Buffkin / Baker Seeks Director of Athletics for Middle Georgia State University
July 17, 2023 – Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has been called in to help find the next director of athletics for Middle Georgia State University (MGA) in Macon. The new AD search comes as the university is pursuing membership in the NCAA Division II and looks into the possibility of joining the Peach Bowl Conference. Leading the assignment are partner Kenn Carrick and principal Janny DeLoache.
“Middle Georgia State University is in search of a director of athletics who pursues greatness on and off the field,” said Buffkin / Baker. “Reporting directly to the university president and serving on the president’s senior leadership team, the AD plays a pivotal role in the university’s future and growth. The AD spearheads the direction and leadership for a multi-campus, comprehensive, intercollegiate athletics program.”
Middle Georgia State University’s athletic director is instrumental in cultivating a culture of athletic success, unwavering integrity, and exceptional academic achievement for student-athletes, said the search firm. As the primary spokesperson for the department, the AD represents athletics when engaging with internal and external stakeholders.
With direct supervision of head coaches in various sports, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s cross country, and women’s volleyball, the AD guides and supports the coaching staff to ensure their success and the development of student-athletes. The AD also supervises other staff within the athletics department, including the head athletic trainer, associate director of athletics, sports information director, and other seasonal, part-time, and student employees. “Together,” said Buffkin / Baker, “this unit of 17 full-time and two part-time staff and coaches creates an environment that promotes athletic excellence and prioritizes the overall well-being of student-athletes.”
Key Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities of the role include providing strategic and operational direction and leadership for all aspects of MGA’s intercollegiate athletic program. This individual must provide leadership and management for the intercollegiate athletic program, including policy issues, academic and athletic performance, eligibility, budgeting, fiscal management, scheduling, adherence to university policies, association and conference regulations, staff supervision and evaluation, athletic facilities, long-range planning, public and media relations and athletic fundraising.
Candidates should have a master’s degree in a relevant management or administration field relevant to athletics administration, said Buffkin / Baker. A minimum of five years of significant athletic administrative experience at the collegiate level is required; NCAA Division II experience is strongly preferred. Experience in planning, administration, personnel, facilities, fundraising, and fiscal management is also desired. Knowledge in complying with Title IX, ADA, and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations is also necessary.
Middle Georgia State University currently competes as a member of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC). Since becoming a member in 2014, the Knights have experienced athletics success, with numerous teams competing in NAIA championships. The university sponsors 10 intercollegiate varsity teams, engaging approximately 180 student-athletes across its Cochran and Macon campuses.
Higher Education Specialists
Buffkin / Baker is a specialty boutique search firm composed of industry leaders in their respective fields and each has over a decade of retained search experience. Their focus as search professionals is to recruit leaders in digital marketing/advertising, technology, healthcare, media/entertainment, finance, higher education, and non-profit. The firm serves public, private, venture, and private equity-backed companies. Its office locations include Nashville, TN; New York; Washington, D.C.; and Winston Salem, NC, with affiliate offices in London.
Recruiting Top-Notch Higher Education Leadership
In this brand new episode of ‘Talent Talks,’ Hunt Scanlon Media host Rob Adams is joined by Martin Baker, managing partner and Ken Carrick, partner from Buffkin Baker. Mr. Baker and Mr. Carrick take a deep dive into the current state of executive recruiting for the higher education sector and how this segment has been impacted by COVID-19. Listen Now!
Buffkin / Baker is a member of Panorama Search, an international federation of retained firms with 18 firms and over 30 offices globally. Buffkin / Baker formed in 2017 with the merger of the Buffkin Group and Baker and Associates LLC.
Mr. Carrick has managed numerous search engagements throughout his more than 36 years as a search consultant while cultivating a diverse roster of clients in the education, retail, non-profit, manufacturing, healthcare, and government sectors. Before joining Buffkin/ Baker, he served as president of a national retained search firm with dual headquarters in New York and Charlotte, NC.
Ms. DeLoache serves in the higher education practice. For over 20 years, she has provided research, sourcing, and candidate development on numerous search engagements, with a particular focus in the areas of education, non-profit, and governmental entities as well as sales and marketing. She also is active in client relations, consultations, and assisting clients with neutral site interviews. Additionally, she is an AIRS certified diversity and inclusion recruiter (CDR).
Related: Buffkin / Baker Recruits General Counsel for the University of Missouri
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
