HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

LANE COLLEGE

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Head Football Coach

Department: Athletics
Location: Jackson, Tennessee
Reports To: Director of Athletics
Position Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
Supervisory Responsibility: Assistant Football Coaches and Assigned Football Program Personnel

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Position Summary

The Head Football Coach provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and comprehensive management of the Lane College football program. The position is responsible for developing and sustaining a competitive NCAA Division II football program that reflects the College's mission, values, and commitment to academic excellence, student-athlete development, institutional integrity, and athletic achievement.

The Head Football Coach is expected to establish a culture of accountability, discipline, teamwork, academic success, and competitive excellence while providing a positive and supportive student-athlete experience.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to recruit, develop, mentor, and retain talented student-athletes; build and lead an effective coaching staff; manage program resources responsibly; and cultivate relationships that strengthen the visibility and reputation of Lane College.

The Head Football Coach serves as a representative of the College and is expected to demonstrate professionalism, ethical leadership, sound judgment, and a commitment to institutional priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Program Leadership and Strategic Management

- Provide overall leadership, direction, and administration of the Lane College football program.

- Develop and implement a comprehensive football program strategy aligned with the Athletics Department's objectives and the College's institutional mission.

- Establish annual program goals, measurable performance objectives, and continuous improvement initiatives.

- Create a positive, disciplined, inclusive, and accountable team culture emphasizing integrity, respect, professionalism, and academic achievement.

- Oversee all football operations, including practices, competitions, player development, team activities, and offseason programming.

- Establish clear expectations and standards of conduct for student-athletes, coaches, and program personnel.

- Maintain regular communication with the Director of Athletics concerning program performance, operational needs, personnel matters, and emerging concerns.

- Demonstrate sound decision-making and professional leadership in matters affecting the football program and the College.

2. Coaching, Competitive Performance, and Player Development

- Develop and implement offensive, defensive, and special teams strategies designed to maximize competitive performance.

- Direct practice planning, game preparation, game-day coaching, and performance evaluations.

- Establish a comprehensive player development program addressing technical skills, physical conditioning, leadership, teamwork, and personal responsibility.

- Collaborate with athletic trainers, strength and conditioning personnel, and other authorized professionals to support student-athlete health, safety, and performance.

- Evaluate individual and team performance and implement appropriate improvement strategies.

- Develop competitive goals and pursue sustained improvement within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and NCAA Division II.

- Ensure the program maintains appropriate standards for sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and competitive integrity.

3. Recruitment, Retention, and Roster Management

- Develop and execute a comprehensive recruiting strategy aligned with the College's enrollment objectives and institutional standards.

- Identify, evaluate, recruit, and retain academically qualified and athletically competitive student-athletes.

- Establish annual recruiting targets and roster management goals in collaboration with the Director of Athletics and appropriate campus departments.

- Maintain productive relationships with high school coaches, athletic programs, prospective student-athletes, families, and recruiting networks.

- Coordinate with Admissions, Financial Aid, Compliance, and other institutional departments throughout the recruitment and enrollment process.

- Monitor student-athlete retention, roster composition, and overall program stability.

- Ensure all recruiting activities comply with applicable NCAA, SIAC, and institutional requirements.

- Support recruitment practices that contribute to enrollment growth, student success, and long-term institutional sustainability.

4. Academic Achievement and Student-Athlete Success

- Promote academic excellence as a fundamental expectation of participation in the football program.

- Collaborate with Academic Affairs, academic advisors, faculty, and student support services to monitor student-athlete academic progress.

- Establish and enforce academic accountability expectations, including class attendance, satisfactory academic progress, and degree completion.

- Monitor team academic performance, academic eligibility, and graduation outcomes.

- Develop strategies to improve student-athlete persistence, retention, and graduation rates.

- Encourage leadership development, character formation, community service, and responsible citizenship.

- Support the overall well-being of student-athletes and refer concerns to appropriate institutional resources.

- Foster an environment in which student-athletes are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.

5. Staff Leadership, Supervision, and Accountability

- Provide direct supervision, mentoring, professional development, and performance evaluation of assistant coaches and assigned program personnel.

- Establish clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for all coaching staff.

- Conduct regular staff meetings and performance reviews to ensure alignment with program objectives.

- Recommend staffing needs and personnel actions in accordance with College policies and established Human Resources procedures.

- Ensure coaching staff complete required institutional, NCAA, and applicable professional training.

- Promote effective communication, collaboration, and accountability throughout the football program.

- Promptly address performance deficiencies, conduct concerns, and operational issues through appropriate institutional channels.

- Maintain a professional workplace environment consistent with Lane College's standards and expectations.

6. NCAA, Conference, and Institutional Compliance

- Ensure strict adherence to NCAA Division II, SIAC, and Lane College policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.

- Maintain working knowledge of NCAA recruiting, eligibility, practice, competition, and student-athlete participation requirements.

- Collaborate with the Athletics Compliance Office or designated compliance administrator to maintain program compliance.

- Ensure timely completion of required compliance documentation, certifications, and reporting.

- Promptly report suspected violations, misconduct, safety concerns, or other compliance issues through established institutional channels.

- Support institutional policies concerning Title IX, nondiscrimination, harassment prevention, student-athlete welfare, and ethical conduct.

- Cooperate fully with institutional reviews, investigations, audits, and compliance assessments.

- Maintain appropriate confidentiality and safeguard student-athlete and institutional information.

7. Budget, Operations, and Resource Management

- Develop, administer, and monitor the football program's annual operating budget in coordination with the Director of Athletics.

- Demonstrate fiscal responsibility and ensure expenditures remain within approved budgetary limits.

