Position Summary

They should have a strong understanding of best practices in supporting a successful girl’s athletic program and overall health and wellness. The Assistant Athletic Director for Operations will contribute to the full scope of our athletic programming through supporting and managing game-day operations and special athletics department events, department finance/budgeting, game/practice scheduling, transportation coordination, facility management/maintenance, coach onboarding, and TSSAA compliance efforts.

History of Lacrosse at GPS and in Tennessee:

GPS established the first lacrosse team for girls in the Chattanooga area in 2005. Since that date, the sport of lacrosse has been one of the most popular on our campus, with more than 60 girls involved in middle and varsity lacrosse each spring. The Bruisers have been very competitive at the varsity level in recent years, making the league quarterfinals in each of the last four seasons and competing in the state semifinals for the past two. Our opponents consist of several local public schools and other independent schools in our area and Atlanta, Knoxville, and Nashville, including Harpeth Hall, Lovett School, The Baylor School, Ensworth School, Westminster School, and others. Multiple GPS lacrosse alumnae have recently played at various Division I, II, and III colleges.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a member of the Athletics Department, the ideal candidate will have the skills and desire necessary to enthusiastically support a robust and competitive athletics program.

Reporting to the Director of Athletics & Strategic Partnerships, the person in this role will:

LACROSSE COACHING

• Leads the lacrosse program in all aspects, while establishing an athlete-centered culture, scheduling games, planning and conducting practices, coordinating ongoing player development, and implementing off-season training regimens;
• Supports and enforces school rules, emphasizes good sportsmanship in word and behavior, and advocates healthy lifestyles;
• Supports and advocates the school’s belief in the value of multi-sport participation;
• Understands and demonstrates how high school athletics and lacrosse help students learn how to build group culture, grow as a unit, achieve success, and persist through adversity;
• Assists in the NCAA recruiting processes of college-bound student-athletes;
• Establishes  strong relationships with student-athletes, parents, colleagues, and alumnae; and
• Leads camps and clinics for members of the Chattanooga community to develop and cultivate interest in the sport, while elevating the status and visibility of our program and attracting potential student-athletes to our campus.

CALENDAR AND SCHEDULING

• Oversight, management, and communication of athletic department master event calendar to all necessary stakeholders;
• Assist with the organization and communication for game and practice disruptions to include weather and heat delays, rescheduling, and cancellations;
• Coordinate department calendar updates and changes;
• Approve daily athletic announcements for Chapel and coordinate scheduling and communication with other student organizations including the student spirit group; and
• Submit facilities, maintenance, and IT requests through FMX for teams, coaches, and the athletics department.

ATHLETIC OFFICE MANAGEMENT

• Maintain personnel records on each member of the Athletic Department;
• Manage and organize inventory of athletic department uniforms and apparel;
• Assist the Director of Athletics with meeting and event preparations; 
• Manage and coordinate inventory of all athletic office supplies;
• Provide content for athletics-related information for the public-facing GPS calendar and associated athletics websites;
• Maintain MyGPS Athletics page resource board and coaches’ group for department communications;
• Work with the Director of Athletics and HR in onboarding new coaches and new personnel training. Train new coaches on MyGPS and department procedures and serve as a point of contact for the Director of Athletics;
• Communicate with the TSSAA office for matters related to compliance, eligibility, and special events;
• Oversee photographers, coaches, and athletes on team media days; and
• Oversee payment for all officials.

GAME DAY OPERATIONS

• Coordinate coverage for athletic events with our athletic trainer;
• Coordinate and communicate the scheduling of all game-day administrators, clock workers, and necessary staff for game day operations;
• Assist with all transportation arrangements, referee assignments, scheduling efforts, facilities management, and other organizational matters related to the overall operations of the athletics program at the direction of the Director of Athletics; and
• In collaboration with our Marketing & Communications Office, assist the Director of Athletics with the management of athletics social media accounts, ensuring up-to-date and accurate content is being disseminated.

EVENT OPERATIONS

• Assist the Director of Athletics in the preparation for the beginning-of-the-year coaches’ meetings and various Athletic Department meetings throughout the year, and
• Coordinate the operations of signing days, senior nights, and other athletic department events with relevant stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required;
• At least 2 years of athletics administration experience preferred;
• At least 1-3 years of experience as a coach at the club, collegiate, or high/middle school-level;
• Girls Preparatory School is committed to employing only individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States.

To Apply: The Finney Search Group has been engaged to provide candidates to the School. All interested individuals are encouraged to submit their resumes online via the link below.

About Girls Preparatory School

The mission of Girls Preparatory School (GPS) is to inspire each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose by engaging her mind, cultivating her strengths, and nurturing her self-confidence and respect for others. Currently, 130 faculty and staff serve approximately 520 girls in grades 6-12 with a college preparatory curriculum that includes a full complement of courses in the humanities, STEM, the arts, and more, as well as a rich and varied co-curricular program.

GPS prioritizes healthy connections and relationships, fostering a culture where each girl is known, heard, and empowered to use her voice. This culture of acceptance and belonging nurtures and lifts her up in mind, body, and spirit so that she can find her place and discover her potential with confidence and joy for dynamic engagement in a rapidly changing world.

Faculty and staff support each student in a learner-centered and collaborative culture that is aligned with our mission, vision, and values. Furthermore, faculty and staff are expected to understand and embody our tenets of excellence.

It is the School’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, or disability or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. It is the intent and resolve of the School to comply with the letter and the spirit of the law in the implementation of all facets of equal opportunity. The School’s equal employment opportunity practices extend to recruitment, hiring, selection, compensation, benefits, transfer, promotion, training, discipline, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

All employees are responsible for complying with the School's equal employment opportunity policy.