Executive Director

Major/Essential Functions

Working Environment and Operational Expectations
 

The duty point for this position is the Texas Tech Equestrian Center in Lubbock, Texas. The Executive Director is expected to maintain a visible and engaged on-site leadership presence within a complex auxiliary supported equine operation that includes academic support activities, competitive teams, therapeutic riding services, outreach programming, events, boarding operations, and public engagement initiatives.

Strategic Leadership, Vision, and Engagement

• Provide strategic leadership for the Texas Tech Equestrian Center and Equine Programs aligned with university, college, department, and auxiliary priorities.
• Serve as the primary leader for the Center, collaborating with leadership, faculty, staff, students, donors, advisory board members, alumni, and industry partners.
• Lead implementation of the Texas Tech Equine Program and Equestrian Center Strategic Plan (2025–2030), emphasizing sustainability, operations, student success, engagement, philanthropy, and growth.
• Build relationships with donors, alumni, industry partners, and stakeholders to enhance visibility, reputation, and support.
• Promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, collaboration, and student-centered service.
• Represent programs at university, industry, donor, alumni, and public events.

Operations, Financial Management, and Facilities

• Oversee all operational, financial, and administrative functions of the Equestrian Center auxiliary enterprise.
• Maintain an active leadership presence supporting academic programs, teams, therapeutic services, outreach, boarding, events, and public engagement.
• Develop sustainable business and operational strategies aligned with auxiliary expectations.
• Manage budgets, forecasting, revenue, resources, and business development.
• Oversee facilities, arenas, barns, equipment, horse herd, boarding, events, and operations.
• Coordinate maintenance, capital improvements, donor-funded projects, scheduling, workflows, and risk management.
• Ensure effective support for teaching, experiential learning, teams, outreach, and research.
• Maintain responsible stewardship of university, donor, and auxiliary resources.

Academic Support and Student Development

• Support teaching, experiential learning, outreach, and research missions of Animal and Food Sciences and Davis College.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and leadership to strengthen equine programs and interdisciplinary efforts.
• Support teams, internships, workforce development, experiential learning, and student leadership initiatives.
• Promote student recruitment, retention, career readiness, placement, and industry engagement.
• Encourage growth in research, graduate education, outreach, and partnerships.

Personnel Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead, supervise, mentor, and evaluate staff, including operational and coaching personnel.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented workplace culture.
• Work with university units including Operations, Procurement, Facilities, EH&S, HR, Animal Care Services, and IACUC.
• Coordinate operations, staffing, infrastructure, and procurement with university partners.

Compliance, Safety, and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with university policies, fiscal procedures, AAALAC standards, safety regulations, and animal welfare requirements.
• Implement procedures aligned with institutional expectations and responsible animal care.
• Support safe practices in animal handling, transport, facility use, boarding, and events.
• Maintain appropriate reporting, documentation, and risk management practices.

• Terminal degree (Ph.D., DVM, or related) in equine science, animal science, agribusiness, veterinary science, or a closely related field.
• Experience in higher education, academic, extension, or research environments.
• Experience managing auxiliary enterprises, revenue-generating operations, or complex service units.
• Experience in financial management, budgeting, operational planning, and resource stewardship.
• Experience leading personnel, including supervision, performance management, and team development.
• Knowledge of equine industry operations, equine programs, or related agricultural enterprises.
• Experience supporting experiential learning, student development, competitive teams, or workforce development initiatives.
• Experience with fundraising, donor relations, sponsorship development, or capital campaigns.
• Established professional relationships within the equine industry.
• Experience supporting research activities, graduate education, or interdisciplinary programs.
• Experience overseeing facilities, events, or animal-related operations.
• Experience collaborating with advisory boards, alumni, donors, or external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and build collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience working within complex organizational or institutional environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethical leadership, and student success.

The Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources includes the departments of Agricultural and Applied Economics; Agricultural Education and Communications; Animal and Food Sciences; Landscape Architecture; Plant and Soil Science; and Veterinary Sciences, along with multiple research centers and institutes. The College houses eight centers: the Center for Agriscience Communications, Davis College Water Center, Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute, Institute for Genomics of Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness, International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Texas Cooperative Research Unit, and the Thornton Agricultural Finance Institute.

