The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 and has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in Division I intercollegiate athletics. The WCC is fueled by the conviction to achieve its goals with strong core values of integrity, respect, collaboration, innovation, and inclusiveness that create a holistic student-athlete experience across the Conference. The Conference sponsors 16 sports and its nine member institutions – Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clara – over a three-state footprint on the west coast. In the WCC, We Create Champions on the field of competition and leaders for life.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Commissioner, the Associate Commissioner Championships and Sports Administration will serve the Conference and its nine member institutions to oversee and lead the operations for all championship events and serves as the sport administrator for several sports, ensuring alignment with its strategic plan to provide athletics programs that operate with integrity, value all voices, and offer unparalleled student-athlete experiences.

The Associate Commissioner, Championships and Sports Administration will oversee all WCC championships and strategic direction of such; service as sport administrator to assigned sports, serve as staff liaison for the Championship and Sport Administration Cabinet and a variety of other WCC advisory groups and committees.

Utilizing this member-centered approach is consistent with the WCC’s mission to enhance the holistic development of student-athletes by fostering an environment of athletics and academic excellence consistent with that of a premier, nationally prominent NCAA Division I athletics conference; and to create inclusive and equitable opportunities that reflect West Coast Conference members’ respective missions and values.

Duties and Responsibilities

Championships

• Ensures the successful management, coordination, and execution of all Conference and NCAA hosted championships and tournaments, including championship policy and procedures.
• Provides event administration, manages, develops, and/or oversees budgets.
• Oversees event preparation and on-site operations including but not limited to, digital platform updates, forms, manuals, surveys, timeline maintenance, and volunteer management.
• May lead or participate in planning meetings and conference calls with host championship venues, as appropriate.
• May negotiate and execute facility, hotel, medical, and other consultant/vendor contracts.
• Oversees all championship vendors, independent contractors, volunteers, and overall game operations.
• Manages or oversees the ordering and development of championship signage.
• Manages or oversees the ordering of merchandise and equipment for all championship events.
• Oversees award ordering and delivery.
• Ensures marketing and branding across all championships are executed consistently and within brand style guide.
• Manage or oversee NCAA automatic qualification notifications.
• May coordinate or oversee the coordination of officials for WCC Championships including the coordination of band, cheer, and dance teams at basketball championships.
• Collaborates with External regarding sponsorship fulfillment at championship events.
• May perform and collect requests for bid proposals for future WCC Championships.
• Other duties include Commissioner delegated projects, as assigned.
• Execution of the Fan Experience strategy for all Championships.

• Ensure Conference operations in areas of responsibility comply with NCAA and WCC policy.
• Ensure Student-Athlete Experience and Well-Being is a priority in all Conference initiatives.
• Budget responsibility.
• Membership relationships and outreach.
• Travel and visibility on-campus.
• Ensure annual calendaring and meeting of deadlines. 

Sports Administration

• Oversee, manage and control sport administration for assigned sports.
• Staff liaison responsibilities for the assigned head coaches’ groups.
• Monitors and communicates national and Conference issues.
• Assist with the creation, review and management of scheduling.
• Serve as primary contact to coordinator of officials. Assist with managing Conference officiating programs. Including but not limited to issue management, background checks, contracts, assignment review, attendance at clinics, and support for officiating software and payments.
• Monitor and enforce NCAA and WCC sport-specific policies.
• Is the primary or secondary contact for WCC official apparel execution.
• Serve as primary liaison to the Championships and Sports Administration Cabinet and other Conference governance groups.

Governance

• Represents the Conference and/or Commissioner at internal and external meetings.
• Act as Conference liaison to cabinets, committees, and advisory groups.
• Serve as primary liaison to the MPSF.
• Responsible for policy review, development, and governance process for respective coaches’ groups.

Compliance

• Ensure conference operations in area of responsibility comply with NCAA and WCC policies.

Student Athlete

• Ensure Student-Athlete Experience and Well-Being is a priority in all Conference initiatives.

Office Administration

• Serve as a member of the senior management team.  Includes development, planning and implementation of strategic and long-range planning.

