Senior Director, Athletics and Recreation

The University of Guelph, Department of Athletics & Recreation exists to benefit and support physical and mental well-being through activity and engagement. Its mission is to be leaders in the delivery of innovative and impactful programs, services, and experiences in sport, fitness, recreation, well-being, and leadership, founded on a culture of service excellence, inclusion, and health and safety.

The University of Guelph is one of Canada’s top comprehensive and research-intensive universities. It is within this context that the University of Guelph welcomes applications and nominations for the appointment of its Senior Director, Athletics and Recreation, commencing late Summer 2026, or soon thereafter.

Reporting to the Vice-Provost, Student Affairs, the Senior Director, Athletics and Recreation (Senior Director) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of a comprehensive Athletics and Recreation portfolio that plays a central role in student engagement, well-being, and institutional reputation. Programs and activities under the Senior Director’s purview include Recreation and Programming; High Performance Sport; Marketing, Communications, and Events; Facility Development and Management; Finance and Administration; Human Resources; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; and Alumni Engagement.

As a qualified candidate, you have significant management level experience from an organization that has a sports-related program or service mandate and have strong financial acumen, including experience managing large and complex budgets. Your career should include oversight of, and engagement in, both recreational programs and high-performance sports. Candidates must have demonstrable experience providing leadership on equity-related strategy, policy implementation, and complex issues, including Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion-related case managements and investigations.