Managing Director - Center for Active WV - College of Applied Human Sciences

The School of Sport Sciences Center for Active WV in the College of Applied Human Sciences at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Managing Director.

About the Opportunity

Working alongside the Center for Active WV’s faculty, the Managing Director will provide essential leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the goals and activities of the center. The portfolio of the center encompasses a comprehensive set of initiatives and programs designed to help improve the well-being of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout West Virginia. The Center’s work involves multiple grants and contracts, statewide and community-based partnerships, schools, county systems, state agencies, community organizations, funders, faculty affiliates, staff, and students. The Managing Director reports to the Director of the School of Sport Sciences, with a faculty leadership group composed of senior founding faculty providing strategic guidance on scholarly direction, grant alignment, project priorities, and academic integration.

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 (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

Strategic Leadership: In partnership with the Center’s faculty leadership group, provide essential vision and leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the Center’s goals.

• Deeply engage in the development, creation, and evaluation of new strategic initiatives.
• Further the advancement of strategic priorities through planning and programmatic steps.
• Lead efforts to acquire resources to establish the internal structure that ensures the center flourishes and reflects operational excellence.

Administrative Leadership and Operational Management: Serve as the senior staff member for the Center and provide leadership to all constituents of the Center.

• Coordinate with School, College, and University administrative units to support compliant operations, including the administrative, financial, technological, space and facility components.
• Responsible for the improvement of current processes and coordination of organizational procedures for increased efficiency and productivity.
• Represent the center on both internal and external committees/working group.

Outreach and External Engagement: Build and cultivate partnerships that advance the goals of the Center, elevate its visibility, and strengthen its statewide and national impact.

• Lead external engagement and stewardship activities on behalf of the Center in coordination with School, College, University, and development leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with organizational partners, state agencies, schools, community organizations, funders, and other stakeholders that support Center priorities.
• Provide oversight for the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan, including coordination with organizational partners, advisory board members, and implementation teams.
• Help define the Center’s identity, impact narrative, and communication strategy to increase visibility and support partner engagement.

Financial Stewardship and Funding Development: Provide leadership for Center sustainability, funding development, and responsible stewardship of resources in coordination with appropriate School, College, University, Foundation, and sponsored-program units.

• Monitor the Center’s overall funding portfolio, including grants, contracts, philanthropic support, and other external resources.
• Review budget information to inform staffing, program planning, project priorities, and long-term sustainability.
• Support appropriate use of funds and compliance with institutional and funder expectations.
• Identify external funding opportunities aligned with the Center’s mission, programs, and strategic priorities.
• Lead or support proposal development, grant renewal efforts, and funding strategies in collaboration with faculty, staff, partners, and sponsored-program offices.
• Coordinate with appropriate development personnel to identify and cultivate foundation, donor, and corporate partnership opportunities.
• Use financial and programmatic information to position the Center for responsible growth and measurable community impact.

Teaching: Support the School’s instructional mission through teaching, student mentoring, and applied learning opportunities aligned with the Center’s mission and statewide initiatives.

• Teach courses related to program design, implementation, and evaluation for health educators; individual and community well-being; health coaching; physical activity promotion; community health; and professional immersion experiences.
• Normally teach one course per semester or equivalent, with adjustments based on Center needs, School teaching priorities, and workload expectations.
• Develop avenues for students to engage in service projects, internships, applied learning, and other experiential opportunities connected to Center projects and statewide initiatives.
• Support student mentoring and professional preparation through community-engaged projects, grant-funded initiatives, and partner-based learning experiences.

Other Duties as Assigned

The School of Sport Sciences Center for Active WV in the College of Applied Human Sciences at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Managing Director.

About the Opportunity

Working alongside the Center for Active WV’s faculty, the Managing Director will provide essential leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the goals and activities of the center. The portfolio of the center encompasses a comprehensive set of initiatives and programs designed to help improve the well-being of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout West Virginia. The Center’s work involves multiple grants and contracts, statewide and community-based partnerships, schools, county systems, state agencies, community organizations, funders, faculty affiliates, staff, and students. The Managing Director reports to the Director of the School of Sport Sciences, with a faculty leadership group composed of senior founding faculty providing strategic guidance on scholarly direction, grant alignment, project priorities, and academic integration.

