About The University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a research university and academic health center building the future through new ideas and initiatives in the classroom, the laboratory, the studio, and the clinic. UAB was recently ranked as the top young university in the United States, and no. 10 worldwide, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2018 Young University Rankings.
Forging Ahead, UAB's five-year strategic plan for 2024-2028, builds on the success of past plans and outlines the mission, vision, values, peers, foundations and pillars, as well as outlines institutional goals and strategies to achieve them, and measurements of success.
The monumental success experienced under previous strategic plans in UAB President Ray L. Watts’ first ten years leading the institution are chronicled in the Spring 2023 UAB Magazine. Forging the Future, UAB’s 2018-2023 strategic plan, produced a new core curriculum, launched a Grand Challenge, led to record-breaking enrollment and research expenditures and unparalleled generosity in giving by donors.
Before that, the UAB21 plan led to notable achievements including the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance, which is accelerating the efforts to treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, diabetes and kidney disease and more. Subsequent strategic plans expanded the Honors College and created the Blazing Start initiative to give more Birmingham-area high school graduates greater access to UAB educational opportunities.
About The City of Birmingham
“If diversity were a place, it would be Birmingham.” There is incredible variety in Birmingham including cuisine, museums, outdoor experiences, entertainment, festivals and events. UAB’s decades-long partnership with its community and State has led to the economic, cultural and social renaissance of Birmingham – the State’s largest metro area with a population of just over 1 million – as the city has grown from a primarily steel‐based economy to a thriving nexus of R&D, healthcare information and technology, medicine, banking and other services industries. In addition, Birmingham area boasts more than 700 technology‐based companies and, in life science research, hundreds of millions have been awarded regionally from the National Institutes of Health.
Birmingham is home to the Alabama Ballet, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Ballet, Birmingham Concert Chorale, and Opera Birmingham as well as The Birmingham Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the southeast. It also has some of the country's best high schools and with endless river ways, 22 million acres of lush forests, and diverse vistas that range from Gulf Coast beaches to Appalachian cliffs, Alabama is a paradise for those who love the outdoors.
About CENTERS
CENTERS, LLC is a professional management firm specializing in facility, operation, and program management for higher education. CENTERS' management approach is customized for each client yet retains our uniform quality. Our firm unites site staff with a centralized administrative team, each contributing to the firm's goals and client needs. The CENTERS team is innovative, entrepreneurial, trail-blazing, and ambitious for both CENTERS and our clients. Today, CENTERS provides management services for 14 clients
Commitment to the well-being, security, and future of our employees is a priority. View the comprehensive information about the competitive benefits package on our careers page then scroll down to CENTERS Benefits (click link to view).
Responsibilities
The Director - University Recreation leads the strategic vision, operations, and financial performance of a large, high-profile campus recreation department to advance client outcomes in student recruitment, retention, satisfaction, and well-being. This position oversees the financial management and risk mitigation of the 158,000 sq. ft. recreation center and associated programs and services. The Director serves as the on-site account manager and spokesperson, guiding policy, partnerships, and business planning to deliver safe, innovative, and student-centered recreation programs and services. This position reports to CENTERS Vice President - Operations and collaborates with other directors and their respective teams within the Division of Student Affairs.
This position will be the most senior on-site CENTERS employee at our University of Alabama - Birmingham client location. University Recreation (URec) provides fitness, wellness, and recreational opportunities for the UAB community and beyond. The Campus Recreation Center gives UAB Students and URec members the opportunity to access a large aquatic center, fitness center, studio space, indoor 36-foot-high climbing wall, four gym courts, multipurpose gym, four racquetball courts, squash court, and indoor track.
Responsibilities:
- Translate client vision and desired outcomes into actionable strategies and develop inclusive policies that foster engagement and retention.
- Lead annual business planning and staff retreats to sustain a clear mission and measurable goals; create membership and program driven operational goal.
- Execute standards and procedures that ensure resilient, high-quality operations for a high-occupancy, high-visibility asset.
- Proactively manage risks and maintain compliance to deliver uninterrupted services and positive campus impact.
- Build and manage operating and capital budgets; coordinate all capital equipment purchases and projects with client and CENTERS.
- Maintain financial models and implement cost-effective strategies that maximize resources.
- Ensure timely reporting and audit-ready documentation to strengthen client trust.
- Oversee comprehensive recreation, wellness, and fitness programs; continuously innovate offerings.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for high-level inquiries, navigating institutional governance to deliver acceptable outcomes.
- Build strong partnerships across campus and oversee branding efforts that elevate visibility and engagement.
- Leverage data insights to refine strategies and sustain continuous improvement aligned with client objectives.
- Assist with all aspects of lifecycle asset management and capital project planning.
- Serve on university and CENTERS committees.
Staff Supervision:
- Select, train, manage, and evaluate staff. Oversee, through downstream managers, multiple functional disciplines.
- Plan department staffing levels in conjunction with Human Resources.
Site Specific Responsibilities
- Meet regularly with the AVP, Student Health and Well-being and VP, Student Affairs to discuss department effectiveness, fiscal recommendations and university initiatives.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
- Master's degree; MBA preferred
- Must have at least seven (7) years of professional experience in a university recreation environment.
- Demonstrated leadership and supervisory abilities; previous experience as a director preferred.
- Demonstrated budgetary experience (preferred scale: $3-6 million).
- Demonstrated personnel management experience (preferred scale: 3-5 direct reports).
- Knowledge of industry standard practices.
- Demonstrated experience and ability to work as part of, and lead a collaborative, professional team.
Skills and Abilities
- Entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
- Ability to write concise, logical reports; proficiency in presenting proposals/reports to large groups.
- Analytical skills to identify problems, assess alternatives, and render consistent, logical decisions
- Ability to thrive in an environment that values high expectations, accountability, and balanced lifestyle choices
