Big 12 Conference

Executive Summary

The Big 12 Conference values the mission of higher education and intercollegiate athletics.  Academics and athletics should complement and amplify each other for the benefit of all our stakeholders, most notably our student-athletes. The combination of academics and athletics is a leadership development tool that differentiates America from all other nations.  The Conference values the extraordinary potential of our student athletes, and it values the collegiality, camaraderie, and the strong alignment of our Presidents, Chancellors, and Directors of Athletics.   The symbiotic relationship between academics and athletics is an unbreakable and non-negotiable core value of the Big 12 Conference and member institutions.

Today’s changes and challenges in college athletics not only call for innovative solutions, they present opportunities for forward-thinking, innovative leaders.  Embracing these challenges, and leaning into them fully, requires a collaborative, creative, solutions-oriented leader.  The Big 12 Commissioner has a major impact every day on intercollegiate athletics: (i) at the campus level across 16 major universities; (ii) at the Conference level with a now, fully-built-out Conference office with 50+ staff; and (iii) at the national level as the Big 12’s representative to the College Sports Commission (“CSC”) and College Football Playoff (“CFP”).  With so much impact, the Big 12 needs a leader with highest integrity, deep executive and commercial expertise, and unmatched competitiveness.  Priorities include:

Leader:‍

High EQ, self-aware servant leader who listens first. The “convener/collaborator” who embraces uncertainty, diagnoses problems, and solicits ideas for solutions in leading our internal team as well as a “team” of rivals at the CSC. Must be excellent at bringing people together, building consensus and solving complex challenges.

Operator:

True, hands-on operational expert who can harness the already-strong Conference staff.  Exceptional persuasion, interpersonal and communication skills to set clear goals and track progress; a builder of teams, morale, culture, and consensus. The ultimate team player.

Advocate:

Advocacy with zeal, with passion, with integrity and with thought-leadership and diplomacy, constantly fighting for the Big 12 Conference.  The Big 12 Commissioner must be just as driven, focused, and competitive as our amazing student athletes, coaches, and administrators.

Big 12 Conference Background

The Big 12 enters its 30th year as one of the nation’s premier athletic conferences. Since beginning competition in 1996-97, the Conference has been home to 92 NCAA team national championships and 798 individual national champions (through June 14, 2026). Its success reflects a tradition of competing at the highest level across a broad range of sports, while positioning the league to capitalize on new opportunities in an evolving national landscape. The Big 12 sponsors twenty-five sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, swimming & diving, tennis, and wrestling. Women’s sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, indoor track & field, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball.

The Big 12 comprises sixteen universities spanning ten states and four time zones: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah, and West Virginia.

On behalf of its member institutions, the Conference maintains national media partnerships with ESPN and FOX under agreements extending through the 2030-31 academic year. Big 12 content is distributed across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, including Big 12 Now on ESPN+, while other national distribution partnerships expand exposure for select events.

Commitment to Academic Excellence.‍

The Big 12 has been home to more than 800 Academic All-America recipients. In the last 16 seasons, 39 student-athletes have received the NCAA Elite 90 award, recognizing outstanding academic achievement among championship participants. Big 12 student-athletes continue to earn recognition through Conference all-academic teams and individual honors; the 2026 Spring All-Academic Team alone recognized 1,576 student-athletes across the Conference and its affiliate members. Competitive excellence, scholarship, and sportsmanship remain core to the Big 12.

Commitment to Health & Well-Being.‍

The Big 12 has a long-standing commitment to student-athlete health, safety, academic development, overall well-being and skills for careers and life. As the college athletics model evolves, the Conference must support member institutions in addressing physical and mental health, injury prevention, academic opportunity, time demands, and the emerging implications of student-athlete compensation and related governance changes.

All-Around Athletic Performance.‍

The Big 12’s record of athletic achievement spans national championships in team and individual sports. Through June 14, 2026, the Conference has been home to 92 NCAA team championships and 798 individual national champions. Recent Big 12 team national champions include Oklahoma State in men’s cross country (2025), Oklahoma State in men’s golf (2025), TCU in beach volleyball (2025), BYU in men’s and women’s cross country (2024), and TCU in men’s tennis (2024). The Conference also has a distinguished men’s basketball history, including national championships by Baylor (2021) and Kansas (2008 and 2022).  The Big 12’s current membership brings together nationally competitive programs across football, men’s and women’s basketball, Olympic sports, and emerging championship disciplines.

Representative Position Summary

(not exhaustive):

Governance.

