The University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) is seeking a student-centered, community-focused Director of the Fitness and Recreation Center (FRC). The FRC serves as a highly visible and vital asset for both the UMF campus community and the greater Farmington region. 

In this role, you will provide daily administrative leadership for all FRC staff, facilities, programs, and services. You will strategically maximize our fiscal, structural, and human resources — mentoring both professional and student teams — to advance the shared mission of the center and the university. As a key member of the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management leadership group, your work will directly drive student retention, elevate the campus experience, and strengthen UMF's vital connection to the greater Farmington community. 

Based on the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant, the anticipated annual salary for this position is up to $72,000 plus an employer contribution to the UMS retirement plan. Additional benefits include medical, dental, vision, and tuition waiver programs for employees and dependents.

Job Description

 

Key Responsibilities

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Ensure a safe, supportive, educational, lively, and fun student/community-integrated environment for all members. 
• Program Planning: Lead staff in planning and implementing a diverse agenda of indoor and outdoor fitness and recreation programs that maximize building and environmental resources. 
• Staff Supervision: Hire, train, supervise, develop, and evaluate professional, administrative, part-time, temporary, and student staff (including front desk staff, building attendants, lifeguards, personal trainers, and Mainely Outdoors student teams). 
• Inclusion & Compliance: Ensure all programmatic efforts, policies, and procedures are inclusive, informed by professional standards, and support the UMF strategic plan. 
• Fiscal Management: Administer programmatic and operational budgets while actively creating and optimizing revenue opportunities. 
• Marketing & Assessment: Develop effective marketing strategies and implement program outcomes assessments to ensure continual improvement and address industry trends. 
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate daily with students, staff, faculty, and community members, and serve on relevant campus and community committees. 

 

Required Competencies

• Mission Alignment: A deep commitment to serving as a resource, support, and champion for the fitness goals of students and community members. 
• Inclusive Leadership: The ability to foster a collaborative team environment that prioritizes safety, involvement, shared responsibility, and belonging. 
• Collaboration: A genuine willingness to collaborate across the university and local community to ensure a positive experience for all members and patrons. 
• Organization & Execution: The ability to plan and organize work, manage time effectively, and accomplish duties with a high level of attention to detail. 
• Communication Mastery: Outstanding interpersonal skills across all stakeholders, including written, verbal, presentation, and top-tier customer service. 
• Problem-Solving & Innovation: The ability to think innovatively, use emerging tools to find creative solutions to ever-changing challenges, and adapt positively to change. 
• Data-Driven Decision Making: The ability to evaluate the outcomes of implemented solutions and pivot based on lessons learned. 
• High Emotional Intelligence: Exceptional crisis management skills—the ability to maintain composure, remain resilient under pressure, and delegate effectively while keeping strict policies in mind.
• Tech-Savviness: Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, Rec Trac, Rec Center, and various social media platforms, alongside an ability to quickly adapt to new tech. 
• Discretion & Ethics: Demonstrated ability to make ethical decisions, exercise principled judgment, and strictly respect confidentiality with sensitive information. 

 

 

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master's degree in health, physical education, recreation, exercise science, kinesiology, sports management, or a related field, OR an equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Professional Experience: 5–7 years of full-time professional experience in a fitness or recreation facility or organization. 
• Leadership Experience: Demonstrated track record with both supervisory experience and budget management experience. 
• Safety & Crisis Experience: Hands-on crisis and emergency management experience. 
• Technical Knowledge: Practical familiarity with fitness equipment operation and maintenance. 
• Certifications: Current CPR, AED, and First Aid Certifications. 
• Licensure: A valid driver's license (in accordance with UMS standards). 

Preferred Qualification:

• Risk management experience. 
• Experience with assessment and program evaluation. 
• Personal training or group fitness certifications. 
• Pool Operator license. 
• Lifeguard, Lifeguard Instructor, or Water Safety certifications. 
• Maine Education Trip Leader permit (or similar from another state/organization). 
• Wilderness First Aid certification. 
• Fundraising experience.

• Cover Letter
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Contact information for three (3) professional references

 

We are not able to consider applicants who require any visa sponsorship support

Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.

For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 pm EST on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.  

The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening and post-offer physical as applicable.

 

The University of Maine at Farmington employees are Mandatory Reporters with the exception of UMF’s licensed, clinical medical providers (including athletic trainers) and mental health providers and their clinical interns when working in their capacity as providers.  

 

Equal Opportunity Statement

About the University of Maine System

The University of Maine System (UMS), established in 1968, consists of seven universities and the University of Maine School of Law, spread across various locations in Maine. UMS provides system-wide services and governance from these locations, leveraging the distinct strengths and collaborations among its institutions to advance strategic priorities for UMS and the state of Maine.

Choosing UMS means opting for a high quality of life supported by excellent benefits such as tuition waivers, robust retirement contributions, and comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability. Maine's diverse landscapes, from accessible wilderness and rugged coastline to urban centers and rural communities, offer numerous cultural activities, strong public schools, safe neighborhoods, and high-quality healthcare. Discover more about Maine's exemplary lifestyle on the Maine Office of Tourism website.

The University of Maine at Farmington has earned a national reputation for excellence, gaining stature as one of the finest state-supported liberal arts colleges in the northeastern U.S. Additionally, UMF is rated 5th in U.S. News & World Report Top Regional Public College North for 2023 and has been rated one of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News 25 times since 1998.

The campus is in historic downtown Farmington, just a short walk away from coffee shops, funky stores, restaurants, banks, bookstores, a multi-screen movie theater and a whole lot more. Our perfect location combines the active outdoor lifestyle with the arts & smarts of a small college town.  With enrollment at around 1,600 full-time students, UMF is about the same size as many of New England’s most selective private colleges and offers many of the same advantages, yet at a very affordable price — providing a tremendous college value in a spectacular natural setting.  Established in 1864 as Maine’s first public institution of higher education, the University of Maine at Farmington is a founding member of The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) an exclusive national group of public colleges and universities committed to providing superior liberal arts and sciences education
Director of the Fitness and Recreation Center - UMS Careers