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 (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

Strategic Leadership: In partnership with the Center’s faculty leadership group, provide essential vision and leadership to develop, articulate, and implement center-wide strategies to further the Center’s goals.

• Deeply engage in the development, creation, and evaluation of new strategic initiatives.
• Further the advancement of strategic priorities through planning and programmatic steps.
• Lead efforts to acquire resources to establish the internal structure that ensures the center flourishes and reflects operational excellence.

Administrative Leadership and Operational Management: Serve as the senior staff member for the Center and provide leadership to all constituents of the Center.

• Coordinate with School, College, and University administrative units to support compliant operations, including the administrative, financial, technological, space and facility components.
• Responsible for the improvement of current processes and coordination of organizational procedures for increased efficiency and productivity.
• Represent the center on both internal and external committees/working group.

Outreach and External Engagement: Build and cultivate partnerships that advance the goals of the Center, elevate its visibility, and strengthen its statewide and national impact.

• Lead external engagement and stewardship activities on behalf of the Center in coordination with School, College, University, and development leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with organizational partners, state agencies, schools, community organizations, funders, and other stakeholders that support Center priorities.
• Provide oversight for the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan, including coordination with organizational partners, advisory board members, and implementation teams.
• Help define the Center’s identity, impact narrative, and communication strategy to increase visibility and support partner engagement.

Financial Stewardship and Funding Development: Provide leadership for Center sustainability, funding development, and responsible stewardship of resources in coordination with appropriate School, College, University, Foundation, and sponsored-program units.

• Monitor the Center’s overall funding portfolio, including grants, contracts, philanthropic support, and other external resources.
• Review budget information to inform staffing, program planning, project priorities, and long-term sustainability.
• Support appropriate use of funds and compliance with institutional and funder expectations.
• Identify external funding opportunities aligned with the Center’s mission, programs, and strategic priorities.
• Lead or support proposal development, grant renewal efforts, and funding strategies in collaboration with faculty, staff, partners, and sponsored-program offices.
• Coordinate with appropriate development personnel to identify and cultivate foundation, donor, and corporate partnership opportunities.
• Use financial and programmatic information to position the Center for responsible growth and measurable community impact.

Teaching: Support the School’s instructional mission through teaching, student mentoring, and applied learning opportunities aligned with the Center’s mission and statewide initiatives.

• Teach courses related to program design, implementation, and evaluation for health educators; individual and community well-being; health coaching; physical activity promotion; community health; and professional immersion experiences.
• Normally teach one course per semester or equivalent, with adjustments based on Center needs, School teaching priorities, and workload expectations.
• Develop avenues for students to engage in service projects, internships, applied learning, and other experiential opportunities connected to Center projects and statewide initiatives.
• Support student mentoring and professional preparation through community-engaged projects, grant-funded initiatives, and partner-based learning experiences.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Master's degree required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, in nonprofit, public health, education, community development, sponsored-program, or higher education settings.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to lead an organization or major initiative toward a shared vision, build consensus among diverse stakeholders, and translate strategy into actionable priorities.
• Strong background in program development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement, with the ability to use data and program outcomes to guide decision-making.
• Experience with operational management, including budget development and oversight, personnel supervision, process improvement, and adherence to institutional policies and funder expectations.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students, funders, community partners, public agencies, and university leadership.
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, manage complex situations, balance competing priorities, and make sound decisions in a dynamic, externally funded environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to transparency, accountability, responsiveness, and responsible stewardship of Center resources and relationships.
• Ability to work in office, classroom, school, community, and partner-site environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, projects, and partner expectations.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in complex and dynamic situations.
• Ability to travel occasionally within West Virginia and out of state for meetings, trainings, conferences, site visits, and partner engagement activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate preferred in a physical activity or health-related field or a closely related area with extensive industry or higher education experience.

• Master's degree required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, in nonprofit, public health, education, community