Job Description

Reports To: Headmaster

About Tempe Preparatory Academy

Tempe Preparatory Academy (TPA) is a leading classical charter school in Tempe, Arizona. Founded in 1996, TPA is a traditional liberal arts school with small classes, a student/teacher ratio of 10 to 1, and an advanced core curriculum designed for college-bound students. The mission of TPA is to educate students for the lifelong pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. The TPA graduate has a foundation in the liberal arts of grammar and rhetoric, logic and mathematics, history, natural science, and philosophy. The graduate has also practiced the fine arts of music, poetry, drawing and painting, and drama. The graduate is thus prepared for every career, every course of advanced or specialized study, and every kind of leisure. In short, the TPA graduate is ready to live the lifetime of learning that creates the richest human life possible.

Beyond academics, TPA students live out these values through extracurricular participation and athletics, consistently demonstrating leadership both within and outside the classroom.

Position Summary

The Athletic Director at TPA is a campus leader responsible for guiding a mission-aligned athletics program that complements TPA’s classical values, cultivates virtue, and enhances student life. The AD oversees all aspects of grades 6–12 athletics, ensuring that every sport reflects TPA’s commitment to discipline, sportsmanship, teamwork, and the holistic development of each student.

This role calls for a leader who communicates proactively and consistently—with students, coaches, faculty, parents, and administration—to foster enthusiasm, unity, and high standards across the program. The AD will restore vitality and structure to athletics, set clear expectations, and be a visible model of the virtues of perseverance, leadership, and integrity.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and implement a cohesive vision and culture for TPA athletics, rooted in the school’s mission and values.
• Actively promote the value of athletics as an essential aspect of virtue formation and community life.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and support athletic coaches for all teams.
• Provide ongoing professional development, feedback, and accountability for coaches.
• Set clear expectations for coaching standards, practice structure, and student-athlete conduct.
• Serve as the primary communicator for the athletics program—keeping students, families, faculty, and staff informed, engaged, and unified.
• Work closely with the Headmaster, faculty, and administration to ensure alignment between academics, athletics, and school culture.
• Secure and manage usage agreements for athletic facilities, coordinating with external organizations as needed to ensure students and teams have access to appropriate spaces for practices and competitions.
• Develop and manage annual athletic budgets; oversee purchasing, fundraising, and resource allocation.
• Organize and maintain team schedules, including practices, games, travel, and facility use.
• Ensure compliance with all internal and external athletic regulations.
• Manage inventory of uniforms and equipment; coordinate facility maintenance and improvements.
• Uphold high standards of conduct, sportsmanship, and personal growth among all student-athletes.
• Support student athletes in their academic, athletic, and college recruiting pursuits.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Deep belief in the formative power of athletics to develop character and the whole person.
• Visionary leadership with the ability to unify and elevate the entire athletics program.
• Excellent organizational, management, and problem-solving skills.
• Charismatic, energetic, and able to foster positive relationships with students, staff, and families.
• Strong and timely communicator—both verbally and in writing.
• Proven experience coaching at the high school level and/or leading athletics in a grades 6–12 educational setting.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; experience as an Athletic Director or Assistant AD is a plus.
• Must possess or obtain valid Arizona Department of Public Safety fingerprint clearance card.
• Ability to travel for games and events; must have reliable transportation.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume and letter of interest to Grace Liffrig, Lead Recruiter: gliffrig@arcadiaed.com OR apply directly here .

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