Big 12 Conference

Background:

The Big 12 Conference enters its 30th year as one of the nation’s premier conferences in college athletics under the leadership of Commissioner Brett Yormark. Since joining the Conference in August 2022, Yormark has elevated the Big 12 to new heights, emphasizing marketing, brand building, and instilling an innovative strategy that has resonated across the college athletics landscape.

Starting Aug. 2, 2024, the Conference is composed of 16 universities spanning 10 states and four time zones. The Big 12 members include Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah, and West Virginia.

The Big 12 began play in 1996 and is the home to 87 team NCAA national championships and 764 individual national champions. The Big 12 Conference office is located in Irving, Texas.

Position Summary:

The Chief of Staff (CoS) is a senior strategic and operational partner to the Commissioner. The CoS turns the conference’s strategic vision into action, aligns priorities across the organization, and drives results.

The ideal candidate combines executive presence with operational rigor, thrives in high-stakes environments, and demonstrates a deep understanding of college athletics, governance, and stakeholder management. With a strong grasp of organizational dynamics and a bias toward action, the Chief of Staff enhances leadership effectiveness and ensures the organization meets its most critical objectives. They possess a proven history of initiative and collaboration with various stakeholders. The candidate must be proficient with current technology, creative in resolving complex and sensitive issues, and capable of working independently and as part of a team to efficiently achieve established goals and deadlines. They orchestrate cross-functional collaboration and remove barriers to boost performance and impact.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Proxy & Liaison: Serve as a trusted advisor and representative for the Commissioner in meetings with the Board of Directors, Athletic Directors, and other key stakeholders.
• Primary Liaison: Act as the main point of contact for Athletic Directors, ensuring alignment between the Commissioner's office and university athletics leadership.
• Strategic Planning: Lead the annual business planning process and oversee special projects that fall outside standard departmental operations, driving strategic priorities forward.
• Executive Focus: Manage the Commissioner’s critical information requirements, providing tailored briefing materials, talking points, and visuals for all high-level engagements.
• Meeting Orchestration: Plan and execute the full cycle of in-person and virtual Board and AD meetings (August, Fall, Winter, Spring), ensuring content is strategically aligned with conference objectives.
• Accountability Tracking: Serve as the central coordinator for senior staff, monitoring the execution of leadership follow-up items to maintain organizational momentum.
• Governance Integration: Facilitate the process of incorporating AD recommendations into the formal conference governance structure.
• Policy Management: Oversee the Conference’s Sportsmanship Policy, managing inquiries, decisions, and enforcement processes with consistency and discretion.
• Digital & Internal Operations: Lead the development of a centralized digital hub (portals, calendars) for institutional data and office policies to enhance staff cohesion and operational efficiency.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Drive initiatives that enhance organizational performance, introduce process efficiencies, and leverage technology to improve stakeholder engagement and internal operations.
• Culture & Values Leadership: Model and promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence, reinforcing organizational values across the conference office and its stakeholders.

Qualifications, Skills and Education Requirements:

• 5–10 years of progressive experience in Division I NCAA athletics administration, conference office operations, or professional sports management.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or advanced degree in Sports Management or Business highly preferred
• Proven track record of supporting C-suite executives or senior leadership teams, with the ability to act as a definitive voice and proxy in high-stakes environments.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex relationships with diverse groups, including University Presidents, Athletic Directors, Board members, and media partners.
• Deep familiarity with NCAA governance structures, legislative processes, and compliance standards for FBS-level institutions.
• Experience leading large-scale initiatives from initiation to completion, strategic planning or high-impact projects.
• Proven success in highly entrepreneurial or dynamic environments; nimble and creative in identifying, evaluating, and advancing new opportunities and initiatives.
• Ability to build trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with internal and external constituents.
• Exceptional communicator; collaborative, service-oriented, humble, mission-driven, and high integrity; models these qualities across teams and the organization.
• Genuine commitment to the impact and mission of collegiate athletics.
• Working knowledge of athletic department operations, including communications, competitions, and marketing, with experience across multiple campus functions.

Working Environment:

Office environment. Frequent sitting, standing, walking bending, listening, speaking, and use of office equipment. Some requirements for lifting, pushing, or pulling items less than 30 pounds. Ability to work long non-standard hours, including holidays, nights, weekends, games days or other event dates.

ZRG’S Commitment:

At ZRG, we do not just accept differences—we celebrate and support it. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, marital or partnership status, military or veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. ZRG is an equal opportunity employer and workplace, and we encourage applicants of all backgrounds & communities to apply.

BIG 12’S Commitment:

The Big 12 Conference, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All employees are hired, compensated, promoted, disciplined and evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

The Big 12 Conference, Inc. strictly prohibits any and all discrimination and harassment based upon an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.