U.S. Soccer Overview
We are U.S. Soccer and we are the future of sport in the United States. Our mission is to make soccer the preeminent sport in the United States. We embrace diversity, technology and global connections to drive the growth of our sport and serve our athletes and fans. We seek motivated, passionate, skilled people who can think, create, and work on a team.
U.S. Soccer is a growing company that looks for team members to grow with it. U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture, and an atmosphere for professional development.
The Federation’s core principles set organization-wide standards to identify and foster our culture and inform how we interact and hold each other accountable. These principles guide U.S. Soccer: We Win Together. We Aim High. We Champion Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. To be successful as a USSF employee, it is critical to demonstrate and live up to these principles every day and with every interaction with peers, stakeholders, and partners.
The Federation’s core values are the individual attributes and characteristics that staff embody to uphold the organization’s principles and succeed. These values guide our employees: Integrity. Commitment. Teamwork. Respect.
Position Description
The Manager of Partnership Development is responsible for driving new partnership revenue for U.S. Soccer. The individual will play an instrumental role in U.S. Soccer’s efforts to achieve department revenue goals to grow the soccer economy.
Suitable candidates for the role are commercially determined professionals who have a proven track record in delivering high value partnerships with national and global brands through creative activation strategies. Strong candidates will have experience selling sport and entertainment partnerships and thrive working collaboratively with multiple business stakeholders.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Identify, source, and develop new large-scale partnerships for U.S. Soccer’s growing roster of global partners with a focus on best-in-class brands that share similar values, have a passion to activate above and beyond the partnership, and stand motivated to help grow the game.
- Conceptualize bespoke, industry-acclaimed partnerships that highlight U.S. Soccer and its partners in new ways. These partnerships will not only drive revenue but support U.S. Soccer’s strategic pillars.
- Support the department’s new business sales process from start to finish – build and manage an individual prospect list, lead thoughtful introductory calls, foster meaningful relationships with brand marketers, ideate creative solutions-oriented platforms, create proposals and pitches, and participate in the negotiation and execution of new partner contracts.
- Provide reporting, as required by Director, specific to sales pipeline, prospecting, and revenue achievements.
- Develop creative go-to-market strategies to engage with C-Level marketers and secure partners in open categories.
- Provide thought leadership in recommending and executing new sellable platforms.
- Maintain an active schedule of prospect meetings with a focus on strategically growing U.S. Soccer’s partnership portfolio.
- Build relationships with partnership prospects at the executive level and host perspective partners at key U.S. Soccer events throughout the year.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field of expertise.
- 4+ years of experience uncovering, strategically building and negotiating large-scale
- marketing partnerships.
- Able and willing to travel to all domestic U.S. Soccer controlled matches.
- Able and willing to work non-traditional hours including evenings, weekends & holidays.
- Able and willing to lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds.
Desired Qualifications
- Strategic hustle and work ethic with diversity of thought.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Deep understanding of the ever-evolving sports marketing and media landscape.
- Proven track record of constructing innovative, creative, and digitally minded partnerships.
- Possess a working knowledge of research tools used in the industry.
- Ability to handle multiple projects, tasks, and priorities.
- Superior written and verbal communication skills.
- Collaborative, team-player with a results-driven mindset.
- Strong problem-solving capabilities to address and resolve issues that face a growing company.
- Proven ability to set and deliver on clear, ambitious goals and to be accountable for results.
- Strategic thinker, self-starter with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- ”Student of the Game” mentality and desire for continual growth.
- Excellent computer skills, including CRM, Outlook, MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel, SponsorUnited, LinkedIn Sales Navigator and other sales technology.
- A background in, and passion for, soccer, sports and/or entertainment is preferred.
U.S. Soccer is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, military status, political belief, or any other characteristic protected under the law. This policy applies to all our employment practices within our organization.
We strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA, veterans, parents, and persons with disabilities to apply.
