Associate Athletic Director for External Relations
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About Rice:
Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.
Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.
Position Summary:
The Associate Athletic Director of External Relations will play an integral role in driving revenue and attendance for the Department of Athletics, as well as overseeing all aspects of the fan experience. Under the guidance of the Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations, this role is responsible for creating a Rice Athletics marketing (including creative, video, and digital media) and communications strategy and plan, and leading a team to execute against this plan.
This position has lead responsibility for communications and marketing, including game presentation, special events and promotions, digital media, graphic design, and branded creative video. It also involves leading other marketing and communications team members who support additional sports. Along with the marketing, creative, ticket sales, sponsorship, and communication staff, this individual will be responsible for increasing attendance and revenue, creating a positive and exciting game day atmosphere, increasing fan engagement, and furthering the brand of Rice Athletics.
Additionally, the Associate Athletic Director of External Relations will oversee the video services team to develop new ways to entertain fans and promote brand consistency through video and other mediums. This role also oversees the Athletic Department’s licensing program and acts as a liaison for the Athletic Department with the Marching Owls Band (MOB) and spirit squads. Lastly, this position will serve as an on-campus and community partner to ensure that Rice Athletics is a highly visible asset to our local community.
Per, work arrangements may be subject to change.
*Exempt (salaried) positions under are not eligible for overtime.
Minimum Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree
3+ years of experience in the sports marketing field with experience developing marketing plans to drive attendance
Skills:
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including presentation skills
Good organizational and creativity skills
Good analytical and problem-solving skills
Video creation and editing capabilities
Essential Functions:
Develops and manages the communication and brand strategy for Rice Athletics
Recommends, manages, and executes integrated marketing plans/programs and strategies to meet business objectives
Guides event planning and execution
Manages vendors on specific projects
Manages program budget, goals, and objectives in alignment with organizational goals
Manages market research and analysis used to make informed decisions regarding strategic marketing direction, product segmentation, and customer targeting
Assesses market opportunities and tracks market trends
Recommends marketing improvements based on findings
Writes, designs, and coordinates the production of communication and marketing materials
Performs all other duties as assigned
Additional Functions:
Manages game day marketing operations and promotions at Rice sports
Develops and executes marketing plans, including advertising and promotion, designed to meet the department’s goals for revenue and attendance
Generates new revenue through the sale of tickets as the liaison for specific athletic events tied to home games (e.g., youth clinics, educational groups, additional pre/post-game events, etc.). This may include direct solicitation of contacts for these specific groups via phone, meetings, and electronic messaging
Develops and executes creative strategy, including graphics and video, to be used for various purposes including marketing flyers, email campaigns, and social media campaigns
Develops and executes video broadcast strategy, including ESPN and other digital productions
Develops and executes digital media strategy
Rice Mission and Values:
- Location:
- Us
- Job Type:
- FullTime