About the Department

The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics competes at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics with the vision to reach Next Level Success for all 18 varsity teams and more than 500 student-athletes. The Bearcats have a proud athletics history, winning eight national championships and 117 conference titles. The Cincinnati men's basketball team is among the 15 winningest programs all-time, while the football team became the first American Athletic Conference program to compete in the College Football Playoff in 2021. Olympic gold medalist volleyball player Jordan Thompson, NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and Major League Baseball legend Sandy Koufax are among the several luminaries who have competed as Bearcats. 

UC student-athletes collectively posted a school-record 3.52 overall GPA in the spring of 2024, resulting in 15 consecutive semesters of a 3.3 department GPA or higher.

Under the leadership of Director of Athletics John Cunningham, and supported by more than 150 full-time staff members, UC Athletics' mission is to connect our community, enhance our University and impact the lives of student-athletes as they prepare to change the world on and off the field. 

For more information visit gobearcats.com.

Job Overview

The University of Cincinnati (UC), Department of Athletics seeks applications for an Assistant Athletic Director for Communications (Assistant Director Athletics). This is a full-time position, salaried, with a comprehensive benefits package.  

The successful candidate will lead the department’s Communications team, overseeing a minimum of three full-time staff members and a graduate assistant. The person in this role will also serve as the primary Sports Information Director (SID) for the University of Cincinnati Men’s Basketball program, directing all external communications and media relations efforts. This includes acting as the program spokesperson, managing relationships with media and television partners, and developing proactive storytelling and branding strategies.

This leadership role reports to the Associate AD for Communications & Creative Content and plays a critical role within Cincinnati Athletics’ in-house “Agency,” which includes communications, creative video, graphic design, and content strategy units.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a passion for college athletics, a deep understanding of media and content strategy, and a proven ability to lead a team in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment. All responsibilities are to be executed in alignment with departmental, university, conference, and NCAA rules and regulations. 

Essential Functions

• Serve as the primary communications and media relations contact for the Cincinnati Men’s Basketball program.
• Provide leadership and daily oversight to the Communications staff, including direct supervision of full-time employees, a graduate assistant and interns.
• Collaborate with the men’s basketball coaching staff and director of social media to develop messaging strategies, create talking points, coordinate press availabilities and execute social media plans.
• Proactively pitch stories and manage relationships with national and local media to enhance the visibility of Cincinnati Athletics and the men’s basketball program.
• Partner with digital, marketing and corporate sponsorship teams on integrated campaigns that drive revenue and fan engagement.
• Lead or assist with content planning and execution for game days, press events and special projects across multiple sports.
• Work closely with the Associate AD for Communications & Creative Content to contribute to department-wide strategies and initiatives.
• Maintain organized archives of digital assets (photos, video, written content) for future reference and storytelling.
• Serve as a departmental representative during team travel, postseason events and high-profile media opportunities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the department’s goals and objectives.

Required Education

• Bachelor's Degree.
• Nine (9) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement.

Required Experience

Five (5) years of experience in athletic administration.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Master’s Degree.
• Work experience in collegiate or professional athletics communication.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including managing direct reports and collaborating cross-functionally.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with content creation tools, media monitoring platforms and social media analytics.
• Experience in crisis communications and media training is a plus.
• Able to work some evening and weekend hours and travel with the team.

Application Information

• Interested and qualified applicants must apply online and include a cover letter of interest and a current CV/Resume.
• All certifications and other documentation can be uploaded using the Additional Documents section in the application.
• Applications without a cover letter and CV/Resume will not be considered for the position. 

Physical Requirements/Work Environment