Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director/Chief Financial Officer

Executive Leadership Opportunity

Charlotte Athletics seeks a dynamic and forward-thinking Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director/Chief Financial Officer to serve as a key member of the department’s executive leadership team. This is an exceptional opportunity for a negotiator, deal-maker, strategist, and big-picture thinker who is energized by helping shape the future of a high-ambition athletics enterprise. The ideal leader will bring vision, sound judgment, and excitement for what is possible at Charlotte. In the opening chapter of a rapidly evolving era in college athletics, the Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director/Chief Financial Officer (Exec. Sr. Assoc. AD/CFO) will help drive strategy, steward resources, evaluate opportunities, and position the department for sustained competitive and financial success. Join Charlotte’s Team in one of the best cities to live in America. This role offers the chance to work alongside ambitious leaders, support championship-level aspirations, and help build a modern athletics business model for one of the nation’s most vibrant and fast-growing markets.

Position Summary

The Exec. Sr. Assoc. AD/CFO provides strategic and operational leadership for the financial management of Charlotte Athletics. This executive serves as the department’s chief financial leader and principal advisor on budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, business operations, and long-range resource planning. The role requires an innovative leader who can balance strong fiscal stewardship with entrepreneurial thinking, complex deal-making, and future-focused strategy.

Key Responsibilities

·      Prepare annual budgets by collaborating with department heads and coaches.

·      Monitor travel, purchasing, financial aid, and miscellaneous expenses across the department.

·      Manage the internal Athletic Department Business Office and provide administrative budget approval for internal budgets.

·      Provide regular budget reports to department heads and coaches to support informed decision-making.

·      Develop funding models for all major athletics facilities projects.

·      Project and forecast revenue and expenditures on an ongoing basis to help ensure a positive year-end budget outcome.

·      Provide oversight of the budget for Charlotte 49ers Ventures.

·      Provide potential sport oversight opportunities and serve as a sport administrator for assigned programs, as determined by the Athletic Director and departmental needs.

·      Act as Controller for the Department of Athletics while partnering with the University’s Controller’s Office to ensure compliance with University policies and procedures and GASB accounting standards.

·      Coordinate all internal and external financial audits concerning the Department of Athletics, including but not limited to the annual Department of Education Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) Report, the annual NCAA Agreed-Upon Procedures Report, and annual internal athletics reporting.

·      Oversee insurance programs for student-athletes, vehicles, and team travel.

·      Manage agreements with the department’s travel agency and other external service providers.

·      Coordinate student-athlete scholarship fulfillment, refunds, and related financial processes.

·      Lead special projects and perform other duties as assigned by the Athletic Director.

Preferred Experience and Leadership Profile

·      Demonstrated success as a senior financial leader, negotiator, and strategic business partner in a complex, high-visibility organization.

·      Experience in college athletics is strongly preferred, with additional value placed on experience in professional sports environments such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, or MLS.

·      Deep familiarity with contracts, partnership structures, revenue-share frameworks, and other evolving business models shaping intercollegiate athletics.

·      Experience using Artificial Intelligence tools for financial modeling, forecasting, scenario planning, and predictive analytics.

·      Ability to evaluate opportunities through both a strategic and operational lens, connecting day-to-day discipline with long-term enterprise goals.

·      Exceptional communication skills, executive presence, and the ability to build credibility with coaches, campus partners, external constituents, and senior leadership.

·      A collaborative, solutions-oriented leadership style marked by sound judgment, discretion, creativity, and accountability.

Why This Role Matters

This position is more than a financial leadership role; it is a strategic opportunity to help define the future of Charlotte Athletics. The successful candidate will bring discipline and imagination to the work, helping the department navigate change, capitalize on opportunity, and advance the vision of Charlotte’s Team with confidence and momentum.