The Commissioner reports to the Board of Directors, which is comprised of Presidents and Chancellors representing each of the 16 member institutions (collectively, the “Board”).  The Commissioner shall establish a strong, transparent, aligned partnership with the Board, providing timely, candid counsel, presenting well-supported options and tradeoffs, and translating the Board’s collective direction into accountable action while respecting the distinct priorities and institutional autonomy of member universities.

Stakeholders.

The Commissioner’s role is to work collaboratively not only with the Board, but also with Directors of Athletics (“ADs”), Faculty Athletic Representatives (“FARs”), Senior Women’s Administrators (“SWAs”) , student-athletes, alumni affairs, etc., to help the Conference pursue an innovative and aggressive business strategy and structure.  Much work has been done recently to modernize the Big 12.  The next Commissioner’s challenge is to deliver optimal results and ROI from the investments which have already been made.

Conference Staff.

The Conference office has been built out with 50+ staff to continue to build success on the field and commercially.  The Commissioner oversees and manages all men’s and women’s sports, and all commercial operations, by leading the Big 12 Conference office in Dallas, Texas:

Administration

Football

Commercial

Finance

Basketball

Marketing

Legal

Olympic Sports

Broadcast

Gov Relations Competition/Officiating

Communications

The Commissioner leads by example, setting the goals, priorities, tone, and teamwork culture.  The Big 12 seeks a strong operational manager to unlock and harness the true power of the Conference office and staff.  The Big 12 seeks a growth-oriented, business-minded leader to bring an ambitious and entrepreneurial approach to identifying and creating new revenue growth opportunities for the Conference and its schools.

External Partners.  

The Commissioner is the face and the voice of the Conference.  The Commissioner represents the Big 12 to external partners like the CSC and other bodies across college sports.  The Commissioner represents the Big 12 to Congress and other governmental entities; to media partners and potential future partners; to commercial marketing partners and other business and content partners, etc.  Responsible for representing the Conference as a collective, the Commissioner needs to be a thought leader and outspoken voice on issues including: (i) student-athlete wellness, empowerment & equity; (ii) Conference-wide academic and athletic performance; (iii) national governance, public policy, governmental, legislative and NCAA issues as well as Conference-wide compliance standards; (iv) continued integration and advancement of a geographically expanded 16-member Conference; and (v) business, rules and enforcement issues pertaining to the CSC. Further, the Commissioner shall play an active leadership role, nationally, in contributing to the development and implementation of policies and governance frameworks, including those addressing student-athlete compensation, revenue sharing, competitive equity, and the evolving regulatory environment.

Representative Capabilities

(not exhaustive):

Commercial

• Advance the Big 12’s competitive and commercial interests in national matters including the College Football Playoff (“CFP”), the CSC, the NCAA, and other relevant bodies.
• Build upon the Big 12’s established commercial strategy and recent investments, maximizing the value of existing media, marketing, and business partnerships while identifying new opportunities to strengthen the Conference’s competitive position and deliver sustainable financial returns to its member institutions.
• Lead a forward-looking media, content, and distribution strategy across linear, digital, and emerging platforms to strengthen the value of Big 12 brands, improve engagement with fans and younger audiences, and drive commercial opportunities for the Conference and schools.
• Oversee the budget and P&L, including all financial matters and commercial endeavors. Review and establish financial planning, budgeting, reporting and administrative protocols for the Board and the Directors of Athletics.
• Oversee all administrative, operational, and financial facets of Big 12 initiatives, campaigns, events, tournaments, and championships.

Management

• Provide executive leadership and oversight of the Big 12 Conference office and its 50+ employees, establishing clear organizational priorities, accountability, and performance expectations while ensuring the effective coordination of athletic, commercial, financial, and administrative functions.
• Retain, develop, empower, and recruit as needed a high-performing senior leadership team; foster a collaborative, accountable, and results-oriented culture; and ensure the Conference has the organizational capabilities, talent, and resources necessary to execute its strategic priorities.
• Translate Board-approved priorities into measurable objectives, defined ownership, regular progress reporting, and clear decision points.
• Openly surface tradeoffs among competitive positioning, institutional economics, academic priorities, and long-term Conference sustainability.
• Shape and guide a long-term strategic agenda for the Big 12 that unites all stakeholders in facing and confronting issues that will test the Conference’s ambitions.
• Build on the successful integration of the Conference’s current 16-member composition, ensuring alignment across institutions, competitive schedules, commercial relationships, and the broader Big 12 identity.
• Manage and review the work of Big 12 officials and referees to ensure objective impartiality.

