Athletic Communications Director

Date:

April 17, 2026

Position Available:

Athletic Communications Director Position Reports to: Assistant Athletic Director for

Communications and Development Department:

Athletic Department FLSA Status:

Exempt Schedule:

Full Time - Schedule Determined by Athletic events/schedules; some evenings and weekends Pleaseapply online: Apply Here

POSITIONSUMMARY

The Athletic Communications Director reports directly to the Assistant Athletic Director (AAD) for Communications &Development to provide strategic leadership and tactical execution for communications, public and media relations, game day operations,marketing, development, community engagement, and special events within the Franciscan University Athletic Department in a manner thatadvances the Christian mission of the University. The Athletic Communications Director maintains line supervisory responsibility foroperations within the communications and marketing portfolio, including:

Media and Public Relations:

The Director coordinates mediacoverage, responds to inquiries, schedules interviews with athletes and coaches, and proactively seeks publicity for athletic programs andevents. The Director also prepares press releases, manages relationships with local and national media, and represents the organization atpress conferences and athletic events.

Communications Strategy:

The Director assists the AAD/Communications & Development indeveloping and implementing a comprehensive communications campaign, including marketing strategies, social media engagement, multimedia andbroadcasting operations, and digital content creation across platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube in alignment with theChristian vision and mission of the University. This includes overseeing print materials such as press guides, sports programs, andpromotional content.

Event and Game Management:

The Director is a key component to game-day operations, including scheduling, staff,coordinating fan engagement, livestreaming, and ensuring accurate in-game statistics for reporting and awards. They will work with the GameDay Manager to enhance fan experience both in-person and online. The Director also is heavily involved with the planning and execution ofspecial events involving Franciscan Athletics.

Leadership and Supervision:

Within the chain of command, the Director leads andmanages communications staff, such as the Athletic Communications Assistant, Student Sports Information Coordinators, and Interns, providingguidance, training, and performance evaluations. The Director also manages budgets for communications and marketing initiatives under thedirection of the AAD/Communications & Development.

Collaboration and Representation:

The Director works closely with the FranciscanAthletic Department Front Office, coaches, and other administrative staff to ensure consistent messaging and compliance with institutionaland league regulations. They may travel to away games, tournaments, and conferences to represent the Athletic Department. Themission pillars of the Franciscan University Athletic Department—Forming Disciples, Developing Leaders, and Pursuing Excellence—are centralto this role. The Athletic Communications Director is responsible for driving innovation and advancement of these pillars through allcommunications, marketing, and related initiatives, ensuring that Franciscan Athletics authentically embodies the University's Catholic andFranciscan identity. Franciscan University is an NCAA Division III institution and a member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

With continued departmental growth and increasing competitive success, advancing the visibility, professionalism, and impact of FranciscanAthletics in service of the University's mission is a primary objective of this position.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Assists AAD/Communications & Development to provide strategic leadership for communications, public and mediarelations, game day operations, marketing, development, community engagement, and special events with an emphasis on promoting the Christianmission of Franciscan University. Coordinates media coverage, responds to inquiries, schedules interviews with athletes andcoaches, and proactively seeks publicity for athletic programs and events. Develops and implements a comprehensive communicationscampaign, including marketing strategies, social media engagement, multimedia and broadcasting operations, and digital content creationacross platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube in alignment wit the Christian vision and mission of the University. Schedules staff and coordinates fan engagement and livestreaming ensuring accurate in-game statistics for reporting and awards. Leads and manages communications staff within a defined chain of command. Works closely with the Franciscan Athletic DepartmentFront Office, coaches, and other administrative staff to ensure consistent messaging and compliance with institutional and leagueregulations. This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Additional duties, expectations, and responsibilities may beadded or changed as needed to meet the University's needs.

REQUIREMENTS

Must understand, support, and embracethe mission of Franciscan University of Steubenville and possess the following: Education and Experience Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred. Technical Skills Demonstrated acumenwith sports media operations, including social media, livestreaming, broadcasting, stat keeping, and related hardware/software. Leadership ability.

Non-Technical Skills & Competencies:

Collaboration:

Approachable, proactive, andworks well within a team.

Decision Quality:

Effectively blends analysis, experience, and intuition in the decision-makingprocess.

Verbal Communications:

Excellent Communicator Workplace Factors:

Tracking ofequipment/inventory Attendance at multiple athletic venues around campus and elsewhere. Ability to function within adefined chain of command. Candidates must submit an online application, a resume and a cover letter that demonstrates theirfit for the position based on their experience, accomplishments, and skills as well as their desire to advance the mission of FranciscanUniversity.

Please apply online:

ApplyHere For other information and job postings, visit our website at https://www.franciscan.edu Franciscan University of Steubenville is committed to principlesof equal opportunity and is an equal opportunity employer.