"Executive Director of Recreation & Wellness"

ABOUT STANFORD RECREATION & WELLNESS

Stanford’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (“DAPER”) is the premier intercollegiate athletics and recreation program in the country. We are the proud Home of Champions and the university’s physical education, recreation and wellness initiatives.
Aligned with Stanford University's pioneering spirit, Stanford Recreation and Wellness is committed to bold and purposeful engagement. We ignite a culture of belonging and well-being through movement, adventure, play, and learning. Our fifty full-time staff and over 400 part-time staff manage eight recreation facilities at one of the world’s most beautiful universities.

Hosting over a million visits annually, we work cohesively, lead with courage, and pursue and revere excellence. We are building a community that is inclusive and a diverse team that is committed to excellence. We take risks. We are willing to lead. We do the right thing. We create innovative solutions. We develop our employees. We promote a culture of gratitude and recognition. We have fun. If that sounds like you, join us.

The Role:

The Executive Director of Recreation & Wellness will provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for a comprehensive recreation and wellness program that supports the holistic development and well-being of the campus community. This role will oversee the design and delivery of diverse offerings—from intramurals and club sports to aquatics, outdoor adventures, and wellness workshops—ensuring they align with Stanford’s health and student success goals. The Executive Director will manage multimillion-dollar budgets, lead a high-performing team, and build cross-campus partnerships to foster student belonging, engagement, and resilience. A data-driven and innovative leader, this individual will champion operational excellence, financial sustainability, inclusive programming, and a culture of continuous improvement that reflects Stanford’s commitment to health, wellness, and community.

Core Responsibilities

• Strategic Vision & Leadership
  + Develop and execute a multi-year strategic plan for recreation and wellness, aligned with DAPER’s mission and Stanford’s broader health objectives.
  + Serve as a thought-leader, galvanizing stakeholders around bold, evidence-based programming that drives participation and satisfaction metrics across campus and in the community.
• Student Development & Wellbeing Integration
  + Intentional focus on student development, engagement, and belonging through recreation and wellness programs.
  + Connecting rec/wellness efforts to mental health, academic success, and resilience.
• Program Development & Delivery
  + Oversee all recreational offerings—intramurals, club sports, aquatics, group fitness, outdoor adventure, mind-body studios, and wellness workshops.
  + Oversee strategic marketing and communications to increase awareness, engagement, and participation across all demographics.
• Operational Excellence
  + Manage a ~$11M budget for facilities, staffing, and equipment; optimize resource allocation to maximize ROI and user experience across functional areas.
  + Ensure top-tier facility maintenance and development—gyms, pools, courts, trails—by collaborating with Capital Projects and Facilities teams.
  + Develop and manage revenue-generating programs (e.g., memberships, external rentals, partnerships) to support long-term financial sustainability.
• Team Building & Talent Management
  + Recruit, mentor, and lead a diverse team of directors, program managers, and frontline staff.
  + Instill a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth
• Data & Assessment
  + Leverage participation analytics, satisfaction surveys, and health outcome data to iterate programs and demonstrate impact.
  + Report quarterly to COO on KPIs: participation rates, retention, health metrics, and equity measures.
• Partnerships & Outreach
  + Forge strategic alliances across Stanford units—Student Affairs, Athletics, Counseling, Residential Life, and external community organizations.
• Compliance & Risk Management
  + Uphold NCAA, Title IX, ADA, and Stanford policy compliance across all recreation and wellness operations.
  + Lead risk assessments and emergency response planning for outdoor and high-risk activities.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Sports Management, Recreation & Wellness, Kinesiology, Public Health, Recreation Management, or a closely related discipline. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience: 7+ years in progressive leadership roles within collegiate or large-scale recreation/wellness programs; minimum 5 years managing multi-million-dollar budgets.
• Leadership: Proven track record building high-performance, inclusive teams and driving measurable outcomes.
• Data Fluency: Strong analytical skills to turn numbers into narrative—comfortable with dashboards, surveys, and outcome studies.
• Collaboration: Demonstrated success partnering with campus units, external vendors, and community stakeholders.
• Compliance Expertise: Deep knowledge of intramural and club sports, NCAA regulations, Title IX, ADA requirements, and risk management protocols.
• Current CPR, AED and First Aid certification or the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.

Preferred Attributes

• Champion innovative technology integration—app-based engagement, online programming, and user analytics—to enhance accessibility and participation.
• Lead DEIB initiatives in recreation and wellness by designing inclusive programs, reducing participation barriers, and partnering with campus identity centers.
• Experienced with Recreation and Wellness services integrated into Athletics

Core Competencies

• Visionary Thinking: You see beyond standard offerings—crafting programs that inspire lifelong well-being.
• Bold Communication: Direct, clear, and culturally resonant—your messaging moves people.
• Operational Savvy: You balance big ideas with flawless execution; no detail is too small.
• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrates empathy, adaptability, and interpersonal acuity in leading diverse teams and navigating stakeholder relationships.
• Innovator’s Mindset: Brings a forward-thinking approach to recreation and wellness, embracing bold ideas, emerging trends, and tech-driven solutions to meet evolving campus needs.

WORK STANDARDS

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide.

The expected pay range for this position is $198,098-$220,000 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the university reasonably expects to pay for a position upon hire. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.