Posted: 21-Jan-26
Location: Towson, Maryland
Type: Full Time
Salary: 130,000 - 162,000 annually
Categories:
Preferred Education:
About Notre Dame Preparatory School
Notre Dame Preparatory (NDP) is a Catholic, independent, college-preparatory school for girls in grades 6–12 located in Towson, Maryland. Inspired by the School Sisters of Notre Dame and rooted in the charism of unity, NDP is committed to educating the whole person - intellectually, spiritually, socially, and physically - and to developing young women of confidence, competence, compassion, and conscience.
Athletics is a core expression of the mission at NDP. The school fields approximately 30 teams across 15 sports, serving both Middle Level and Upper Level students, and competes at the highest levels of interscholastic athletics in the region. NDP athletics is highly visible, mission-driven, and central to student life, enrollment, community identity, and alumnae engagement.
NDP Athletics Philosophy
Our student-athletes learn more than just winning humbly and losing gracefully. It is about the growth and development of our athletes as young adults. An NDP athlete not only improves her athletic ability but also learns what it means to be part of a team, to build on her teammates' talents, and to respect her teammates, opponents, officials as well as the rules of the game. Student-athletes learn the human values of self-discipline, hard work, perseverance, confidence, tolerance, and leadership. The coaching staff stresses sportsmanship, responsibility, and commitment. NDP's athletic program is defined by how our athletes embrace the core values, good character, and fulfill the school mission statement.
Position Overview
Notre Dame Preparatory seeks a dynamic, visionary, and highly experienced Director of Athletics to lead one of the school’s most complex and influential divisions. This is a senior administrative leadership role, responsible for setting strategy, shaping culture, managing significant human and financial resources, and ensuring that athletics meaningfully advances the school’s mission and strategic priorities.
Reporting directly to the Head of School and serving as a full member of the School Leadership Team, the Director of Athletics will provide institution-level leadership, contributing to enrollment strategy, advancement efforts, campus planning, and long-range visioning, while overseeing all aspects of a comprehensive 6–12 athletics program. Position is full-time for 12-months.
The Director of Athletics will lead and manage:
- Approximately 30 interscholastic teams across 15 sports
- Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Middle Level programs
- Year-round athletics operation serving hundreds of student-athletes annually
- Departmental staff including: Assistant Athletic Director, Athletic Trainer, Athletics Administrative Assistant and Upper Level and Middle Level coaching staff
- Extensive athletic facilities, scheduling, transportation, and event operations
- A robust portfolio of revenue-generating programs, including summer camps, clinics, tournaments, and facility rentals
This role is ideal for a leader who sees athletics not as an auxiliary function, but as a mission-critical, student-centered enterprise that requires strategic thinking, operational excellence, and relational leadership.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Vision & Institutional Leadership
- Articulate and advance a clear, compelling vision for NDP athletics that aligns with the school’s mission, values, and strategic plan.
- Serve as a thought partner to the Head of School and a collaborative colleague on the School Leadership Team, contributing to school-wide strategy, enrollment management, advancement initiatives, and community culture.
- Position NDP athletics as a distinctive strength of the school in a competitive independent-school marketplace.
Program Excellence & Culture Building
- Establish and sustain a culture of high expectations, integrity, sportsmanship, and student development, consistent with Catholic values and NDP’s mission.
- Ensure that athletics programming supports the holistic development of students - leadership, resilience, teamwork, discipline, and character - alongside competitive excellence.
- Lead continuous program evaluation and improvement, ensuring offerings remain relevant, inclusive, and aligned with student interests and institutional priorities.
People Leadership & Talent Development
- Recruit, hire, supervise, evaluate, and retain high-caliber coaches and athletics staff, emphasizing professional excellence, mission alignment, and student-centered practice.
- Invest in ongoing professional development for coaches and staff.
- Provide clear expectations, feedback, and accountability while fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented departmental culture.
Operations, Compliance, and Risk Management
- Oversee all operational aspects of the athletics program, including scheduling, transportation, facilities usage, event management, and game-day operations.
- Ensure full compliance with IAAM, MPSSAA, and all relevant league and conference regulations.
- Partner closely with school leadership, facilities/operations, security, health services, and academic administrators to ensure safe, well-coordinated programming.
- Maintain comprehensive records, policies, handbooks, and procedures for athletes, families, and coaches.
Financial Stewardship & Advancement Partnership
- Develop and manage a significant departmental budget, aligning resources with strategic priorities and ensuring fiscal responsibility.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen the financial sustainability of athletics through camps, clinics, tournaments, facility rentals, and strategic partnerships.
- Collaborate with the Advancement Office to support fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorships, and special initiatives related to athletics.
- Serve as liaison to the Booster Club and chair the Athletic Advisory Board.
Enrollment, Communications, and External Relations
- Partner with Admissions and Advancement to support enrollment, retention, and outreach efforts through athletics visibility and engagement.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for athletics-related communications with parents, alumnae, and the broader community.
- Work closely with Communications to promote athletics achievements, student-athlete recognition, and program highlights across digital and print platforms.
- Represent NDP at association meetings, conferences, and community events as a visible and credible ambassador for the school.
Qualifications and Experience
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
- Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in athletics administration, with demonstrated responsibility for staff supervision, budgeting, and program oversight.
- Experience leading complex, multi-team athletics programs in independent schools, secondary education, or comparable environments.
- Deep understanding of interscholastic athletics governance, compliance, and best practices.
- Willingness to work extended hours to include weekdays, weekends, and/or school holidays and breaks.
Preferred
- Master’s degree in Athletic Administration, Education Leadership, or a related field.
- 10+ years of leadership experience in athletics administration.
- Experience working closely with advancement, admissions, or enrollment leadership.
- Demonstrated success managing large teams, facilities, and budgets.
Leadership Attributes
- Strategic, systems-level thinker with strong operational instincts.
- Exceptional communicator and relationship-builder.
- Confident, visible leader who earns trust across constituencies.
- Mission-driven educator committed to student growth and character development.
- Comfortable managing complexity, competing priorities, and high expectations.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging in athletics participation and leadership.
Compensation & Benefits
Notre Dame Preparatory offers a competitive, market-aligned compensation package commensurate with the seniority, scope, and impact of this role. The anticipated salary range is $130,000–$162,000, with flexibility for exceptional candidates, along with a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement contributions, disability and life insurance, and generous paid time off.
Application Process
Interested candidates should apply online through the NDP Employment site and submit:
- A résumé.
- A cover letter addressing leadership philosophy and alignment with NDP’s mission.
- Contact information for three professional references.
All candidates must successfully complete a background check.
The school seeks applications from candidates who possess a commitment to Notre Dame Preparatory School’s mission of academic excellence, spiritual growth, and social justice.
Notre Dame Preparatory School is dedicated to the ideals of transformative education. Inspired by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the school’s founding order, NDP’s dedicated, creative, and extraordinary faculty present an outstanding educational experience, simultaneously rooted in the liberal arts and relevant to today’s society. Through hands-on projects, experiential learning, and foundational coursework, NDP students think critically, solve problems creatively, and communicate clearly. Outside of the classroom, co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences develop their confidence and leadership. The school’s spiritual and justice mission, rooted in the Gospel and inspired by the SSND charism of unity, anchors students as they seek to become loving, just, and wise young women ready to change the world for the better.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Consistent with all applicable laws, Notre Dame Preparatory School will recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other bases prohibited by law, provided the individual is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the essential functions of the job.
All employment decisions shall be consistent with the principle of equal employment opportunity, and only valid job qualifications will be required.