Position Knowledge & Skills 

• Execution of all Conference and NCAA-hosted championships including championship policy and procedures.
• May participate in event preparation and on-site operations including but not limited to, forms, manuals, surveys, timeline maintenance, and volunteer management.
• Monitor the digital platform and update them accordingly
• May participate in planning meetings and conference calls with host championship venues, as appropriate.
• May negotiate and execute facility, hotel, medical, and other consultant/vendor contracts.
• May assist in the coordination of championship vendors, independent contractors, volunteers, and overall game operations.
• May assist in the ordering and development of championship signage.
• May assist in the award ordering and delivery.
• May assist with marketing and branding across all championships.
• May assist with NCAA automatic qualification notifications.
• May assist with the coordination of officials for WCC Championships.
• Manages the coordination of band, cheer, and dance team operations at basketball tournaments.
• May collaborate with External regarding sponsorship fulfillment at championship events.
• May perform and collect requests for bid proposals for future WCC Championships.
• Management of in-venue fan experience at ticketed West Coast Conference championships (basketball and baseball).

General Management

• Excellent knowledge of Division I intercollegiate athletics, the WCC and its institutions’ programs and/or higher education.
• Excellent knowledge of WCC strategic plan and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership, operation, and coordination of people and resources.
• Excellent analytical, decision-making, organizational, and project management of tactical and strategic initiatives.
• Constructs and manages budget with signature authority and accountability.
• Excellent working knowledge and skills in the following functions/competencies:
• Operations management
• Developing standards or methods
• Process improvement
• Financial acumen
• Able to meet aggressive deadlines and handle multiple and increasingly complex projects.
• Able to lead and facilitate group meetings.
• Able to build trusting relationships with all departments and stakeholders (internal and external)
• Able to select and organize teams to problem solve and execute agreed-upon resolutions. Build teams and foster teamwork.
• Demonstrate understanding of the West Coast Conference’s core values of collaboration, inclusion, innovation, integrity, personal growth, and performance.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment to handle sensitive and confidential information/material with discretion and to analyze situations and systems, identify problems, and implement solutions.
• Effective and professional communication, both orally and in writing. Demonstrated high-level proficiency in Microsoft programs (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Suite programs) and other relevant software required.

Staff Management

• Manage, supervise, and develop Championships direct reports, and independent contractors.
• Provide guidance and leadership to the Conference staff for assigned roles at special events and promotional efforts.
• Selects, develops, and evaluates personnel ensuring efficient operation of the function.
• Manages career paths by coaching and mentoring direct and indirect reports. Holds staff accountable for their work by setting expectations, achieving commitments, providing feedback, and evaluating effectiveness. Provides technical leadership in the organization.
• Manages staff (including direct, indirect, and matrixed) and project timelines.
• Escalates critical issues to senior leadership appropriately.

Scope/Job Complexity

Directs and controls the activities of one or more distinct areas through subordinates, supervisors and/or managers in the development and implementation of departmental policies, procedures, and programs. Participates with other senior managers to establish strategic plans and objectives.  Makes decisions on administrative or operational matters and ensures operations' effective achievement of objectives.  Participates in development of methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for projects, programs, and people.  Regularly interacts with Senior leaders and/or major customers.  Has overall control of planning, staffing, budgeting, managing expense priorities, and recommending and implementing changes to methods.

Supervision

Manage, supervise, and develop direct reports and independent contractors.

Education and Experience

• 10 - 15 years’ experience in a related field.
• Significant leadership experience is required.
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible full-time professional experience.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s or advanced/professional degree(s) preferred.

Travel Requirements

25 – 50% of travel

Work Location

Hybrid with South San Francisco, CA base. 

Salary

$100,000 - $150,000, commensurate with experience.

Application Procedure

Interested and qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references.  Applications must be submitted electronically to [email protected] with Championships noted in the subject line.  Deadline for submission is November 27, 2023.  Applicants will only be contacted if finalist for position.  The West Coast Conference is an equal opportunity employer.

About West Coast Conference

The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 and has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in Division I intercollegiate athletics. The WCC is fueled by the conviction to achieve its goals with strong core values of integrity, respect, collaboration, innovation, and inclusiveness that create a holistic student-athlete experience across the Conference. Beginning with the 2023-24 academic year, the WCC’s membership includes Gonzaga, LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clara. The Conference will sponsor 16 sports in 2023-24.

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