Job Summary

The Director of Experiential Learning and Industry Engagement is the driving force behind Purdue’s Master of Science in Sport Management program. This role serves as the connector - bringing together academic excellence, real-world experience, and industry partnerships to shape how students learn and launch their careers. Based in Indianapolis and supporting both campuses, this leader will build the systems, processes, relationships, while securing hands-on opportunities that turn coursework into meaningful professional pathways.

What You’ll Be Doing:

In this position, the Director designs an integrated experiential learning model, forges partnerships across all levels of sport, and develops the career pipelines that help MSSM graduates make an immediate impact. As a senior member of the program’s leadership team, the Director bridges students, faculty, and sport organizations through internships, practicums, consulting projects, capstones, and professional development programming. The result is an industry-connected, nationally visible graduate experience that positions Purdue and Indianapolis as a premier hub for applied sport management education.

The primary duty station will be located in Indianapolis with some travel to West Lafayette as needed for department related requirements.

What We’re Looking For:

Required:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in sport management, business, education, or related field.
• Nine years of progressive leadership in experiential learning, career development, or sport industry engagement.
• Experience in higher education or a sport-related enterprise.
• Success in developing experiential learning initiatives, cultivating industry partnerships, and supporting student or talent pipelines.
• Strategic leadership, effective management of staff and resources.
• Ability to collaborate across institutional and industry settings.
• Excellent communication skills and sound professional judgement.

Skills Needed:

Leadership and Strategy

• Strategic planning and program development.
• Experience leading teams and managing budgets.
• Strong judgment, integrity, and risk management.
• Ability to collaborate across campuses and institutional units Experiential Learning and Student Development.

Design and oversight of internships, practicums, and applied learning experiences

• Career coaching, advising, and professional development expertise.
• Ability to develop and support Personalized Professional Development Plans (PDPs).
• Experience with assessment systems and tracking student outcomes.

Industry Partnership, Alumni Engagement and External Relations

• Ability to cultivate and maintain partnerships across the sport industry.
• Experience engaging alumni for mentoring, recruitment, and program support.
• Skill in coordinating industry and alumni events.
• Experience managing MOUs and structured partnership agreements.
• Knowledge of sport industry structures and emerging trends.

Communication and Relationship-Building

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Effective presenter to advisory boards, alumni groups, and industry leadership.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and external partners.

Project, Data & Organizational Skills

• Ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Proficiency with dashboards and outcome-tracking systems.
• Data-informed decision-making and reliable compliance oversight.

Additional Information:

• Purdue will not sponsor an employment related visa for this position
• A background check will be required for employment in this position
• FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible For Overtime)
• Retirement Eligibility: Defined Contributions Waiting Period

Purdue University is an EO/EA University.

Who We Are:

The Department of Health & Kinesiology is one of nine units in the College of Health & Human Sciences and is home to 23 full-time faculty, 650 undergraduate students, and 80 graduate students. We offer a BS in Kinesiology with concentrations in Sports Medicine, Sport Management, and Clinical Exercise Physiology. Our graduate programs include the MS in Athletic Training, MS in Sport Management, MS in Health and Kinesiology, and PhD in Health and Kinesiology. Some of our programs are offered in both West Lafayette and Indianapolis.

College of Health and Human Sciences

The College of Health and Human Science (HHS) is driving innovation in Indianapolis through educational programs in Sports Management, Athletic Training, and Hospitality & Tourism Management, alongside research initiatives like the Accessible Precision Audiology Research Center. Guided by Purdue’s One Health Pillar, we aim to integrate disciplines across health and human sciences to advance human health, reduce risks, and promote preventive care.

HHS’s Indianapolis vision is to prepare students as One Health leaders with cross-disciplinary expertise in nutrition, fitness, toxicology, mental health, and the impact of medications and environmental factors. We are committed to improving lives by fostering developmental health, healthy lifestyles, and sustainable communities. Leveraging the strengths of HHS’s nine units and collaborations across Purdue colleges, industry, and Indiana health systems, our Indianapolis efforts will expand education, research, and engagement to create thriving organizations and communities.

Purdue University

Established in 1869, Purdue is Indiana’s land-grant university, a comprehensive educational and research institution and member of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Equity in Graduate Education Consortium. Purdue is recognized as a Top 10 public university by QS world rankings and is the #10 most recognized university globally by American Caldwell. In addition to the College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University’s strengths in Agriculture, Education, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management, Pharmacy, Science, and Veterinary Medicine contribute to a robust research and educational environment. Purdue University in Indianapolis is a fully integrated extension of the West Lafayette campus, bringing Purdue’s academic excellence and innovation to the heart of Indiana. As the state’s only public top 10 university — and its most trusted and innovative—Purdue is strengthening its presence in Indiana’s industrial, technological and health sciences hub. This expansion delivers a cutting-edge, STEM-driven collegiate experience with a growing focus in business and the health sciences. By connecting Purdue students and faculty in Indianapolis with industry and research partners, we aim to accelerate Indiana’s STEM pipeline, advance health innovation, and fuel the state’s tech ecosystem—creating impact for our region and the world.