Considerations for Hiring an Interim Athletic Director

For a variety of reasons including increased expectations, lack of support or simply it being time to step aside after a long and dedicated career, a high school may have a need for a new athletic administrator. For some schools, this may represent a major challenge to find and hire the right person, and they may have to try various creative techniques to attract candidates.

With a mid-year, sudden resignation, or for a difficult situation, the administration or school board may have to consider using an interim athletic administrator to fill the gap until an individual is found to permanently serve. In essence, a person is simply needed to provide visible leadership and to manage the needs of the department.

Many athletic administrators retire every year, and this may result in more time to golf, bike, be involved in other forms of exercise, spend more time with their spouse and family, read more, take a class, and to enjoy their golden years. However, these veteran administrators can also be a valuable resource for schools to serve in this interim capacity.

Why would someone consider leaving the golf course or parking the bike to return to the high school athletic arena?

Primarily, it is an opportunity to help those in need and to possibly make an impact. Most former athletic administrators are selfless individuals who have always looked to help and would be willing to pitch in to assist maintaining an athletics program. Occasionally, early retirees may also find retirement less than satisfactory, and they may be looking for new ways to challenge themselves. In addition, filling in as an interim is also a way to help a person stay current and active. Finally, a retired administrator may have the need to be surrounded by, communicate with, and have interactions with a variety of people on a daily basis.

What Does Being an Interim Athletic Director Mean?
It is conceivable that every school can have a different definition. All institutions, however, are looking for a qualified individual to take over the day-to-day needs of the department. Some positions will be a bridge until a new hire is found and that is typically one to three months. Others may be longer depending upon the type of search the school is doing.

There is also the possibility that the school will want the interim director to usher in a change in direction, and this might represent an unpopular shift. Therefore, the person should ask a lot of questions to make sure the person understands the requirements of the position before accepting it.

Clarity and accountability in this role are paramount to success, and to ensure the employer’s satisfaction. Often, the school is in crisis mode and hasn’t really completely thought through the situation, and the candidate may need to prompt interviewers with questions to clearly delineate the role and how success will be evaluated.

What Questions Should Be Asked?
An important initial question is what role does the school actually want the interim athletic director to fill? Does the school want the person to be a leader or a manager? Managers direct their department members to accomplish assigned tasks or objectives, while leadership includes influence and inspiration.

Does the school want this position to include strategic thought and planning? Would the school like to take advantage of the interim director’s knowledge and experience to verify strengths and identify weaknesses? Does the school want the person to develop any individuals within the department who might need growth and improvement? This could include implementing coaching assessments, preparing or revising coach or parent athletic manuals, improving the channels of communication or whatever else is needed.

Would the school like the interim director to mentor current staff to help them plan and implement changes or upgrades, or would the focus be on working with the current staff to make small changes? These can be very impactful and practical teachable moments for your mentees.

Mentorship can also include reworking job descriptions or an organizational flow chart, developing seasonal checklists, introducing the current staff to important professional organizations such as the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), including the NFHS Learning Center.

Does the school want the interim athletic director to be an agent of change? Will the school be hiring the person to act as a catalyst to transform some part of the athletic department? In this case, the school may have a plan for reshaping the athletics department and will be hiring this individual as an experienced third party to drive change.

This may include being a cheerleader to boost morale after a difficult situation, or structuring new procedures, policies and mediums of communication, working as a relationship builder to create a healthier culture, or serving as an axe-man who is responsible for making cuts in staff or funding.

Does the school want this person to be a peacemaker? The school may need a person to help others within the department to solve a conflict and to reach a workable solution. This may mean playing a key role to build an inclusive culture of trust and collegiality.

What does the interim athletic director need to bring to this new environment? The individual should provide enthusiasm, be energetic, tolerate ambiguity, build relationships, de-escalate negative feelings and conflicts, be flexible, communicative effectively, and lead with grace and kindness.

What is the interim athletic director worth? The partial answer will depend upon the length of the interim role. And again, what will that role be? Both of these answers are critical to determine appropriate compensation.

Are other benefits included with the position? Is there a 403b retirement plan, health and insurance coverage, and any other details specifically related to one’s family situation?

How important is this type of work to the potential interim athletic director? This may be the essential question for anyone considering a role as an interim athletic administrator. If a person accepts a position like this, how will it enrich his or her life – and their family? Is the potential candidate ready to accept a challenge like this? Is sharing valuable life lessons worth learning new ones?

Unfortunately, there is going to be an ongoing need for experienced athletic administrators to fill interim positions, and you can be part of the creative, out-of-the-box thinking to resolve a school emergency. It is a great opportunity to both assist an organization and to enrich yourself. As a retiree, you have the power to make a difference.