Posted: 22-Jan-26
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Type: Full Time
Opening for Athletic Director
Beginning July 1, 2026
THE OPPORTUNITY
Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, Louisiana, seeks an Athletic Director to lead a Middle School and Upper School athletic program. The Athletic Director provides strategic leadership, vision, and oversight for a comprehensive interscholastic athletics program serving students in grades 5-12. Reporting to the Head of School and serving as a member of the School Administrative Team, the Athletic Director ensures that athletics reflect the school’s Catholic identity, the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Network schools, while promoting excellence, integrity, and the holistic development of student-athletes.
The Athletic Director is responsible for the daily operations, long-term planning, and continuous improvement of the athletics program, including personnel management, compliance, budgeting, facilities, communications, and community engagement. A detailed job description for the Athletic Director position can be found here: https://bit.ly/ashathleticdirector.
Through a survey of parents, student-athletes, and coaches, as well as thoughtful analysis, the following challenges/priorities for the next Athletic Director in leading Sacred Heart’s Athletics Department have been identified:
- Coach Recruitment and Development: Hiring and retaining qualified coaches who align with the school’s mission and mentoring them for consistency across programs.
- Operations and Program Management: Unifying -staff and outside coaches around shared expectations; streamlining systems and communication; cultivating a cohesive, mission-driven athletics program grounded in collaboration, clarity, and consistent leadership. Coordinating facilities, practice times, and competition schedules across Middle and Upper School teams.
- Balancing Tradition and Innovation: Preserving the school’s legacy in athletics while introducing new sports, fitness trends, and inclusive programming
The next Athletic Director will be expected to embrace the Academy’s Goals & Criteria and bring the following experience and ability to the position:
- Relational and Collaborative Leader: Builds trust with students, coaches, faculty, parents, and external partners.
- Proven experience building and managing a comprehensive athletics program; comfortable with data-informed decision-making.
- Recruits, supports, and holds coaches accountable.
- Knows how girls learn, lead, and experience competition.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, founded in 1887, is an independent Catholic college-prep institution for girls offering 17 years of instruction from one-year-olds through twelfth grade. The Academy of the Sacred Heart is one of 25 Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada sponsored by the Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ).
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications may be submitted through March 1, 2026. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, and a list of 5 references with all contact information to Kris Blamphin, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, Gretchen Zibilich Kane, at kblamphin@ashrosary.org. For further information about the position and application procedures, please contact the Chair of the Search Committee, Deb Surgi, dsurgiASHADsearch@ashrosary.org.