Assistant/Associate Director of Sports Nutrition

Position Introduction

The Assistant/Associate Director of Sports Nutrition reports directly to the Director of Sports Nutrition and serves as the second-in-command of the OU Sports Nutrition program. This position provides leadership, oversight, and strategic support across all areas of the department, including clinical nutrition services, team-based education, wellness programming, food service operations, and the development of student interns and staff.

This role serves as a key operational and strategic partner to the Director, ensuring excellence, consistency, and innovation across all performance nutrition initiatives while maintaining a hands-on role in athlete nutrition services.

Essential Functions

Individual and Team Nutrition Counseling

• Serve as the primary sports dietitian for assigned teams, providing comprehensive, sport-specific nutrition services.
• Provide advanced nutrition counseling and performance support to assigned student-athletes.
• Conduct advanced assessments of dietary intake, body composition, energy balance, and overall nutrition status in the context of athletic performance.
• Deliver individualized nutrition counseling to support training, competition, recovery, weight management, hydration, immunity, travel, supplementation, and return-to-play.
• Oversee and direct nutrition staff members in group nutrition education initiatives, including pre-, during-, and post-exercise fueling strategies, grocery tours, and cooking/meal preparation classes.
• Manage complex clinical and performance nutrition cases (e.g., disordered eating, RED-S, gastrointestinal conditions, iron deficiency, injury/illness recovery) in collaboration with sports medicine and performance staff.
• Evaluate and provide guidance on dietary supplements in accordance with NCAA and USADA regulations.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant documentation of all nutrition services and track outcomes to evaluate effectiveness.

Team Education & Performance Support

• Plan and deliver structured, sport-specific team education programs throughout the training and competition cycle.
• Establish and implement best practices for pre-, during-, and post-exercise fueling strategies for assigned teams.
• Provide practical education on food selection, grocery shopping, and cooking skills to support athlete independence.
• Serve as a trusted nutrition resource for coaches, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning staff, and other key stakeholders associated with assigned teams.
• Develop and implement educational resources and tools to enhance athlete engagement and long-term behavior change.

Food Service and Menu Development

• Oversee team meal planning and menu development in collaboration with coaching staff and food service partners.
• Lead nutrition planning, logistics, and execution for team travel, including coordination with hotels, catering, and other vendors.
• Supervise all team fueling stations and oversee procurement of goods, inventory, and quality control and oversee fueling strategies for practices and competitions, including recommendations for snacks, hydration, and recovery options.
• Identify and implement enhancements to food service operations to better align with performance nutrition goals.

Leadership and Program Management

• Serve as the operational leader of the Sports Nutrition program in partnership with the Director.
• Serve as the lead Dietitian on OU Wellness team, including planning, implementation, and evaluation of wellness programs for student-athletes.
• Supervise and mentor student interns, graduate assistants, and support staff.
• Assist with strategic planning, budgeting, program evaluation, and goal-setting for the department.
• Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, and training of interns and new team members as needed.
• Lead and support initiatives involving policy development and ensure quality and consistency in clinical, food service, and education programs.
• Translate current research in sports nutrition into applied policies, practices, and educational initiatives.
• Lead or contribute to quality improvement initiatives and program assessments.