Director of Athletic Communication

|   | | | |   | | Director of Athletic Communication | |   | |

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Category:

Administrative & Staff

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|   | | | |   | | Director of Athletic Communication | |   | |

| | | |

 

Category:

Administrative & Staff

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Department:

Athletics

Locations:

Rock Island, IL

Posted:

Aug 6, 2025

Closes:

Open Until Filled

Type:

Full-time

Salary Type:

Annually

Salary Range:

$55,000.00 - $60,000.00

Position ID:

191324

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About Augustana College:

At Augustana College, we don't just educate students - we empower them. As a nationally recognized college of the liberal arts and sciences, we invest in engaged learning, maximizing student potential, and building strong community partnerships - the driving forces of our Bold & Boundless Strategic Plan (2024-29).

For our 2,500 students, Augustana offers a collaborative and student-focused environment, in which faculty and staff play an active role in shaping futures through hands-on learning, mentorship and leadership development. Located on a scenic, wooded campus in Rock Island, Illinois, Augustana is part of the vibrant Quad-Cities metropolitan area (pop. 470,000), about a 3-hour drive from Chicago.

We seek mission-driven professionals who are passionate about student success, innovation and making an impact. If you thrive in an environment that values curiosity, collaboration and the power of transformative education, we invite you to bring your talents to Augustana.

Employees at Augustana enjoy an excellent benefits package including medical, retirement, generous paid time off, use of campus facilities (gym, pool, and health clinic), tuition benefits for employees and their family members, and much more!

 

Job Description:

Overview:    As a key member of the Athletics department, this position is responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of athletic media relations, brand awareness and marketing plans for the college's athletic programs.  These duties include but are not limited to social media & web content, web stories, press releases, press conferences, social media, event management, statistics, and strategic communication for the college's 28 current intercollegiate sports.  The Director of Athletics Communication works closely with members of the Office of Communication & Marketing department as well as the Office of Advancement to promote the mission, news, and accomplishments of Augustana's athletics programs.
 
Job Duties:

1. Provides oversight and collaborates with internal and external partners to arrange for media coverage for athletic events and ensures interested parties are informed of athletic results.
2. Directs marketing, social media and incorporates college brand messaging into messaging of the athletics department .  Creates plans and strategies for sharing high value and relevant information about all teams, coaches and student-athletes across multiple platforms and social media outlets.
3. Manages all communications and media relations and seeks ways to expand coverage to new markets and foster improved relationships with local regional and national news media.  Works collaboratively with the Office of Admissions and Communications and Marketing to expand college recruiting activity to new markets.
4. Oversees streaming activities for athletic events including planning, promotion, execution, and evaluation of the activities.  
5. Manages the athletic department website ensuring it is easy to navigate and an effective marketing tool. Maintains website and reviews data entered by coaching staff or others to ensure current and accurate information is posted.
6. Collaborate with the Office of Communication and Marketing on athletic-related media relations, news stories, pitches and events.  Write press releases and feature stories for publication and distribution.  Create and edit athletic publications and recruiting materials in collaboration with campus partners.
7. Collaborates with the Office of Advancement to promote and support athletic fundraising activities (the Viking Club) and assist in executing activities related to corporate partnerships or sponsorships. 
8. Responsible for coordinating traditional game day sports information operations which include marking materials, producing pre and post-game multi-media, action photography, logging game statistics and reporting results to the Conference, NCAA and various media outlets.
9. Assists with the operation and maintenance of press boxes at home games, including hiring, supervising, and instructing for all game staffing (statistical spotters, recorders, official statistical workers, live video stream, etc.,) logistics and technical requirements.
10. Oversees photography and video activities to support departmental efforts, using student workers, interns, volunteers, freelancers and others within department budget allocation.
11. Oversee, plan and execute annual events including Hall of Fame induction and Academic All America admissions event.
12. Identifies and coordinates recognition of student-athletes for post season honors including all-conference, all-region All-America, Academic All-America and NCAA postgraduate scholarship.
13. Oversee compilation of statistics and filing of reports as required by the NCAA, the CCIW Conference and others.  Oversee historical athletic records, statistics, and photographs.
14. Supervise the Assistant Director of Athletic communications and student workers or interns.  Provide robust feedback and delegate duties to ensure department and college goals are met.
15. Other duties as assigned. 

Requirements:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred.
• 5 or more years of experience performing above described job duties.  Experience in a higher education setting highly preferred.  
• Communications experience with multiple platforms and social media.

Required Skills & Abilities:  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to follow industry trends and quickly adapt to provide high level outcomes.
• Ability to communicate important information to a varied audience using audio, video, written and social media platforms.
• Strong collaboration skills with internal and external partners including Office of Communication and Marketing, Office of Advancement, local, regional, and national media.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and create outcomes with accuracy and on deadline.
• Strong delegation and management skills.

Physical Requirements:  This position is located on-campus and the ability to move between campus buildings on multiple levels is required.  Lifting and moving equipment of up to 15 pounds for competition and practice is required on a consistent basis.  The Director will be required to listen, hear, speak, and provide written and oral guidance to team members as well as stand for intermittently long periods of time.  Must be able to use a computer to accomplish a variety of job tasks.

Special Requirements: Hours for this position will vary based on competition schedules and needs of the college.  Frequent evening and weekend work is anticipated. Limited travel to competitions, events, and conferences is required.  Successful candidates must pass a criminal background check and have a valid drivers' license with the ability to be insured by the college.

Note:  This job description is subject to change and is not designed to be a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required by the employee.    All prospective employees must pass a criminal background check.

 

Additional Information:

Pay and Benefits
The budgeted compensation for this position is $55,000 - $60,000 per year based on experience.  Augustana College offers a competitive and comprehensive benefit package to its employees to ensure our team is well cared for. You can learn more about our benefits program at our Benefits Website.

Augustana College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Augustana College provides equal opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and 3 professional references by August 21st, 2025.

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