Director of Athletics and Recreation Development

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Job Description Department: Major and Planned Giving Pay Rate Type: Salary Employee Type: Job Summary: Please use this link to view the full leadership profile. Colby College (Waterville, Maine), one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges, seeks an inspirational and highly motivated Director of Athletics and Recreation Development to bring the athletics and recreation fundraising program to the next level of excellence, building on a strong foundation of annual, endowment, and capital gift performance to become a top 10 program in the Division III Learfield Director's Cup Standings. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Major and Planned Giving and working in close collaboration with the Harold Alfond Director of Athletics, the Director of Athletics and Recreation Development will drive fundraising strategy for the program and build alumni, parent, and volunteer enthusiasm for an athletics program that has climbed from 133rd in 2019 to most recently 33rd in the Learfield Cup rankings. As a highly visible and engaging representative of the College, the Director of Athletics and Recreation Development creates and cultivates external relationships with alumni, families, donors, and prospects in support of Colby Athletics. Working closely with philanthropic leaders, the individual in this role focuses on the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major and principal gift prospects, implementing a strategic and effective plan to build excitement and enthusiasm, grow participation, and increase support from prospects at all levels in support of athletics. The successful candidate will have a proven record of accomplishment in building collaborative relationships across organizations and deep connections with key constituencies (coaches, families, alumni, and advancement colleagues). The Director must have a deep appreciation for and understanding of collegiate athletics, the liberal arts college experience, and a strong personal commitment to Colby's core values. The Director role manages two staff members: a leadership annual gift officer and an assistant director of athletics fundraising. At least 7 years of experience in advancement (or a closely related field) is required. A bachelor's degree is required. Colby College Athletics is currently in an era of unprecedented growth and excellence, anchored by the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center . Opened in 2020, this 350,000-square-foot, LEED Platinum-certified masterpiece is widely regarded as the premier sports facility in Division III. It houses the only Olympic-sized Myrtha pool in the Northeast, the 1,400-seat Jack Kelley Rink, a state-of-the-art 200-meter indoor track, a basketball stadium, fitness center, erg room, and nine championship squash courts. Designed with an emphasis on transparency and natural light, the center serves as a high-performance hub that unifies the campus community and provides student-athletes with an elite environment for training, recovery, and competition. The program's success is reflected in its recent competitive achievements and a growing list of accolades. In 2024 alone, Colby athletes secured 50 All-Conference awards, the highest tally in the College's history since joining the NESCAC. Academically, the program is equally rigorous; Colby regularly places dozens of student-athletes on the NESCAC All-Academic teams, with individuals frequently earning prestigious honors like the NCAA Elite 90 Award for maintaining the highest GPA at national championship events. With 32 varsity teams, Colby Athletics is committed to a culture of "competitive excellence" that balances elite athletic performance with the College's world-class academic standards. The program's upward trajectory (from 133rd in 2019 to most recently 33rd in the Learfield Cup rankings) is fueled by a significant investment in coaching and infrastructure, ensuring that every Mule has the resources to compete at the highest level. The Director of Athletics and Recreation Development will build on the existing success of the development support of Athletics by collaborating with and inspiring all Advancement and Athletics staff, including frontline fundraisers, coaches, and leadership. Since the creation of this role in 2022, annual support has grown 78% (to $2.4M raised in FY26 to date) and donor headcount has grown 29%. In recent years, endowment support has also grown, with funds created to support football, soccer, lacrosse, and the Colby Woodsmen, among others. And the work is far from over: in addition to the existing facilities investments, there remain opportunities for capital projects and endowments to support coaches and assistant coaches. Fundraisers, coaches, and College leadership are eager to continue working with this role to continue to meet the department's aspirational goals. The following are the essential duties and responsibilities of this role: Oversee all aspects of growing principal, major,