Communication

• Develop a strategic and tactical communications strategy for (a) business and (b) intercollegiate athletics organizations, including but not limited to the NCAA, CFP, CSC, ACC, Big Ten, and SEC, as well as other intercollegiate conferences, plus industry organizations such as the FBS Athletic Directors Association, NACDA, and Women Leaders in Sports on communications and policy initiatives, always with the Big 12’s best interests in mind.
• While the role requires public speaking, the Big 12 envisions more of a thought leader. Someone who garners engagement organically through the quality of innovative forward thinking.

Collaboration

• Partner with (as opposed to “manage”) the Board: set agendas jointly with Board leadership, prepare members for consequential decisions, encourage respectful debate, build consensus where interests diverge, maintain appropriate confidentiality, and promptly execute and report on Board-approved decisions.
• Promote collaboration, consensus, and open communication among the Big 12 members. When there is disagreement/conflict and or political/legal challenges, work painstakingly to build consensus and seek creative solutions, always seeking to resolve matters constructively.  
• Partner with and serve the Big 12 ADs, SWAs, FARs, and coaches who are in direct, day-to-day contact with the student athletes.
• Partner with key intercollegiate athletics organizations, including the NCAA, the ACC, Big Ten, and the SEC and other intercollegiate athletics conferences, as well as related organizations including the FBS Athletic Directors Association, NACDA, and Women Leaders in Sports.
• Serve as a visible and enthusiastic presence at events such as College Football Playoffs games, bowl games, Conference championships, NCAA Tournaments, and national meetings. This role requires significant at-event and ceremonial presence and gravitas.

Impact and Belonging

• Champion Title IX initiatives and drive a strong commitment to diversity, in all forms, within athletics. Recognize and acknowledge the challenges facing all diverse student-athletes.
• Prioritize and advance initiatives and programs that foster an equitable and inclusive Big 12 community supporting the economic, social, psychological, and emotional needs of all stakeholders, most importantly student-athletes.

Representative Qualifications, Skills & Education

(not exhaustive)

Experience

• Substantive experience serving, advising, or reporting to a governing Board strongly preferred. Ideally having collaborated with Presidents and Chancellors, or similarly senior institutional leaders. Must demonstrate the judgment to balance individual member interests with collective priorities; build trust across differing viewpoints; provide candid strategic counsel and transparent reporting; and turn Board decisions into effective action.
• Mastery of the business of sports, sports media, sports marketing, and sports performance. Experience in college sports is a plus. Passion for college sports is a requirement.
• Comprehension of the differences between professional sports and college sports, and continually balancing competing concerns. Student-athlete focused success, including programs for academic advising/counseling, priority of class attendance, grade point averages, NCAA academic progress rates (APR) along with graduation rates.
• Minimum 15+ years’ work experience at high-functioning organizations; record of management experience with media, marketing, communications, marketing partnerships, fiscal/financial planning, budgeting, reporting; risk management and fiscal/financial systems and controls.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex negotiations and legal, policy and reputational risk in a highly visible, multi-stakeholder enterprise; experience evaluating evolving media, technology and commercial models while preserving a mission-driven culture.
• Demonstrated success leading a complex, multidisciplinary organization, including direct management of senior executives, development of high-performing teams, oversight of significant budgets and operations, and accountability for organizational performance, talent development, and culture.
• Understanding of the unique mission, governance, and operating environment of collegiate athletics, including the relationship between athletics and higher education, institutional autonomy, and the importance of supporting student-athlete academic success, health, well-being, and long-term development.
• Bachelor's degree required, master’s or other post-graduate degree in athletic administration, education, business, law, medicine, public policy, or related field preferred.
• An intellectual curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning; demonstrated commitment to academic integrity, student-athlete graduation rates, and student-athlete wellness.
• Experience as a college student-athlete, coach, and/or athletics administrator a plus.

Intangibles

• Leadership quotient with a record of anticipating future trends, staying ahead of trends, and leading diverse, dispersed, decentralized organizations, particularly through challenging times and evolving circumstances.  Demonstrated ability to earn trust and lead through influence rather than positional authority, particularly within federated or membership-based organizations where stakeholders have distinct goals and shared decision rights.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, collaboration and team building skills including but not limited to strong written, verbal, listening, communication and people skills with demonstrated eagerness to interact with, understand and relate to students, coaches, faculty, staff, regents, alumni, media and all stakeholders, etc.  The successful candidate shall embody the tone and tenor of an educator, coach, business leader, and public servant.
• Incredible work ethic and stamina.  The role is a mentally and physically taxing job.
• Great attention to detail; the ability to balance conflicting goals and agendas; the ability to make tough decisions as part of a team; ability to effectively respond to and learn from criticism; strong negotiation skills.
• Flawless personal and professional integrity underpinning a deep knowledge of and experience with all applicable rules, record of success in meeting legal, regulatory, and/or other compliance standards.