Senior Director, Recreation and Varsity Sports
City : Ottawa, ON, Canada
Category : Full time
Industry : Higher Education
Employer : University of Ottawa
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Job Type:
EmployeeJob Family:
Athletic OperationsFaculty/Service - Department:
Office of the Associate Vice-President, Student AffairsCampus:
Main CampusDate Posted:
April 25, 2024Closing Date:
May 25, 2024Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above
About Student Affairs :Student Affairs is at the very heart of the student experience at the University of Ottawa. We recruit the very best future students, support them throughout their university years and leave them well-prepared for fulfilling careers and future studies. Our team of more than 600 dedicated staff provides the services that keep students happy, well and thriving as they pursue their ambitions. We help them apply and enrol for courses, we oversee 11 residences and an award-winning Dining Hall, we organize fun events and varsity sports activities, we run an innovative career development and experiential learning program and much more!
There’s nothing more rewarding than helping future generations reach their full potential at a world-class university. With our wide variety of career opportunities and professional development pathways, we’re sure that you’ll enjoy the experience as much as our students do.
Position purpose:
The Senior Director, Recreation and Varsity Sport is responsible for the leadership, operational oversight, including the delivery of a high-performance sports program (Gee-Gees Varsity Programs) and the delivery of a modern programming of recreational services to meet the needs of the entire university community. The role entails delivering a comprehensive student service that significantly influences student learning and success. In addition, this position involves supervising and strategizing for the sports facilities infrastructure within the sector.
He/she develops the long-term strategic plan for the sector, establishes the sector’s annual operational plan and closely monitors and takes necessary actions to ensure the attainment of goals outlined in the plan. This is achieved through a data-driven approach to oversee and enhance the sector’s performance.
In this capacity, the individual ensures that the sector's initiatives and direction foster a secure and inclusive environment for all stakeholders. This effort aims to enhance a sense of community, well-being and academic achievement while adhering to the university's strategic objectives.
They implement business development strategies and tactics to enhance revenue generation, ensuring the financial stability and viability of the sector. Additionally, they oversee the service as a self-financing entity and effectively manage all related risks.
As a senior representative of the University of Ottawa on local, provincial, and national committees and organizations, they are entrusted not only with advocating for the interests of our university stakeholders but also with fostering the advancement of sports within our society.
In this role, your responsibilities will include:
Student commitment and participation
- Directs the development, execution and implementation of a high-performance Sports Model aimed at optimizing student engagement, fostering commitment, enhancing learning opportunities, and securing financial support to achieve excellence and compete on a national level.
- Oversees the creation of programs tailored to meet the recreational and physical wellness needs of the university community, external stakeholders, and clients (intramural activities, camps, fitness programs, aquatics, outdoor recreation, and various other recreational initiatives). Defines, adapts, and executes the future strategic directions of the services and programs, as required.
- Strategizes to enhance collaboration with the faculties and professors to offer academic support and foster an academic connection for student-athletes.
- Develops strategies, programs, evaluations, and training to support RVS’ student-athletes. This support aims to create inclusive, safe, and positive experiences through our Safe Sport and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) programming initiatives and plans.
Strategic Planning and Revenue Generation/Fundraising
- Establishes long-term and annual operational plans, evaluating success and impact on an annual basis.
- In collaboration with the Development Office, oversees the creation of donor and alumni initiatives as well as fundraising strategies to support programs and the construction of new facilities.
- Establishes long-term strategies to determine the optimal balance between student fees, corporate contributions/sponsorships, and revenue generation is essential to secure the financial sustainability of operations.
- Develops business strategies derived from both internal and external sources to optimize services and to create opportunities to enhance revenue streams that support sports programs available to our students.
- Develops and expands strategies and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to enhance and expand programs offered.
Business management,
- Develop and implement an efficient administrative structure and systems that enhance operations of RVS.
- Prepares, in collaboration with financial shared services, the annual budgets and ongoing forecasts for the RVS sector.
- Aligned with student affairs strategic plans, develops, monitors and adjust the long-term financial plan for the RVS sector.
- Collaborates with physical resources and client services to negotiate commercial agreements, leases, and partnerships; and ensures that these agreements adhere to established protocols and legal frameworks.
- Recruits high-caliber professional coaches and full-time staff for the RVS sector.
- Develops a framework on the management of high-performance varsity teams which incorporates a behavioral guideline for student-athletes; and implementing measures to secure their academic achievements.
- Oversees the team responsible that manages high volume of part-time students or other staff essential required to manage the operations of high performance and recreational programming at RVS.
- Ensures compliance with the university’s human resources, financial and procurement policies, and procedures.
Planning and management of sports facilities
- Oversees, in collaboration with the physical resources service, the development of sports facilities to meet the needs from the university community.
- Directs the development of financial models to cover all costs associated with managing existing and new sports facilities.
- Monitors and administers capital funds to support program development and facility requirements in collaboration with physical resources and shared finance.
Marketing, Sports information and Digital Media, Liaison and media communications and relations
- Ensures the promotion, visibility, and efficacy of recreational and varsity sports programs, as well as special events.
- Ensures sports information and digital media reporting, and media coverage to enhance the commitment from students, staff, and the community.
- Works collaboratively with shared marketing/communication team while providing leadership and direction on marketing strategies, sports information, digital media, and media relations.
Stakeholder Relations
Ensures positive relationship management with a complex network of internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to:
- Internal campus-wide leaders of key interdependencies that affect RVS business operations and program delivery (e.g. Academics, Physical Resources, Client Services, External/Alumni, etc.)
- External local, regional, national, and international sports organizations to support delivery of varsity programs and for hosting opportunities.
- External university sport governing bodies in Canada including U SPORTS, Ontario Universities Athletics (OUA), RSEQ for national-championship event bidding, and to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- All 3 levels of government as required.
- Collaborates closely with community partners such as the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), and Tourism Ottawa and others, as required.
- Leads and participates on university working groups and committees as required, and external working groups of the conference and league governing bodies.
- Act as key spokesperson for RVS as required.
What you will bring:
- Ten years’ experience leading and managing a sports organization that delivers recreational and high-performance programs.
- Master’s level education in business management or a related field
- Demonstrated aptitude for leadership, strategic planning and complex operations, interpersonal skills and problem solving.
- Excellent political, ethical, and diplomatic sense.
- Extensive knowledge of sports development within Canada, including a broad network within the sports infrastructure.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of coaching and student-athlete high performance needs.
- Demonstrated understanding of the delivery of recreational services and varsity sports within a university context.
- Extensive knowledge and experience of fundraising, sponsorship and partnership development.
- Drive an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Excellent communication skills in French and English.
- Extensive experience in business management and financial management.
- Ability to work under pressure and to manage several projects simultaneously within tight deadlines.
The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our students, staff, and faculty. Accordingly, we strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples in Canada, visible minorities members (racialized persons), persons with disabilities, women, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with equitable, diverse, and inclusive communities. Candidates who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups are asked to complete the confidential Self-Identification Questionnaire, to be completed at the time of application.
All qualified candidates are invited to apply; however, preference will be given to Canadians and permanent residents. When submitting your application, please indicate if you are legally entitled to work in Canada
The University of Ottawa provides accommodations for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you are invited to proceed in the selection process, please notify us of any accommodations that you require by contacting the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty Relations by email at vra.affairesprofessorales@uottawa.ca. Any information you send us will be handled respectfully and in complete confidence.
The University of Ottawa is proud of its 160-year tradition of bilingualism. Through its Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, the University provides training to staff members and to their spouses in their second official language.
Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.