilizing computers and standard office equipment for extended periods. This includes tasks like typing, viewing a computer screen, and handling documents.

Environment Exposure – Ability to work in various environmental conditions, including exposure to heat, cold, dust, fumes, wet and humid conditions, noise, and vibration.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Master’s degree in Recreation Management, Sports Management, Higher Education Administration, Exercise Science, or a related field.  

• 7 – 10 years of progressive professional experience in collegiate recreation or a comparable complex organization, including significant experience with facility management, program development, staff supervision, and budget oversight.  

• Demonstrated ability to provide visionary leadership and manage transformative organizational change.  

• Proven knowledge of recreation facility management, programming (fitness, intramurals, sports clubs, aquatics, outdoor recreation), risk management, and assessment.  

• Deep understanding of student development and higher education theory and the role of recreation and wellness in advancing wellbeing.  

• Strong financial acumen with experience managing complex budgets.  

• Excellent leadership, supervisory, communication (oral and written), interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.  

• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships across diverse groups.  

• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving abilities.  

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

• Proficiency with relevant technology (e.g., Microsoft Office, internet, recreation management software).   

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Doctorate degree.  

• Experience with fundraising or external relations.  

• Active involvement in relevant professional organizations (e.g., NIRSA).

About Wake Forest University - Campus Recreation

Wake Forest University is a leading collegiate university. U.S. News & World Report ranks Wake Forest 47th among national universities and is also ranked high for the quality of teaching and value. The University strives for excellence from students, faculty, and staff and promotes wellbeing in all facets of their lives including intellectually and physically. Students are extremely physically active with the majority of undergraduate students participating in 18 different intramural sports and fielding 40 competitive club sports.

Connections working at Wake Forest University - Campus Recreation