Assistant Director of Outdoor Pursuits

University of Kansas
United States, Kansas, Lawrence
1450 Jayhawk Boulevard (Show on map)
Jun 03, 2026
Position Overview KU RECREATION SERVICES, a department within Student Affairs, provides a campus-wide impact by improving the quality of life for all students, faculty, staff, affiliates, retirees, alumni, spouses, and domestic partners through our fitness and wellness initiatives. RECREATION SERVICES provides state-of-the-art recreational programs, facilities, and services. The University of Kansas RECREATION SERVICES department seeks an Assistant Director of Outdoor Pursuits to play an essential role in the management and support of RECREATION SERVICES core functions including, but not limited to, the comprehensive management of the Outdoor Pursuits program. The work of the Assistant Director of Outdoor Pursuits will directly support RECREATION SERVICES programmatic efforts and initiatives to support its core values of Community, Excellence, Experience, Growth, and Integrity which align directly with KU's Institutional Priorities of Healthy and Vibrant Communities and Student Success. Programs within RECREATION SERVICES include Fitness, Intramurals, Sport Clubs, and Outdoor Pursuits. Fitness offers KU Fit group fitness with classes focused on cardio, strength, mind-body wellness, personal training, and fitness assessments. Intramurals play team sports, team tournaments, and individual activities. Sport Clubs participate in a wide variety of competitive, recreational, and instructional sports. Outdoor Pursuits offers a rock-climbing wall and equipment rental center. Additional information can be found at www.recreation.ku.edu This position is a full-time Administrative Exempt position that will report to the Senior Assistant Director of Programs and will administer comprehensive Outdoor Pursuits, Student Leadership and Assessment programs with as many as 900 participants, 5000 participations and 20 student employees. Job Description 60% Program Administration Provide leadership for the rock wall, rental center, and trip program through the following: Recruitment, selection, training, supervision, payroll, risk management and evaluation of student program managers, wall assistants, and route setters. Create a schedule for the rock climbing wall that is open for 30+ hours per week Schedule Climbing Wall activities and special events including marketing to revenue-producing off-campus groups. Work closely with the Rock Climbing Club during their use of wall, including the development of risk management practices Research industry trends and assess new and current programming. Make recommendations for changes to the programs that are safe and fiscally responsible. Assist the Assistant Director of Marketing in promoting the program. Plan and schedule 4-6 educational workshops throughout the year. Develop a comprehensive risk management plan for the program. Create annual program reports for participation, injuries, and incidents. Develop annual budgets of approximately $70,000. Develop annual schedule for rock the wall and equipment rental center. Teach American Heart CPR/AED classes for department employees. 20% Student Leadership (department-wide) Develop, implement, maintain and evaluate a comprehensive student leadership program. Develop structured workshops, curriculum, and programs. Facilitate training on leadership theories and styles. Create intentional learning outcomes tied to student employment experiences. Support career readiness initiatives (resume, mock interviews, transferable skills) Update student staff manual and establish a leadership pipeline. 15% - Assessments, Reports and Strategic Planning Conceptualize, develop, and implement ongoing departmental and unit assessment and data collection program. Collect and maintain needed data and statistics related to the mission of the department and communicate monthly with Student Affairs. Member of the Student Affairs Assessment Committee. 5% Other duties as assigned Required Qualifications High School diploma or GED equivalency and five years related experience OR Bachelor's degree plus one year related experience. One year of programming experience to include supervision, organizational tasks and training, as evidenced in application materials. Excellent written communication skills as evidenced by the application materials. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in Recreation, Sports Administration, Health/Physical Education, Exercise Science, Higher Education or related field. Demonstrated knowledge and management of an outdoor pursuits program as evidenced in the application materials. Experience supervising staff, as evidenced in application materials. Work experience in a university setting, as evidenced in application materials. Experience in the administration of a similarly sized comprehensive outdoor pursuits program, as evidenced in application materials. Professional involvement such as presenting or committee work, particularly involvement with organizations such as AORE, NIRSA, NRPA, NASPA or ACPA, as evidenced in application materials. Team-oriented and independent to work on multiple tasks, as evidenced in application materials. Experience with computer applications such as Fusion, When to Work, Connect2Concepts or Connect2, as evidenced in application materials. Experience with program budgets and risk management procedures, as evidenced in application materials. Certification as an instructor for American Heart Association CPR/AED training, or current CPR/AED certification with a willingness to obtain instructor certification within one month of the start date. Additional Candidate Instructions In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position: Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications. Resume List of three (3) professional references Only complete applications will be considered. Application review begins June 15, 2026, and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified. Contact Information to Applicants Chris Wash cwash@ku.edu 785.864.5623 Advertised Salary Range 49,600-60,000 Application Review Begins Monday June 15, 2026 Anticipated Start Date Sunday August 2, 2026