- Oversee equipment, uniforms, supplies, team travel, scheduling, facilities coordination, and other operational requirements.

- Maintain accurate records of program expenditures, equipment inventories, and operational activities.

- Ensure procurement and purchasing activities comply with College policies and approval procedures.

- Coordinate with the Athletics Department and relevant campus offices to support effective facility utilization and game-day operations.

- Identify opportunities for cost efficiency and responsible allocation of institutional resources.

- Provide timely operational and financial reports as requested by the Director of Athletics.

8. Institutional Engagement, Fundraising, and Community Relations

- Serve as a positive and professional ambassador for Lane College and its Athletics Department.

- Build and maintain productive relationships with alumni, donors, community organizations, high schools, and other stakeholders.

- Participate in approved fundraising, advancement, and alumni engagement initiatives.

- Collaborate with Institutional Advancement and Athletics leadership to support football program fundraising priorities.

- Participate in campus events, community service activities, public relations opportunities, and institutional programs.

- Support initiatives that strengthen the reputation, visibility, and engagement of the College.

- Maintain positive and professional relationships with local and regional media in accordance with institutional communication protocols.

9. Institutional Collaboration and Administrative Responsibilities

- Work collaboratively with the Director of Athletics, College administration, faculty, staff, and campus departments.

- Support the strategic priorities and operational expectations established by the College.

- Participate in Athletics Department meetings, institutional committees, and professional development activities as assigned.

- Maintain accurate records, reports, and documentation relating to student-athletes, personnel, recruiting, and program operations.

- Respond promptly and professionally to administrative requests and institutional concerns.

- Ensure appropriate communication and timely reporting of significant program developments.

- Perform other related duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics or authorized College administration.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

- Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible football coaching experience at the collegiate level or a combination of collegiate and relevant high school coaching experience.

- Demonstrated experience in football program operations, recruiting, coaching, and student-athlete development.

- Knowledge of NCAA regulations, collegiate athletics administration, and athletic compliance principles.

- Demonstrated ability to recruit and retain academically qualified student-athletes.

- Experience supervising, mentoring, or coordinating coaching personnel.

- Strong leadership, organizational, communication, interpersonal, and decision-making skills.

- Ability to develop and implement measurable program goals and performance improvement strategies.

- Demonstrated commitment to academic achievement, ethical conduct, and student-athlete welfare.

- Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and work effectively in a demanding collegiate athletics environment.

- Availability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and travel as required by the football program.

Preferred Qualifications

- Master's degree from an accredited institution.

- Previous collegiate head coaching or coordinator experience.

- Experience coaching at the NCAA Division II level, preferably within the SIAC.

- Experience working within a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) environment.

- Demonstrated success in developing competitive football programs and improving team performance.

- Proven ability to establish effective recruiting pipelines and strengthen student-athlete retention.

- Experience with program budgeting, resource management, and operational planning.

- Demonstrated success in staff leadership, organizational development, and program culture improvement.

- Experience in alumni engagement, fundraising, and community relations.

- Proven commitment to student-athlete academic success and degree completion.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following:

Strategic Leadership: Ability to articulate and execute a long-term vision for football program success.

Accountability and Integrity: Commitment to ethical decision-making, transparency, institutional policies, and responsible leadership.

Talent Development: Ability to identify, develop, motivate, and retain talented student-athletes and coaching personnel.

Academic Commitment: Understanding of the importance of academic achievement, student persistence, and degree completion.

Communication and Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and external stakeholders.

Financial Stewardship: Ability to manage budgets, resources, and operational expenditures responsibly.

Program Management: Strong planning, organizational, problem-solving, and administrative capabilities.

Student-Athlete Welfare: Commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful, supportive, and development-focused athletic environment.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Head Football Coach will be evaluated on established annual performance expectations, including but not limited to the following:

Performance Area

Evaluation Measures

Competitive Performance

Overall win-loss record, SIAC standing, year-over-year improvement, and postseason performance

Academic Achievement

Team GPA, academic eligibility, satisfactory academic progress, retention, and graduation rates

Recruitment and Enrollment

Achievement of approved recruiting targets, roster strength, and successful enrollment of qualified student-athletes

Student-Athlete Retention

Annual retention, roster stability, and reduction in avoidable attrition

NCAA and Institutional Compliance

Compliance training, required reporting, adherence to regulations, and timely correction of identified deficiencies

Staff Leadership

Completion of staff evaluations, professional development, staff accountability, and effective team management

Financial Management

Adherence to approved budgets, fiscal accountability, and responsible resource utilization

Student-Athlete Development

Leadership development, conduct, sportsmanship, student engagement, and overall program culture

Institutional Engagement

Participation in fundraising, alumni relations, community service, and institutional activities

Operational Excellence

Timely reporting, completion of administrative requirements, communication, and collaboration across departments

Annual Performance Expectations: Specific performance targets will be established in consultation with the Director of Athletics and reviewed periodically. Evaluations will consider competitive outcomes, academic success, operational performance, student-athlete development, and alignment with institutional expectations.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

- Work is performed in office, athletic facility, practice field, stadium, and travel environments.

- Requires regular attendance at practices, competitions, recruitment activities, and institutional events.

- May involve exposure to outdoor weather conditions, including heat, cold, and precipitation.

- Requires the ability to stand, walk, demonstrate coaching activities, and perform essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

- Requires frequent travel and a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Lane College is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are made in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and institutional policies.

Position Disclaimer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, qualifications, or working conditions.

Lane College reserves the right to modify, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities consistent with institutional needs and applicable laws.