Director of Marketing - Athletics

Acu Open · verified Sep 16, 2026

Abilene Full-time Director Marketing Leadership

Leadership Marketing Leadership role at Acu. Abilene · full-time.

Role brief

Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

You'll set annual marketing and fan-engagement plans for assigned sports, with attendance, ticketing, revenue, and visibility goals
You'll build game-day calendars, promotions, scripts, and experiences, then use results to improve future events
You'll create campaigns across email, social, digital, traditional, campus, community, and in-venue channels
You'll coordinate students, sponsors, creative services, and event crews to deliver promotions and game operations
You'll recruit, train, schedule, and supervise staff, interns, and student workers for athletics events

What you bring

You'll need a bachelor's degree; a master's is preferred
You'll bring two to five years in collegiate athletics, professional sports, entertainment, marketing, promotions, fan engagement, or related work
You'll understand NCAA, conference, and ACU rules, plus college athletics at the Division I level
You'll show strong communication, organization, relationship-building, and staff-development skills
You'll be a professing Christian committed to supporting ACU's Christian mission

Who this fits

This role suits a self-motivated, creative, relational marketer who can manage varied events and lead staff and students. The position is located in Abilene and requires flexible hours, long work periods, walking, stairs, possible weather exposure, and event setup that may involve lifting up to forty pounds. ACU requires a professing Christian willing to support its Christian mission and conducts background checks for security-sensitive positions.

From the employer

ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. This position requires the employee to be a professing Christian and to be willing to support the Christian mission of ACU.

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This position reports to the Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Operations

Basic Responsibilities
A. Develop and lead the comprehensive annual marketing and fan engagement strategy for assigned sports, establishing goals and objectives that support attendance, ticket sales, fan engag ment, revenue generation, and overall athletics department visibility.
B. Collaborate with the Executive Associate AD for External Operations to develop integrated campaigns that support athletics department objectives.
C. Develop and execute a student promotional plan by communicating and forming relationships with campus Student Life, Social Clubs and student organizations.
D. Work in conjunction with Abilene Christian Sports Properties to implement and fulfill all corporate sponsorships.
E. Develop campaign strategies utilizing email, social media, digital advertising, traditional media, campus marketing, community outreach, in-venue promotion, and other appropriate channels.

Essential Duties

Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

A. Develop and lead the comprehensive annual marketing and fan engagement strategy for assigned sports, establishing goals and objectives that support attendance, ticket sales, fan engagement, revenue generation, and overall athletics department visibility.
1. Establish game-specific marketing and promotional objectives based on attendance goals, opponent, audience, promotions, ticket inventory, and department priorities.
2. Work with creative services to develop all advertising media for both external and internal audiences.
3. Coordinate game day experience, including the preparation of game day scripts to be used and followed by PA announcer and other game day personnel.

4. Identify opportunities to leverage athletics events, teams, student- athletes, coaches, and department initiatives to increase the visibility and awareness of ACU Athletics.
5. Develop and maintain a comprehensive annual game day promotional calendar, including themes, activations, promotions, student initiatives, community engagement, and sponsor integration. Evaluate game day attendance, engagement, promotions, and fan experience and implement strategies to improve future events.

B. Develop and execute a student promotional plan by communicating and forming relationships with campus Student Life, Social Clubs and student organizations.
1. Coordinate with Student Life staff on game day promotions and themes targeted to students.
2. Identify key games for student activation (rivalries, conference openers, special promotions, etc.).
3. Collaborate with student organizations, SGA, and residence life to promote attendance.

4. Assist in organizing on-campus appearances by teams.

C. Work in conjunction with Abilene Christian Sports Properties to implement and fulfill all corporate sponsorships.
1. Work with the General Manager to develop in-game features and promotions that can sold to corporate sponsors.
2. Ensure that all corporate sponsor inventory items are fulfilled.

D. Game Day Operations and Event Management.

1. Recruit, train and supervise all employees necessary to provide a high- quality game day experience. Schedule workers for sound, video board, in-game promotions, and marketing tables as available at athletics events.
2. Provide contest reports, season reports, and annual report to Deputy Director of Athletics, Executive Associate AD for External Ops and coaches
3. Assist in the successful completion of special athletics related events (NCAA national and regional competitions, conference tournaments, and outside events held in ACU Athletic venues).

E. Other duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics, Executive Associate AD for External Ops or Senior staff member.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
A. Supervise the marketing coordinator and graduate assistant
B. Supervise undergraduate student interns

C. Recruit and train all student event staff.
D. Prepare work schedules and assignments for student workers.

Professional Development Requirements:
A. Skills
1. Strong organizational skills and an ability to organize multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and coordinate diverse events, while maintaining a courteous and professional attitude.
2. Impressive communication skills—written, verbal, non-verbal.
3. Demonstrated experience supervising, mentoring, and developing staff and student employees.
4. Positive attitude, committed to excellence and continued growth, high energy, outgoing and relational.
5. Excellence in attention to details.
6. Knowledge of NCAA, conference and ACU rules and regulations.

Qualifications:

A. Professional
1. Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
2. Two to five years of experience progressively responsible experience in collegiate athletics, professional sports, entertainment, marketing, promotions, fan engagement, or a related field.

B. Personal
1. Strong Christian beliefs and values.
2. Ability to establish and nurture strong relationships.
3. Approach to assignments that are creative and well thought out.
4. A high degree of self-motivation.
5. A basic understanding of college athletics at the NCAA Division I level.
6. Commitment to quality.

Physical Demands
A. Ability to endure long hours of work.
B. Extended periods of walking and climbing stairs.
C. Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.
D. Ability to lift tables and chairs to arrange events.
E. Ability to work flexible hours and adjust to a varied schedule.
F. Possible exposure to weather extremes.
G. Ability to endure extended periods of sitting and typing at a computer.

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law.

ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets. Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions. As a current employee, it will be determined if you need an additional background check upon your hire.