University of Oklahoma

Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics

Position Overview:

The University of Oklahoma is seeking a dynamic, transformative, and visionary leader to serve as its next Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics (AD) and guide one of the nation's most storied programs through a period of significant transformation in college athletics. The AD will report directly to the President and will be responsible for developing and executing the University's strategic plan, as well as overseeing the operational aspects of OU Athletics to ensure sustained competitive excellence, innovative revenue generation, and holistic student-athlete development.

Oversight and Department Structure:

Manage a department budget of $200M+, overseeing the 19 varsity sports programs and central athletics operations. Among the highest and most immediate priorities of the new AD will be to collaborate with the President and the Board of Regents to design and implement an organizational, governance, and oversight structure that is best suited for strategic and operational decision-making in a rapidly changing environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Set the long-term strategic vision for OU Athletics, in alignment with the institution's strategic plan and legacy.
• Identify innovative opportunities to increase overall resources, with a core focus on revenue generation, fundraising, donor/alumni engagement, and capital projects.
• Provide strategic leadership in navigating industry-defining areas (NIL, revenue sharing, the transfer portal, media rights, and revenue distribution models, etc.) while creating a self-funding financial plan to ensure championship-level performance into the future.
• Hire, develop, and retain elite coaching and administrative talent, managing head coaches with objectivity, structural guardrails, empathy, and effective resource allocation.
• Establish a forward-thinking, creative culture that welcomes innovation and proactively embraces uncertainty and institutional transformation.
• Cultivate and manage high-value relationships with alumni, donors, University stakeholders, public policy makers, media, and corporate partners.
• Promote holistic student-athlete well-being, academic achievement, career preparedness, and athlete support strategies suitable for the new environment.
• Create and foster a culture of integrity, collaboration, and accountability. Act as a connector across all levels within and around the athletic department.
• Serve as the face and voice of OU Athletics nationally.

Leadership and Personal Profile:

• A transformative leader who thrives in an amorphous and rapidly changing industry.
• A progressive thinker, change agent, innovator, and connector.
• Someone with self-assurance, approachability, and a growth mindset.
• Skilled at integrating astute business leadership with higher education norms, campus traditions, and Oklahoma's unique culture.
• Possesses high emotional intelligence, strong communication skills, charisma, and is excellent at relationship-building.
• Must be able to relate authentically with alumni, media, student-athletes, donors, coaches, and public officials.
• Talented assessor of people, organizational needs, and emerging opportunities.
• Balances acting decisively, through conviction and confidence, with an openness and desire to seek feedback from others.
• Capable of developing creative approaches to unite OU students, alumni, and stakeholders while engaging and energizing donors and brands.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (business administration, sports management, or related field).
• Demonstrated record of developing and implementing a strategic vision, leading high-performing teams, and driving measurable outcomes.
• Extensive management experience in complex, rapidly changing environments.
• Evidence of high business acumen: finance, marketing, capital management, revenue generation, and compliance.
• An innovative, fast learner with demonstrated ability to proactively identify and address emerging challenges.
• Willingness to live in the Norman/OKC geographic area.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree (business administration, sports management, or related field).
• History of successful fundraising, alumni relations, and navigating challenging external and internal stakeholder environments.
• Knowledge of college athletics, including recruiting, NCAA, SEC, and College Sports Commission rules and regulations, the House settlement agreement, NIL and revenue sharing, transfer portal dynamics, experience in professional athletics, and understanding of modern athlete well-being.

Program and Institutional Context:

OU boasts a long tradition of national athletic excellence, often achieving outsized results with asymmetric resources. The AD must respect and advance OU’s unique culture, traditions, and its extended community, including the City of Norman, as well as valued relationships with the University, alumni, and local leaders.

Familiarity with or ties to OU/Oklahoma are advantageous but not required. However, a strategic plan to engage and unify stakeholders is essential.

Working Conditions:

• Physical: Sit for prolonged periods; ability to engage in repetitive motion and communicate effectively.
• Environmental: Standard office environment; frequent exposure to deadline-driven periods; extensive collaboration with University officials and departments.

Certifications or Licenses:

None required.

Compensation:

Competitive, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application Process:

Inquiries and nominations for the OU Athletics Director position should proceed to the following web address: www.theathletegroup.com/OU-search.

For additional information, please contact: Jake Rosenberg, The Athlete Group, Jake@theathletegroup.com.