Deputy Director of Athletics (Chief Sports Performance & Operations Officer)

Deputy Director of Athletics (Chief Sports Performance & Operations Officer) – Oregon State University

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Deputy Director of Athletics; Chief Performance & Operations Officer serves as the operational performance leader for Oregon State University’s 16 intercollegiate athletics programs and the Department of Athletics operations. Reporting to the Vice President & Director of Athletics, the Deputy Director of Athletics; Chief Sports Performance & Operations Officer will provide strategic leadership and daily operational management for all sports teams and student-athlete performance units, and back-office functions including Compliance, facilities, event management, IT, and Sports Performance/Medicine/Nutrition/Psychology, and equipment.

The role is designed for a forward-thinking executive who can successfully balance competitive excellence and holistic student-athlete well-being with the realities of modern collegiate business. The Deputy Director Athletics; Chief Sports Performance & Operation Officer, in partnership with a team of sports administrators, head coaches, and staff members, is responsible for developing strategies and resources for head coaches and 16 teams to ensure a first-class student-athlete experience and team athletic performance. This includes roster optimization, data-driven resource allocation, direct-to-athlete revenue sharing, and evolving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) frameworks, the use and integration of technology, data, analytics, and sports performance and AI integrations, and more.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic direction for all 16 varsity sports teams, establishing an environment built on accountability, integrity, and championship-level execution.

• Lead, mentor, and evaluate a team of sport administrators (Associate/Assistant ADs) who handle day-to-day sport oversight, ensuring department-wide alignment on policy and strategy.

• Partner with head coaches on strategic planning, performance evaluations, and high-stakes decision-making; actively lead or assist the Director of Athletics in head coach searches, contract negotiations, and incentive structures.

• Oversee administrative units to include; Compliance, Equipment, Event Management, Facilities Services, IT.

• Oversee the integrated Sports Performance Unit, ensuring world-class delivery of sports medicine, mental health resources, nutrition, and strength & conditioning

• Lead and assist the Director of Athletics and head coaches on the implementation, execution, and continuous optimization of direct-to-athlete revenue-sharing models.

• Develop, evolve, and govern strategic frameworks for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), collaborating with compliance, legal counsel, and external collectives to maximize athlete opportunities while protecting institutional integrity.

• Utilize data analytics and financial modeling to assess roster value, roster construction efficiency, transfer portal trends, and the overall competitive “ROI” of program budgets.

• Lead macroeconomic resource allocation across all sports, optimizing budgets and scholarship matrices, to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability

• Work in partnership with the Director of Athletics, Compliance, and Athletics Executive Leadership Team to liaise with external governance bodies, including the NCAA, the Pac-12 Conference, and the College Sports Commission.

• Demonstrate high contractual and regulatory literacy, actively reviewing complex legal settlements, coach contracts, and collective bargaining/employment developments to mitigate institutional risk.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree

• 7 years of progressive high-level leadership experience within Division 1 collegiate athletics, professional sports front offices or complex sports enterprise management

• Experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets

• Leading diverse teams of elite personnel and navigating high-pressure regulatory environments

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or advanced degree in Sports Business, Sports Administration, Business Law or related field

APPLICATION PROCESS

For full consideration, application materials should be submitted via the CSA website by Friday, August 14. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made.