Carrollwood Day School is conducting a national search for an exceptional leader to serve as our next Athletic Director.   The athletics program at CDS has grown exponentially during the relatively short time that CDS has had an Upper School athletics program, and is poised to become a top tier program in the region. The ideal candidate will have not only a vision to shape the future of our program, but will also possess the mindset of excellence, drive, integrity, relationship building skills, and the experience necessary to take us there. 

Carrollwood Day School ( http://www.carrollwooddayschool.org) is an innovative International Baccalaureate (IB) independent school in North Tampa, FL. Since the inception of CDS in 1982, we have prided ourselves on being a community of learners.  We have grown from a preschool into a comprehensive program serving more than 1200 students from age two through 12th grade. Carrollwood Day School stands out as a leader in its commitment to educate the whole child and is recognized nationally for its academic excellence and its school-wide emphasis on character development. Outside the classroom, our students are engaged in a multitude of athletics, arts, and extra-curricular programs. In short, we have PATRIOT PRIDE in everything we do at CDS. 

The vision of Carrollwood Day School is to build a community prepared and inspired to better the world. As an IB World School, we cultivate principled entrepreneurial thinkers for a global society by enriching the mind, strengthening the character, and inspiring the passions of our community. 

Carrollwood Day School embraces and celebrates the rich diversity of our students, employees, and families from all backgrounds. As an International Baccalaureate continuum school, CDS strives to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment where each person is valued. We work to intentionally develop cross-cultural competency and appreciation of differences within all constituents. We value the influence of a wide range of experiences and perspectives in our classrooms, relationships, and interactions as we prepare our students to contribute to a diverse and interconnected world.

Carrollwood Day School is one of only 36 independent schools in the United States to offer the full curriculum/continuum of IB programmes from early childhood through college prep (PYP, MYP, and DP).  In 2019, CDS was honored to become one of only 15 U.S. schools to earn membership in the Cum Laude Society and also offer an International Baccalaureate education.  In 2022, CDS was welcomed into the prestigious Round Square organization. In 2023, CDS was awarded the Florida and National School of Character Designation for the second time.

Athletics is an essential and vital part of the educational program at Carrollwood Day School and serves to enhance the overall educational experience of our students. Our athletic philosophy focuses on sportsmanship, student-athletes understanding and focusing on excellent teamwork, and developing competitive individuals and teams. The athletic department takes to heart the school motto of “Education with Character.”

CDS hosts 56 teams at the Middle and Upper School levels and a developmental athletics program in the Lower School. Most recently, we have added Boys Volleyball to our program. Since 2022, the CDS Patriots have captured 2 team State Championships (Girls Volleyball & Boys Soccer), 2 Individual State Championships (Discus and Triple Jump), 10 Regional Finalists teams, 25 top two District finishes, including 13 District Championships, along with coveted awards for sportsmanship and academic performance from the FHSAA. Over the past three years, we have 50 scholar-athletes who have committed to compete at the collegiate level, with more in process this year.

Understanding that a team of talented, supported, and growth-minded faculty and staff is what leads to student success, the first pillar of our strategic plan is to become the destination school for exceptional educators in the Tampa Bay region.  Want to join our team and better the world?

The Position of Athletic Director:  

The Athletic Director is responsible for visioning, implementing, and managing all facets of a successful, mission-driven cross-divisional athletic program at Carrollwood Day School.  This is a 12-month administrative position reporting directly to the Head of School and serving on the senior leadership team. 

The Director oversees and implements all policies, programs and facilities related to the school’s athletic programming, including program development and evaluation, staffing, and facility maintenance and renewal. The Director develops and nurtures strategic partnerships with and oversees the school’s Booster Club volunteer leadership team to bolster spirit and participation, and guides Booster events and activities to support and align with the school’s strategic fundraising priorities. The Director serves as a role model and mentor to students, taking an active role in the Athletic Leadership Council and its activities. 

The Director manages a team of 7 direct reports in the office as well as a large and diverse team of coaches and assistant coaches at all levels. Working with others within the school’s collaborative management structure, the Director represents the athletics perspective in policy development and strategic decision-making; hires and supports continuous professional development of the coaching and training staff; supports the growth and admission of student athletes; supports athletics programming at all levels; supports student athletes in the college admission process; ensures timely publicity and accurate reporting of athletic events and results.

The Director ensures compliance with applicable laws, FHSAA regulations, and school athletics policies; administers departmental budget and accounts in a fiscally responsible manner; and sustains a culture of sportsmanship, professionalism, integrity, and respect at all levels. The Director represents the school at FHSAA, FCIS, and other relevant agency gatherings. 

Job Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Student Development

• Program Vision: Provide principled, strategic direction for all athletic programs (Lower, Middle, and Upper School) in alignment with the school’s mission and core principles.
• Student Leadership: Develop and implement a robust student leadership component within the athletic program, including relaunching and serving as faculty advisor to the Student Athletic Advisory Board.
• Reporting: Report to the Board of Trustees six times per year and participate in regular leadership meetings with the Head of School, Division Heads, and external bodies (FHSAA, FCIS).

Personnel & Coaching Management

• Talent Management: Recruit, hire, mentor, and evaluate all coaches and department staff, prioritizing the recruitment of internal faculty/staff coaches while ensuring all personnel model the highest levels of integrity and discretion.
• Accountability: Communicate clear fundraising, conduct, and practice policies to staff, holding all coaches and team members accountable to school standards.

