Athletic Director

Are you interested in athletic director jobs? Athletic directors are certainly in demand, as physical education is vital in disciplining and strengthening young students. An athletic director is expected to be competent, and to provide not only instructional education but also strong leadership. An athletic director may be called upon to exercise leadership in athletics as well as the day-to-day activities of a school, whether it be a college, high school, elementary school or preschool center. The job outlook for athletic directors is positive as this career is projected to grow steadily through the year 2014.

Athletic Director Job Description

An athletic director is usually expected to direct various educational programs, and these may include programs outside the school such as for correctional facilities or commercial businesses. An athletic director role is important to the overall success of the institution represented since he or she will be responsible in setting educational standards, goals and policies. They may supervise managers, support staff, teachers, counselors, librarians and coaches. They must create academic programs, monitor student progress, train and motivate teachers, keep excellent records, prepare budgets, meet with student parents and many other related activities. Depending on the size of the organization, an athletic director may perform all of these responsibilities or may divide them with other workers if the organization is a large school system.

Most of the athletic director responsibilities you may encounter will be rewarding, especially if you enjoy working with many different people: from students to teachers, parents and other community members, perhaps even government policy makers. Athletic director duties are certainly fast-paced and may be demanding, perhaps even stressful at times. The higher the authority the educator has, the more he or she will be held personally accountable, especially as relates to schools following state and federal guidelines. Expect to work over 40 hours a week, with work on the weekends.

Athletic Director Qualification

What does it take to become an athletic director? An athletic director resume is usually accompanied by a master's or doctoral degree in a related field. Athletic directors begin their careers in other educational occupations such as teachers and use this experience for professional advancement. Teachers may advance into assistant principal positions or similar administrative duties. In order to advance in athletic director trainning workers must prove themselves competent in their current teaching assignments; qualities such as confidence, leadership ability, motivation and determination will be considered. Equally important is a worker's ability to make sound decisions and to interact well with a variety of people. Interview questions for athletic director will center on the applicants' work ethic, leadership and communication skills, proficiency, punctuality and background. Questions to ask an athletic director candidate will be similar to a commercial company, as in what can you bring to the organization and how is it proven?

Surveys for high school athletic directors reveal that the average athletic director salary was between $35,000 and $75,000 a year. Principal Frank Kesman once said about the athletic director of North High School, Tom Schweer, “He had the perfect combination of competitive spirit, organizational skills, loyalty and understanding of the phrase 'student athlete." This much is required to make a career as an athletic director.