Academic Director

Elite Sports Academy — Academic Director

• Full-time, year-round position
• 40 hours per week
• Monday–Thursday primarily on campus
• Friday is an administrative/workday
• Remote work may be possible on Fridays when appropriate
• Location: Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona area
• Target salary: $70,000–$85,000, depending on experience, qualifications, and scope

About Elite Sports Academy

• Private school serving student-athletes in grades 5–12
• Combines rigorous academics with high-level athletic development
• Small, entrepreneurial school environment
• Academic Director will lead the academic program as the school grows

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the academic program for grades 5–12
• Maintain academic integrity, rigor, and continuous improvement
• Build and maintain the school master schedule
• Make student course-placement decisions
• Review transcripts, credits, assessments, and academic needs
• Manage high-school credit tracking
• Oversee graduation planning and diploma readiness
• Supervise, coach, and develop teachers
• Establish clear academic expectations
• Support strong classroom instruction
• Oversee grades and student progress
• Manage academic interventions
• Address escalated academic concerns
• Lead dual and concurrent enrollment implementation
• Coordinate teacher qualifications with college partners
• Oversee the academic side of NCAA/student-athlete eligibility
• Coordinate eligibility records with the registrar and athletic staff
• Lead accreditation, association, and academic compliance initiatives
• Partner closely with the registrar
• Maintain separation between academic decisions and records/data administration
• Communicate with students, families, and staff throughout the workweek
• Participate as an active member of school leadership
• Support student recruitment
• Participate in feeder-school events
• Participate in open houses and other schoolwide initiatives
• Create systems, timelines, and accountability for academic projects
• Carry projects through completion ESA_Academic_Director_External_…

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master’s degree preferred in:
  • Education
  • Educational leadership
  • Curriculum and instruction
  • Related field
• At least 5 years of relevant secondary education experience
• Teaching experience strongly preferred
• Experience in one or more of the following:
  • Academic leadership
  • Instructional coaching
  • Curriculum
  • Scheduling
  • Student support
  • School administration
• Strong understanding of:
  • Transcripts
  • Credits
  • Graduation planning
  • Secondary course placement
• Experience with a student information system
• PowerSchool experience preferred
• Strong written communication
• Strong verbal communication
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong follow-through
• Ability to work in a small, fast-moving school environment
• Ability to handle multiple responsibilities
• Collaborative problem-solving ability
• Arizona fingerprint clearance or ability to obtain it ESA_Academic_Director_External_…

Highly Valued Experience

• Private-school experience
• Innovative or nontraditional school experience
• Dual-enrollment programs
• Concurrent-enrollment programs
• College partnerships
• NCAA academic eligibility
• College-bound student-athlete processes
• Accreditation
• School-association applications
• Academic compliance
• Building academic systems in a new or rapidly growing school
• Working with student-athletes
• Coordinating academics around intensive athletic training schedules ESA_Academic_Director_External_…

What Success Looks Like

• Students are correctly scheduled
• Students understand exactly what they need to graduate
• Teachers receive meaningful leadership
• Teachers receive feedback and professional development
• Families receive timely and confident answers to academic questions
• Dual-enrollment initiatives stay on schedule
• NCAA initiatives stay on schedule
• Accreditation initiatives stay on schedule
• Academic records are coordinated effectively with the registrar
• Academic decisions are coordinated effectively with the registrar
• The Academic Director takes ownership of issues through resolution
• Routine academic leadership issues no longer have to be pushed back to the Founder

Type of fingerprint clearance: Shall be fingerprint checked pursuant to A.R.S 15-512

Physical functions: Must be able to remain in a stationary (standing or sitting) position for 50% of the time; may occasionally move around the campus 50% of the time.

Equipment used: Frequent computer and telephone use is expected. 

Work Environment: May be required to move or position equipment up to 10-15 pounds. May be exposed to outdoor weather.