Director of Operations and Strategic Engagement - Gold & Blue Enterprises

Gold & Blue Enterprises within Athletics at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Director of Operations and Strategic Engagement.

About the Opportunity

The Director of Operations and Strategic Engagement will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of Gold & Blue, Inc. ("CEO"). This position is key member of the leadership team, responsible for driving operational excellence and managing day-to-day operations while fostering strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement related to name, image, and likeness ("NIL") of WVU student-athletes and the completion of services related to NIL. This dual-function role ensures internal operations and processes are efficient, scalable, and successfully completed, while also advancing the organization's visibility, influence, and collaborative initiatives.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
  
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
  
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
  
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
  
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
  
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
  
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Assist WVU Athletics to maximize success on the field of play and for our athletes in name, image, and likeness opportunities by assisting in the development and implementation of a premier, comprehensive, and sustainable revenue generating and name, image, and likeness ecosystem.
• Oversee daily organizational operations, including systems and administrative functions as well as vendor management and contract implementation.
• Lead project management efforts, ensuring timely execution and accountability and managing cross-departmental workflows to ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
• Assist the CEO in the planning and execution of multiple large-scale events every year.
• Assist the CEO and collaborate with the WVU Athletics External Relation team in the execution of strategies to enhance and develop the brand of WVU student-athletes, enhancing NIL opportunities for student-athletes, and the completion of services related to NIL for student-athletes.
• Assist the CEO and the Mountaineer Athletic Club in the development and execution of fundraising and relationship-building efforts.
• Participate in donor and public relations activities on behalf of the athletics department, e.g., attend Mountaineer Athletic Club and Athletics Communication events, as requested.
• Maintain knowledge of and comply with all rules, regulations, policies and guidelines of West Virginia University, the Big 12 Conference, the College Sports, Commission and the NCAA; must adhere to NCAA Bylaw 11.1 Conduct of Athletic Personnel. Failure to adhere to these policies will result in appropriate disciplinary action including possible suspension and termination.
• Participate in the shared responsibility of maintaining the academic integrity essential for the University to accomplish its mission; adhere to the University's policies and guidelines regarding academic integrity and dishonesty.
• Exhibit a level of expertise in the student-athletes' professional fields; must also treat the academic requirements necessary for progress toward a degree as a matter of the highest priority for the student-athletes and must actively encourage them to succeed academically and graduate.
• Represent the University on the highest professional level with dignity, integrity, and strength of character. Exhibit ethical behavior; respect the rights and dignity of individuals with sensitivity to problems that may arise from racial, ethnical, and sexual orientation differences.
• Demonstrate a cooperative attitude towards all sports within the intercollegiate athletic program.
• Possess the ability to adapt to any situation, make decisions and work independently; ability to build and maintain relationships with student-athletes, coaches, staff members and constituencies; required to use creative abilities to develop new techniques and approaches in dealing with many issues controlled by this position; responsibilities of the position are ever-changing and require constant education; requires the ability to adapt to any situation and make decisions.
• Manage sensitive and confidential information related to student-athletes, coaches and staff utilizing discretion and correct decisions. Failure to use proper discretion at required level could result in major and significant embarrassment to the University and/or have a significant impact on image, revenues, and eligibility of student-athletes.
• Manage professional and personal time to handle time sensitive issues, tight deadlines, extended hours beyond the normal workday, weekend work and on-call availability.
• This position will be charged with the execution and implementation of special projects as assigned by the CEO.
• Faithfully and diligently execute related and other duties of the department, as requested or assigned by the CEO.

• Bachelor's degree required, master's degree preferred.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience involving:
  
  
  
  • Creation, distribution, and management of payments and tracking of services pursuant to contracts with vendors.
    
  • Development, management, and successful execution of fundraising and relationship-building events.
    
  • Compliance with NCAA rules and regulations relating to name, image, and likeness requirements.
    
  • Deployment of marketing and social media campaigns to increase brand awareness.
  
  
  
  
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
  
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Proficient in business development, including prospecting, cold calling, qualification, discovery, and closing techniques.
  
• Ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships, understand their needs, and foster loyalty.
  
• Ability to build trust and rapport with clients, partners, and stakeholders.
  
• Maintain high standard of ethics and integrity related to intercollegiate athletics.
  
• Exhibit ability to analyze customer behavior, market trends, and industry dynamics to understand opportunities.
  
• Demonstrated ability to lead the development of the organization's short- and long-term goals.
  
• Exhibit strong creative, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of correct English, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.
  
• Demonstrated ability to function professionally under high stress and confrontational circumstances.
  
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks for extended period of time.
  
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and organize work.
  
• Proactive attitude towards work and assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain and develop personal contacts with outside groups.
  
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills; and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of record keeping and adherence to schedule.
  
• Ability to stay abreast of information impacting the affected area.
  
• Demonstrated ability to organize and motivate groups and individuals.
  
• Ability to maintain proper unit attendance and punctuality standards, work extended hours including nights and weekends (often with extensive walking or standing).
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of affected areas of involvement.
  
• Ability to make administrative / procedural decisions and judgments.

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.