Davis College enrolls more than 2,700 undergraduate and 500 graduate students and includes approximately 110 tenure-track faculty, 40 non-tenure-track faculty, and 165 staff. Faculty generate approximately $17.3 million annually in federal and private funding supporting research, teaching, and outreach.

The College is advancing its Pursuit of PRIME campaign to shape the future of agriculture, natural resources, and managed landscapes through investments in facilities, research, and hands-on education, preparing future leaders and strengthening communities.

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences serves more than 1,450 undergraduate and graduate students across animal science, food science, equine science, and companion animal programs. It supports Davis College PRIME initiatives, including Sustainable Food, Fiber, and Thriving Communities and One Health.

Approximately 30 faculty members support programs in meat science, food safety, animal nutrition, animal health and welfare, equine programs, companion animals, and integrated systems. The department emphasizes experiential learning, leadership development, outreach, and industry engagement.

Over the past five years, the department has grown in enrollment, research, and degree production while maintaining strong outcomes. Priorities include faculty growth, graduate education, research competitiveness, infrastructure, and engagement. Facilities include on-campus spaces and off-campus units such as the Texas Tech Equestrian Center, Equine Therapeutic Riding Teaching and Research Center, and New Deal Agricultural Field Laboratory.

About the Texas Tech Equestrian Center and Equine Programs
The Texas Tech Equestrian Center is a 100-acre teaching, outreach, and auxiliary facility located 15 minutes from campus in Lubbock, Texas. It serves as a hub for equine education, experiential learning, outreach, and competitive programs.

The facility includes a covered arena (seating ~650), outdoor arenas, barns, boarding facilities, and 30–40 teaching horses, supporting more than 400 stalls for programs, events, and boarding.

The Center supports academic, outreach, therapeutic, and competitive programs including equestrian, ranch horse, judging, rodeo-related activities, internships, workforce development, and equine-assisted services.

As a mission-integrated auxiliary enterprise, it supports student recruitment, retention, leadership development, and career readiness, while also serving as a platform for donor engagement, partnerships, and community outreach. It also supports research, graduate education, and strategic goals outlined in the Texas Tech Equine Program and Equestrian Center Strategic Plan (2025–2030).

The Executive Director of the Texas Tech Equestrian Center and Equine Programs provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, financial management, and external engagement for one of the university’s most visible and mission integrated auxiliary enterprises. Reporting to the Chair of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences within Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the Executive Director leads a complex and evolving equine enterprise that supports the academic, outreach and engagement, student success, and service missions of Texas Tech University.
 

The Executive Director is responsible for advancing a sustainable and innovative operational model that integrates auxiliary operations with academic priorities in teaching, experiential learning, student development, outreach, research support, industry engagement, and philanthropic advancement. The position oversees operations, personnel leadership, business development, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and program growth while ensuring the long-term sustainability and success of the Equestrian Center. The Executive Director supervises operational staff and provides leadership oversight for personnel associated with equine related programs, auxiliary operations, and applicable coaching staff.

The Executive Director serves as the primary operational and strategic leader for the Equestrian Center and collaborates with university leadership, faculty, coaches, students, staff, donors, advisory board members, alumni, and industry stakeholders to advance the Texas Tech Equine Program and Equestrian Center Strategic Plan, 2025–2030.

The position requires a highly collaborative, entrepreneurial, and relationship driven leader with demonstrated expertise in equine industry operations, business and financial management, personnel leadership, strategic planning, and higher education environments.

Please include the following documents in your application:

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae/Extended Resume
• Copy of graduate/professional school transcripts
• Other document(s) directly related to required/preferred qualifications
• Leadership Philosophy Statement.
• List of references

Questions about this position should be directed to Dr. Leslie Thompson, Search Committee Chair at leslie.thompson@ttu.edu

• Advanced leadership and organizational management skills.
• Strong strategic planning and operational decision-making abilities.
• Strong financial planning, budgeting, and resource allocation skills.
• Ability to lead complex operational systems requiring innovation, integration, and long-term planning.
• Ability to build collaborative partnerships across academic, industry, donor, and community constituencies.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to interpret and implement university policies, standards, and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a complex and evolving operational environment.
• Strong understanding of student development, workforce preparation, and experiential learning models.
• Commitment to safety, animal welfare, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.