Operations, Facilities & Compliance

• Logistics & Scheduling: Oversee the planning and implementation of all athletic programs, including game scheduling (ensuring fairness and safety), travel arrangements, official assignments, and game-day supervision.
• Risk Management: Ensure strict compliance with FHSAA regulations, legal requirements, and health/safety codes; take a lead role in proactive risk management regarding facilities and physical mismatches.
• Facilities: Supervise the maintenance and renewal of athletic equipment and facilities in close collaboration with the Director of Facilities and the Head of Auxiliary Programs.

Student-Athlete Experience & Standards

• Conduct & Support: Collaborate with Division Heads to uphold academic and conduct standards, utilizing restorative justice practices when appropriate.
• Future Planning: Coordinate with College Counseling to educate families on collegiate opportunities and support the Admissions Team in the ethical recruitment/admission of student-athletes.
• Holistic Wellness: Partner with the Employee Wellness team and Division Heads to support the physical, social, and emotional wellness of the school community.

Finance, Marketing & External Relations

• Fiscal Management: Develop and manage departmental and special event budgets, ensuring compliance with all cash handling and billing policies.
• Community Engagement: Collaborate with the Advancement team on fundraising, alumni events, and Booster Club activities, while partnering with MarCom team to celebrate student success via web and social media.
• School Culture: Maintain a visible, positive presence in the life of the school (including extracurriculars and committee work), adhering to the Employee Handbook and modeling a "team player" attitude.

Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes Needed for Success:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• A minimum of five years of successful athletics program administration; preferably with a large diverse staff, significant budget, multi-faceted programming, and indoor and outdoor facilities
• Demonstrated success in attracting, hiring, evaluating, and facilitating the professional growth of excellent coaches of varying levels of experience 
• Exceptional administrative and organizational skills; the ability to prioritize and successfully manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
• A working knowledge of independent school culture, sport law, safety regulations, admissions regulations, exercise physiology, injury prevention, and the benefits of incorporating fitness into a healthy lifestyle are also preferred
• Demonstrated commitment to building cultural competencies and empowering student-athletes, coaches, parents, and colleagues to engage across differences
• Outstanding written, verbal, presentation, and digital communication skills
• Demonstrated leadership and facilitative skills
• Strong collaborative skills and eagerness to work with colleagues
• Proficiency in Google suite (docs, sheets, drive, etc.)
• A keen understanding of the physical, social, and emotional development of school aged children
• Comfortable and confident with direct and consistent communication 
• A high degree of professionalism, collegiality, and personal conduct both in and outside of school 
• Ability, willingness, and judgment to interact and communicate effectively, respectfully, and confidently with a diverse array of constituents in a school environment
• Proficiency and willingness to identify and cultivate potential donors (an extension of the advancement office)
• Demonstrate a risk management mindset, predicting and proactively planning against potential liabilities to both programs and people
• Disciplined professionalism evident in commitment to ongoing growth and professional development in the field
• Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends and travel 

Compensation includes a comprehensive employee benefits package; CDS offers a competitive salary commensurate with background and experience.

Qualified candidates should send resume and statement of interest to Sara Rubinstein, Head of School, srubinstein@cdspatriots.org, and Anita Pittman, Director of Human Resources, apittman@cdspatriots.org

About Carrollwood Day School

CARROLLWOOD DAY SCHOOL Carrollwood Day School ( http://www.carrollwooddayschool.org) is an innovative International Baccalaureate (IB) independent school located in North Tampa, FL. Since the inception of CDS in 1982, we have prided ourselves on being a community of learners. We have grown from a preschool into a comprehensive program serving more than 1200 students from age two through 12th grade. Carrollwood Day School stands out as a leader in its commitment to educate the whole child and is recognized nationally for its academic excellence and its school-wide emphasis on character development. Outside the classroom, our students are engaged in a multitude of athletics, arts, and extra-curricular programs. In short, we have PATRIOT PRIDE in everything we do at CDS. The vision of Carrollwood Day School is to build a community prepared and inspired to better the world. As an IB World School, we cultivate principled entrepreneurial thinkers for a global society by enriching the mind, strengthening the character, and inspiring the passions of our community. Carrollwood Day School embraces and celebrates the rich diversity of our students, employees, and families from all... backgrounds. As an International Baccalaureate continuum school, CDS strives to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment where each person is valued. We work to intentionally develop cross-cultural competency and appreciation of differences within all constituents. We value the influence of a wide range of experiences and perspectives in our classrooms, relationships, and interactions as we prepare our students to contribute to a diverse and interconnected world. Carrollwood Day School is one of only 36 independent schools in the United States to offer the full curriculum/continuum of IB programmes from early childhood through college prep (PYP, MYP, and DP). In 2019, CDS was honored to become one of only 15 U.S. schools to earn membership in the Cum Laude Society and also offer an International Baccalaureate education. In 2022, CDS was welcomed into the prestigious Round Square organization. In 2023, CDS was awarded the Florida and National School of Character Designation for the second time. Understanding that a team of talented, supported, and growth-minded teachers is what leads to student success, the first pillar of our strategic plan is to become the destination school for exceptional educators in the Tampa Bay region. Want to join our team and better the world?

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Connections working at Carrollwood Day School