Position Title:

Senior Associate Athletics Director, Student-Athlete Health & Performance

Position Type:

Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Categories:

Staff Exempt

Job Summary:

Job Duties:

As an integral leader within Bucknell’s NCAA Division I athletics program, the Senior Associate Athletics Director, Student-Athlete Health & Performance will oversee and elevate the athletics program’s health and performance strategy, integrating elite care with innovation to support the success and well-being of over 700 scholar-athletes. This position is instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence that aligns with the university’s mission of education, innovation, and ethical conduct.
 

The role combines strategic leadership with operational oversight, guiding a transdisciplinary team across sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition, mental health, and recovery to deliver unified, athlete-centered care. This leader will work closely with the Director of Athletics and collaborate with the Bucknell medical community and campus medical partners to position Bucknell as a leader in injury prevention, performance innovation, and holistic athlete development.
 

The role includes sport oversight, including football and will serve as Bucknell University’s NCAA Health Care Administrator.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Develop and implement a forward-thinking performance innovation strategy to achieve competitive excellence across all 27 NCAA Division I programs.

• Embed University values into all aspects of the health and performance unit.

• Lead initiatives that establish Bucknell as a leader in student-athlete health care and performance.

• Build a collaborative leadership culture that integrates medical, performance, and coaching teams into cohesive units.

Transdisciplinary Collaboration

• Cultivate partnerships with academic, risk management, medical, and campus sectors to advance health and performance solutions.

• Guide and mentor a diverse team of specialists, fostering a shared vision of athlete-first care and integrated performance support.

• Design and promote systems for cross-functional collaboration, ensuring alignment in planning, execution, and evaluation.

• Establish holistic, data-informed reconditioning protocols to ensure safe and effective return-to-play processes.

Performance Innovation

• Leverage technology and analytics to inform shared decision-making and maximize performance and reduced injury outcomes.

• Implement evidence-based practices through innovative data collection and analysis systems.

• Drive a culture of continuous learning, equipping staff and student-athletes with skills for agile problem-solving and adaptive growth.

Athlete Welfare & Development

• Ensure scholar-athletes receive tailored care, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

• Collaborate with the athletic leadership development programs that prepare athletes for life beyond sport, emphasizing resilience, teamwork, and self-mastery.

Operational Excellence

• Manage personnel, budgets, resource allocation, electronic medical record protocols, and facility operations to deliver premier services to student-athletes and staff.

• Accountable for the successful implementation and oversight of the student-athlete medical insurance offering.

• Establish quality control processes that uphold the highest standards in health and performance.

• Foster a culture of accountability, excellence, and innovation.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience

• Master’s Degree in Kinesiology, Sport Science, Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.

• Minimum of 4 years in a leadership role within the medical and/or performance role.

• Ten or more years of experience in NCAA environments

Preferred Education & Experience

• PhD in Kinesiology, Sport Science, Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy, Organizational Leadership, or a