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Departmental Overview
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics consists of more than 275 staff members and coaches and sponsors 30 varsity sports programs. These 30 programs include more than 850 student-athletes who participate in the various sports programs annually within the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).
Position Summary
The Director of Player Development for Football provides visionary leadership centered on the comprehensive advancement of student-athletes, emphasizing academic excellence and personal growth while overseeing seamless entry and continued engagement. At the heart of this position is ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT COORDINATION (50%), executed through a deep partnership with the Football Academic Coordinator. Functioning as a cohesive unit, this pair co-architects Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), maintains academic portfolios, and monitors performance trends together. The role involves working closely with Athletic Study Center (ASC) staff to design tailored study groups and proactive interventions. As a vital communication link, the Director aligns student-athletes and coaching staff through regular meetings and compliance reviews while navigating campus hurdles to resolve academic challenges. To establish a firm start, the Director oversees ONBOARDING MANAGEMENT (5%), developing integration and orientation protocols for high school prospects and transfer students. This work involves connecting new athletes to first-year seminars and mapping academic resources to identify and remove early barriers to student success.
Beyond academic oversight, the position manages professional readiness, roster stability, and program-wide collaboration. Through CAMERON INSTITUTE CAREER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (35%), the Director establishes frameworks to monitor career trajectories, facilitates networking, and secures internship placements. This includes leading specialized football career programming and managing community-focused initiatives like the Cal Athletics Reading Challenge. The role also embeds resilience and performance training within the team's developmental philosophy. For RECRUITMENT & RETENTION SUPPORT (5%), the Director represents the University during official visits to articulate support systems to families, while simultaneously addressing student satisfaction to manage retention. Finally, CROSS-FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (5%) require the Director to implement customized services that adapt to changing athlete needs, providing consistent progress updates to coaches and reporting on holistic outcomes alongside partners in Compliance and Career Services.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is July 30, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.
Responsibilities
Oversight of new student-athlete integration and student-athlete experience - 5%
New Student-Athlete Integration & Orientation
- Develop and execute comprehensive onboarding processes for all new football student-athletes (high school, transfers).
- Communicate the program's developmental philosophy to incoming student-athletes and families.
- Liaison to 1st year seminar.
- Facilitate initial integration and connection to Cameron Institute pillars.
- Support completion of key Cameron Institute action items.
- Coordinate with Academic Advisors and Learning Specialists to ensure new students access appropriate academic resources.
- Participate in new student orientations and academic team meetings during first semester.
- Monitor early academic and social integration indicators; identify and address barriers to success.
Primary oversight of academic support, planning, and student success initiatives - 40%
- Primary oversight of academic support, planning, and student success initiatives
- Serve as a co-architect of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) in joint partnership with the Football Academic Coordinator to define, implement, and iterate on academic strategies, ensuring shared accountability for student-athlete outcomes.
- Collaborate with the Football Academic Coordinator to evaluate and categorize student-athletes based on academic profiles and performance while co-maintaining detailed academic portfolios.
- Review and adjust academic programming in tandem with the Football Academic Coordinator to respond to student progress and evolving needs.
Academic Support Coordination
- Partner with the Football Academic Coordinator to lead coordination with Athletic Study Center (ASC) Academic Advisors, Learning Specialists, and Assistant Directors for comprehensive academic support services.
- Co-develop and implement study groups and structured academic support programming tailored to football student-athlete needs alongside the Football Academic Coordinator.
- Coordinate and facilitate specialized programs, including intensive workshops and customized interventions, in close alignment with the Football Academic Coordinator.
- Monitor academic performance trends jointly with the Football Academic Coordinator to adjust support strategies proactively.
Academic Communication & Stakeholder Management