Head Athletic Trainer/Senior Staff Athletic Department Member

Description

Head Athletic Trainer / Senior Staff Athletic Department Member

Institution: Clinton College

Classification: Full-Time 

Affiliation: NCCAA Division I

Reports To: Director of Athletics

Job Summary

The Head Athletic Trainer provides leadership, strategic vision, and comprehensive clinical care as the foundational architect of the college’s inaugural full-time sports medicine program. Serving as a member of the Athletic Department Senior Staff, this individual oversees the prevention, evaluation, management, and rehabilitation of injuries for all student-athletes and performing artists (Basketball, Volleyball, Cross Country, Golf, Cheer, and Band). The Head Athletic Trainer integrates professional excellence to build a safe, compliant, and supportive environment that nurtures the emotional and physical well-being of all participants.

Senior Leadership & Strategic Responsibilities

• Departmental Governance: Serve on the Athletic Department Senior Staff to shape athletic policy, culture, and long-term strategic goals.
• Program Architecture: Build, implement, and maintain the college's first comprehensive sports medicine standard operating procedures from the ground up.
• Risk Management: Author and enforce institutional Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for all practice, competition, and performance venues.
• Advocacy & Compliance: Serve as the chief medical authority for the department, ensuring full compliance with NCCAA Division I medical regulations and HIPAA privacy laws.

Clinical & Sport-Specific Care

• Injury Management: Provide triage, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation for all sponsored sports and performing arts.
• Court Sports: Implement landing-mechanics and lower-extremity injury prevention protocols for basketball and volleyball.
• Endurance & Outdoor Sports: Manage hydration, heat-illness tracking, and overuse-injury protocols for cross country and golf.
• Performing Arts Medicine: Establish specialized concussion baseline testing and spinal safety protocols tailored for competitive cheer stunting and marching band maneuvers.
• Medical Network: Recruit and maintain local relationships with team physicians, orthopedic specialists, and physical therapy networks to streamline student-athlete care.

Administration & Operations

• Budget Development: Design and manage the inaugural sports medicine operating budget, tracking inventory and procuring capital medical equipment.
• Medical Records: Select, implement, and manage the department’s first Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software system.
• Insurance Oversight: Coordinate and process athletic secondary insurance policies and claims in partnership with the college business office.
• Pre-Participation Clearances: Organize the annual pre-participation physical examination process and manage medical clearance workflows.

Requirements

Job Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in athletic training or sports medicine required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Certifications: Current Board of Certification (BOC) certification as an Athletic Trainer (ATC).
• Licensure: Current state licensure as an Athletic Trainer, or immediate eligibility to obtain it.
• Emergency Medicine: Current BLS/CPR and AED certifications.
• Experience: 3+ years of certified experience in collegiate or elite athletics; prior experience building or scaling an athletic training room operation is highly desirable.