Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Kinesiology Assistant Director

🎯 Role Definition

The Assistant Director of Kinesiology supports and advances a university or department-level kinesiology program by coordinating academic programs, supervising faculty and staff, managing clinical and lab operations, ensuring accreditation and assessment compliance, fostering research and community partnerships, and driving student recruitment, retention, and experiential learning. This role serves as a primary operational leader who aligns curriculum, faculty development, and strategic initiatives to institutional goals in exercise science, sports medicine, and human performance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Kinesiology Program Coordinator or Academic Advisor with oversight of curricular logistics and student services.
Senior Lecturer / Clinical Instructor in Exercise Science, Athletic Training, or related disciplines with supervisory responsibilities.
Clinical or Research Coordinator in a university lab, sports medicine clinic, or community health program.

Advancement To:

Director of Kinesiology / Program Director overseeing multiple degree programs and budgets.
Department Chair or Associate Chair in Health & Human Performance.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Director of Clinical Education for allied health professions.

Lateral Moves:

Director of Athletic Training or Clinical Education in allied health.
Academic Program Director for Exercise Science, Public Health, or Physical Therapy programs.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the operational management and continuous improvement of undergraduate and/or graduate kinesiology programs, ensuring curriculum alignment with current evidence-based practice, accreditation standards, and institutional academic policies.
Oversee curriculum development and program assessment including course sequencing, learning outcomes mapping, syllabi review, and iterative updates to align with professional competencies and workforce needs.
Serve as the primary coordinator for program accreditation, assessment reporting, and compliance activities (regional accreditation, program-specific accreditors), preparing documentation, coordinating site visits, and implementing corrective action plans.
Manage faculty and staff recruitment, onboarding, supervision, annual reviews, professional development plans, and workload distribution to support teaching, research, and service missions.
Develop and administer program budgets, monitor expenditures, allocate resources for labs/clinics, and partner with institutional finance offices to forecast needs and justify funding requests.
Direct clinical education and practicum relationships with external partners (hospitals, clinics, community organizations, athletic programs), establishing MOUs, supervising preceptor training, and ensuring quality student experiences.
Oversee laboratory and instructional space operations including equipment procurement, maintenance, safety protocols, scheduling, and compliance with institutional and OSHA/CLIA guidelines for human subjects and exercise testing.
Supervise and mentor graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants, lab techs, and clinical supervisors, establishing clear expectations, training programs, and performance evaluation processes.
Coordinate student recruitment, admissions support, orientation, advising, retention strategies, and career placement activities to increase enrollments and improve student success and graduation rates.
Lead or assist faculty in grant development and external funding initiatives by identifying opportunities, co-writing proposals, managing awarded grants, and ensuring fiscal and regulatory compliance.
Promote and facilitate faculty research and scholarly activity by connecting investigators with internal/external funding, overseeing shared research resources, and coordinating IRB and human subjects protocols.
Design, implement, and analyze program-level assessment plans using quantitative and qualitative data to inform curricular changes and demonstrate student learning outcomes to stakeholders.
Implement evidence-based clinical and instructional practices, integrating technology (e.g., motion analysis, EMG, metabolic carts, wearables) and simulation into coursework and applied learning.
Develop and execute community engagement, outreach, and continuing education programs (workshops, certifications, public health initiatives) to strengthen community partnerships and program visibility.
Serve as liaison with internal stakeholders (deans, department chairs, registrars, finance, facilities) and external partners (clinical sites, professional associations, accrediting bodies) to coordinate scheduling, placements, and policy implementation.
Create, maintain, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as retention, placement rates, licensure/certification pass rates, program enrollment trends, and annual outcomes for leadership and boards.
Oversee student clinical placement logistics including site assignment, travel coordination, compliance documentation, background checks, immunizations, and liability coverage to ensure safe and compliant training environments.
Lead program marketing and recruitment initiatives in partnership with admissions and communications teams, developing web content, collateral, presentations, and onsite/offsite recruitment events to drive applicant pipelines.
Establish and maintain protocols for student safety, risk management, and emergency response during labs, fieldwork, and clinical practicums, ensuring staff and students are trained and incident reports are managed.
Participate in strategic planning for the unit by proposing program expansions, new certificates or concentrations, interdisciplinary collaborations, and revenue-generating continuing education offerings.
Implement and manage academic scheduling and course enrollment planning to optimize faculty assignments, classroom/lab utilization, and student progression through degree milestones.
Drive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the program by recruiting diverse faculty/students, supporting culturally competent curriculum, and implementing inclusive pedagogy and advising practices.
Coordinate student assessment of instruction, faculty development workshops, and teaching innovations aimed at continuous improvement in pedagogy and student engagement across modalities (in-person, hybrid, online).
Ensure program policies and student handbooks are current, clearly communicated, and consistently enforced, and advise leadership on policy revisions responsive to accreditation, legal, and institutional changes.

