Florida Gulf Coast University

Background:

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has made an indelible impact upon Southwest Florida since opening its doors nearly 30 years ago and has the enviable position of being situated on Florida's southwest coast. It's midway between the cities of Fort Myers and Naples, just minutes from the Gulf of America and the Southwest Florida International Airport, with easy access to Interstate 75.

Our 800-acre campus is a unique blend of pristine natural surroundings and cutting-edge facilities. Home of "Dunk City," and one of the youngest universities in Florida's state system, FGCU is innovative, nimble, and empowered by the pursuit of excellence in student success. We are a cultural hub that enriches the community, and our spirited sports teams unite the region. A regional comprehensive university, FGCU offers 66 undergraduate, 28 graduate, and 7 doctoral programs. The student body includes approximately 16,600 total enrollment with over 600 faculty.

FGCU athletics sponsors 15 varsity sports that compete in the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference and has established a winning tradition with 111 conference championships and 54 NCAA tournament appearances in just 15-plus years as a full-time Division I member. The Eagles won the ASUN's Bill Bibb All-Sports Trophy and the Sherman Day Women's All-Sports Trophy in 2024-25. Student-athletes also demonstrate excellence in the classroom with a Fall 2025 term GPA of 3.57, and 32 consecutive semesters surpassing the overall full-time undergraduate student GPA.

Any interested candidates should contact ZRG directly.
Contacting Florida Gulf Coast University will only delay consideration of your qualifications.

Position Summary:

The University seeks a forward-thinking leader to elevate FGCU's intercollegiate athletics program. The Chief Athletics Officer provides strategic leadership, oversight, and direction for the athletics enterprise including revenue generation, finance management, marketing, capital projects, operations, and compliance. This role requires deep experience in athletics administration and sports management, strong relationship-building skills, community engagement, regional corporate partnerships, fan engagement, sound business acumen and judgment, and an understanding of the role athletics plays within a comprehensive public university.

The Chief Athletics Officer will champion the NCAA's core principles of fair play, character, learning, balance, spirit, and community while collaborating closely with University leadership and key stakeholders. This position is responsible for developing and implementing policies, procedures, and programs; ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, NCAA, ASUN Conference, and University regulations; managing departmental resources responsibly; and fostering a culture grounded in ethics, sportsmanship, and professionalism.

FGCU is building a culture of curiosity, commitment and collaboration. We value employees who successfully work with others and drive positive change through continuous improvement, critical thinking, and decisive action. If you thrive in an environment of innovation, accountability and mutual respect, you will find a good home here.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for all aspects of the athletics department, including coaches, staff, and administrators, in a team-oriented work environment with a commitment to fairness, consistency, and ethical practices.
• Lead the development and execution of a long-term FGCU athletics unit-plan, aligning with university's strategic plan, that addresses evolving trends, revenue generation, and financial sustainability.
• Establish priorities for athletic fundraising and provide leadership in donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Promote student-athlete well-being, academic achievement, and personal development.
• Be a creative problem-solver while adhering to Federal and State laws and compliance with NCAA, ASUN, and University rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Advance competitive success across all sports in alignment with the University's academic mission.
• Collaborate in the planning management and maintenance of the University's athletic facilities.
• Serve as the public face of the University's intercollegiate athletics program, building and maintaining relationships with all internal and external constituencies in furtherance of the department's contribution to the University's educational mission.
• Understand and leverage marketing and promotion strategies to enhance the brand of FGCU Athletics, promote a positive fan experience, and maximize and increase attendance at all athletics events. Maintain appropriate athletic department policies, procedures, and practices, and ensure consistency with all University policies, Board of Trustees and other regulations that govern the University, NCAA rules and certification requirements, and all state and federal laws, including Title IX.
• In partnership with the division of Student Success and Enrollment Management, increase and enhance overall FGCU student experience and promote a sense of belonging for all FGCU students through athletic events.
• Partner with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) to support student-athlete well-being, academic integrity, and institutional accountability.

Qualifications, Skills and Education Requirements:

• This position requires either fourteen years of directly related full-time experience or, as an alternative, a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in an appropriate area of specialization and ten years of full-time experience directly related to the job functions.
• Progressively responsible management experience involving the administration of an intercollegiate athletics program, or other related university administrative experience, and interscholastic experience involving supervision of staff, marketing and fund-raising, and interfacing with on/off campus resources for program support.
• Experience in intercollegiate athletic administration at the Division I level 1s preferred.
• Evidence of successfully generating revenues for a complex organization.
• Must possess supervisory experience and responsibility for budgeting and financial performance.
• Demonstrated strong understanding of NCAA rules and track record of success in meeting all compliance standards.
• Knowledge of and a plan to navigate the ever-changing intercollegiate landscape, including but not limited to Name, Image & Likeness (NIL), revenue sharing, the transfer portal, and proposed NCAA governance and Bylaw changes.
• Experience in marketing and fundraising, as well as donor stewardship and athletic development activities is preferred.
• Ability to interact effectively and build relationships with public constituencies, senior university leaders, faculty, staff, students, donors and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to academic integrity and the academic progress and graduation of student-athletes.
• Experience with identifying, hiring, evaluating, and retaining head coaches and staff.
• A strong work ethic; excellent listening skills; the ability to make tough decisions, accept negative feedback and work towards resolution, debate, and seek out feedback; and strong negotiation skills.
• Communicates effectively with coaches, student-athletes, and all internal athletics constituents, as well as external stakeholders including alumni, donors, and media.

Institutional Values & Behavioral Expectation:

Three core values embody the spirit, culture, principles and behaviors we strive to embrace as faculty and staff at FGCU. They represent not just who we are but who we aspire to become, and they stand in harmony with our foundational principles, mission, vision, code of conduct and commitment to free expression:

Curiosity

We pursue knowledge with openness, creativity, and determination.

At FGCU, we:

• Ask and invite challenging questions
• Explore innovative ideas and perspectives
• Develop forward-thinking, strategic solutions
• Drive positive change through critical thinking and decisive action

Commitment

We lead with integrity and responsibility for progress and performance.

At FGCU, we:

• Engage in continuous improvement
• Hold ourselves accountable
• Achieve high-quality outcomes
• Persevere through challenges

Collaboration

We work together to achieve common goals.

At FGCU, we:

• Communicate with respect to strengthen our community
• Break down barriers that hinder collective success
• Partner across campus to leverage our talents
• Empower each other to be our best selves

Leaders:

• Seek out new approaches to improve outcomes; remain open for feedback and new ideas.
• Lead with integrity; consistently produce high-quality work; persevere to overcome obstacles to meet deadlines and achieve deliverables.
• Share information and insights thoughtfully; build partnerships across departments; communicate respectfully; support colleagues to achieve common goals.

FGCU values our employees-and being part of our team comes with a variety of great benefits, including:

• Benefits package: tvledical, Dental, Vision, Supplemental Insurances, Flexible
  
  • Spending & Health Savings Accounts, Disability, Pet Insurance and Employee Assistance Program
• FGCU-paid life insurance
• Paid time off, including annual and sick time and 9 paid holidays
• Retirement options: FRS Pension, FRS Investment, State University System
  
  • Optional  Retirement  Plan,  FGCU Sponsored  Voluntary  403(b)  and State
  • Deferred Compensation 457(b) Plan
• Tuition assistance
• Exclusive employee discounts with local and national partners

FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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.

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