Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives | American Rivers Conference

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, The A-R-C seeks a forward-thinking individual for a two-year, entry-level appointment as Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives. Partially funded by the NCAA Division III Pathway to Excellence Grant, this role focuses on the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan. Reporting to the Commissioner, the successful candidate will help evolve the A-R-C brand, enhance the student-athlete experience, and support conference governance. The American Rivers Conference office is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While the conference is open to in-person, hybrid, or remote/virtual work arrangements, the nature of this role requires frequent travel to member institutions and championship sites. Consequently, the successful candidate must reside within the conference footprint (Iowa or Nebraska) to effectively fulfill these travel requirements. Job Description Achievement & Championship Enhancement (30%) Postseason Innovation: Assist the Championships Committee in the planning and execution of the Football Bowl Game in 2026 and 2027, and a Multi-Sport Championship Festival in 2027-28. Support the conference local organizing committee charged with hosting the 2027 NCAA Division III women’s basketball championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Represent the conference at championship events. Awards: Coordinate the selection process for the conference hall of fame, established through a comprehensive audit of the conference awards program. Banquet Programming: Manage the logistics and programming for an enhanced annual Awards Banquet, integrating Hall of Fame inductions and scholar-athlete celebrations. Strategic Sponsorships: Research and form innovative partnerships with corporate entities to bolster event funding, specifically aimed at funding enhancements for championship events and student-athlete experiences. Ticketing: Research and develop a digital ticketing system to implement at A-R-C championship events, enhancing the fan experience and building the conference’s connection with potential sponsors. Brand Relaunch & Athletics Communication (30%) Digital Content Leadership: Manage and elevate the conference’s digital identity by producing original photography and video content, supporting the rollrivers.com website, and driving engagement across social media platforms (X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube) to amplify the A-R-C brand and student-athlete experience. Brand Relaunch & Identity: bolster the technical execution of the A-R-C brand relaunch, ensuring consistent logo integration on campus facilities, scoreboards, and team gear while managing the appropriate legacy usage of the "Iowa Conference" brand. Social Media Intern Management: Assist with the 10-member social media intern cohort, leading a couple skill-development meetings each year and collaborating with campus-based students to create unified graphics and localized content. Broadcasting Enhancements: Administer the institutional broadcasting grant program, assisting athletic communication offices in leveraging technology and software to improve the quality of live-streamed events. Awards & Recognition: Lead the creative promotion of the conference annual Awards Banquet, utilizing digital storytelling to highlight the achievements of Hall of Fame inductees and scholar-athletes. Strategic Plan Execution & Governance (25%) Project Management: Serve as a secondary administrative lead for initiatives in the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, tracking progress across the three pillars: Achievement, Promotion, and Collaboration. Committee Liaison: Act as the secondary conference office liaison for the newly-formed Awards Committee and Championships Committee. Coordinate monthly meetings, set agendas, and drive the implementation of committee-led initiatives. Governance Support: Attend conference meetings and assist in the development of legislative and policy updates. Work with presidents, athletics directors, administrators, faculty athletics representatives, administrators, coaches, athletic trainers, athletics communication personnel, student-athletes and conference staff to meet deadlines identified within the strategic plan. Holistic Student-Athlete Development (10%) Mental Health Initiatives: Support the expansion of the Mental Health First Aid training program and monitor the progress of pilot programs (e.g., "The Zone" app). Symposium Planning: Lead the logistics for the semi-annual Symposium, focusing on collaborative topics such as mental health, sportsmanship, and emerging sports. Support the A-R-C Student-Athlete Leadership Conference for over 70 student-athlete leaders in winter/spring 2028. SAAC Engagement: Serve as a secondary liaison to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to ensure student voices are reflected in strategic initiatives. General Administration (5%) Other duties as assigned, including but not limited to: NCAA compliance support, conference scheduling, and day-to-day office operations. Term Two-year, full-time, 12-month non-exempt entry-level position, anticipated start date in June 2026 and concluding May 31, 2028. Evening and weekend work with occasional travel is required. Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Sports Management or related field preferred. Strong understanding of the NCAA Division III philosophy, and the American Rivers Conference. Proven ability to manage multiple projects with high attention to detail. Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, and digital/social media). Ability to travel to member institutions and championship sites as required. Application Process Individuals who wish to apply for the A-R-C Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives internship should submit a resume, cover letter and professional references as a single PDF document via email to A-R-C Commissioner Marie Stroman (mstroman@rollrivers.com) by May 1, 2026 to receive first consideration for this position. Review of applications will begin immediately. Health benefits, parking, and stipends for technology and travel. A $3,000 per year professional development stipend is available for use on approved programming.