Secondary Functions

Support faculty and staff in responding to ad-hoc data requests about enrollment, retention, and assessment; partner with institutional research to produce dashboards and reports.
Assist with exploratory program evaluation and pilot projects to test new instructional technologies, community partnerships, or certificate offerings.
Contribute to the unit’s strategic plan by proposing data-driven initiatives, identifying opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, and helping define short- and long-term milestones.
Participate in university committees, accreditation task forces, and cross-departmental initiatives to represent kinesiology program interests and facilitate institutional alignment.
Support development and maintenance of online course content, LMS integration, and instructional design collaborations to expand remote and hybrid learning options.
Represent the program at professional conferences, community events, and recruitment fairs to build reputation and cultivate networks for students and faculty.
Coordinate small-scale fundraising, alumni relations, and donor stewardship activities related to program scholarships, lab upgrades, or equipment funds.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program administration & academic operations: demonstrated experience managing course scheduling, accreditation deadlines, and program logistics for undergraduate and/or graduate kinesiology programs.
Curriculum design & assessment: proficiency with curriculum mapping, learning outcome development, assessment tool creation, and using assessment data to guide curricular change.
Accreditation & regulatory compliance: knowledge of regional and program-specific accreditation processes, documentation, site visits, and corrective action implementation.
Clinical education coordination: experience arranging clinical placements, managing preceptor relationships, and ensuring compliance with clinical site requirements (immunizations, background checks, HIPAA).
Budgeting & fiscal management: ability to build and manage program budgets, track expenditures, and prepare financial reports and justification for resources.
Grant writing & sponsored program management: experience identifying funding opportunities, preparing proposals, managing budgets, and maintaining compliance with sponsor regulations.
Research methods & data analysis: familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research design, basic statistics, IRB processes, and tools like SPSS/R or similar for program evaluation.
Laboratory & equipment oversight: competency in managing exercise science labs, diagnostic equipment (metabolic carts, dynamometers, EMG), maintenance schedules, and procurement.
Instructional technologies & LMS: working knowledge of Canvas, Blackboard, or other LMS platforms; integration of digital tools for assessment and remote instruction.
Student information & scheduling systems: proficiency with degree audit systems, course registration platforms, scheduling software, and student record confidentiality requirements.
Health & safety compliance: knowledge of OSHA, institutional biosafety, human subjects protections, and emergency response procedures relevant to kinesiology labs and clinical settings.

Soft Skills

Strategic leadership: proven ability to translate program vision into operational plans, set priorities, and lead change initiatives across faculty and staff.
Effective communication: excellent written and verbal communication for policy documents, accreditation reports, recruitment materials, and stakeholder presentations.
Collaborative facilitation: skill in building partnerships across departments, clinical sites, and community organizations to create high-quality experiential learning.
Mentorship & people development: experience coaching faculty, staff, and students, providing constructive feedback, and supporting professional growth.
Problem-solving & decision-making: ability to analyze complex operational issues, identify root causes, and implement timely, evidence-based solutions.
Cultural competency & inclusivity: demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in curriculum, recruiting, advising, and community engagement.
Time management & prioritization: capacity to manage multiple projects, competing deadlines, and operational emergencies while maintaining attention to detail.
Conflict resolution: tactful negotiation and mediation skills for resolving faculty, student, or community partner disputes.
Adaptability & innovation: willingness to pilot new instructional models, adopt emerging technologies, and respond to evolving accreditation or workforce needs.
Student-centered advising: ability to provide high-quality academic and career advising that supports retention, persistence, and graduate/professional placement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Master’s degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Athletic Training, Physical Therapy, Public Health, or a closely related field (required).

Preferred Education:

Doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, DPT) in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Human Performance, or related discipline; terminal degree desirable for leadership in research-intensive programs.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Kinesiology / Human Movement Science
Exercise Physiology / Exercise Science
Athletic Training / Sports Medicine
Physical Therapy / Rehabilitation Sciences
Public Health / Health Promotion
Education with a focus on curriculum and instruction in health sciences

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10+ years of progressive experience in higher education program administration, clinical education coordination, or equivalent leadership roles within kinesiology, athletic training, or allied health programs.

Preferred:

7+ years of supervisory experience with documented accomplishments in accreditation, curriculum development, grant management, and faculty development.
Demonstrated track record of successful clinical partnerships, student placement outcomes, and measurable improvements in program KPIs (retention, graduation, certification/licensure pass rates).