Back to Job Feed
Atlanta · GA
Contract
Internship
Other
Director
Description
In order to be considered for this role, after clicking "Apply Now" above and being redirected, you must fully complete the application process on the follow-up screen.
Position Description
Nike is seeking an applied research and innovation specialist with a strong foundation in sport science and experience working in elite high-performance environments to consult in the newly created Performance Innovation Lab at the National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia. The ideal candidate will combine scientific thinking with practical delivery, contributing to applied research initiatives while supporting the development and operation of the Performance Innovation Lab at US Soccer’s Arthur M. Blank National Training Center, as well as other Nike initiatives and sponsored athletes. Funded in partnership with Nike, Inc., this initiative is designed to advance the science and practice of elite soccer performance across all 27-U.S. Soccer National Teams—from youth development through senior international competition.
This role sits at the intersection of elite applied sport science and rigorous research, and given its location, will be embedded within U.S. Soccer’s daily operations while maintaining a strategic research agenda that generates new knowledge for the federation, its athletes, and the broader U.S. soccer ecosystem. As a Nike position, the role will also support select non-soccer Nike initiatives and athletes who access the facility and Performance Innovation Lab, creating cross-sport research opportunities.
Employment Notice
This position is contracted by Nike, Inc. Although posted on U.S. Soccer's career site and based at the U.S. Soccer Arthur M. Blank National Training Center, the successful candidate will be contracted solely by Nike and will be subject to Nike's code of conduct and handbook. Collaboration with and day-to-day direction from U.S. Soccer personnel does not create an employment, joint employment, agency, or contractual relationship with U.S. Soccer, which assumes no liability for employment-related matters associated with this role. By submitting an application for this position, applicants acknowledge that this will be a one year contracted role with potential for extension and that they have read and understand this Employment Notice.
Primary Responsibilities
This role will operate across two interconnected domains:
Applied Research
- Support the design and execution of applied research projects aligned with performance priorities, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation
- Develop and maintain a multi-year research agenda aligned with federation performance priorities and Nike’s innovation interests
- Build longitudinal datasets—including biomechanical profiles—spanning youth through senior levels across men’s and women’s programs
- Identify cross-team performance patterns, developmental benchmarks, and evidence-based recommendations for coaching and performance staff
- Pursue external collaborations with universities, research institutions, and sport science organizations to extend the reach and rigor of the research program
- Present findings to internal stakeholders, at professional conferences, and through peer reviewed publication
Practitioner Services
- Deliver biomechanical and performance science assessments to National Teams during training camps and residencies at the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center
- Develop standardized assessment protocols and normative databases that can be administered across all 27 teams, including by other qualified staff
- Support Integrated Performance Support and Sporting staff by providing evidence-informed insights contributing to training, loading, recovery, and performance optimization decisions
- Support select Nike-sponsored athletes from other sports who access the lab and campus, facilitating cross-sport data collection and innovation
- Female 360: Contribute expertise to the design and delivery of U.S. Soccer's Female 360 health assessments and initiatives, supporting a holistic, athlete-centered approach to women's health and performance
- Contribute to the development of a scalable service model delivered through the Performance Innovation Lab (e.g., testing, profiling, applied workshops, educational visits)
- Translate research insights into practical, actionable tools and recommendations for coaching and performance staff
Lab & Campus Innovation
- Support the procurement, commissioning, and ongoing execution of projects at the Performance Innovation Lab at the US Soccer Arthur M. Blank National Training Center
- Drive the “campus-as-lab” vision: identify opportunities to instrument training environments, integrate technology into daily operations, and turn routine activities into data collection opportunities
- Evaluate emerging technologies, methodologies, and tools for potential integration into the lab and broader campus infrastructure
- Establish data governance, quality assurance, and athlete data privacy protocols for all research and assessment activities
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in Sport Science, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, Human Movement Science, Sport Physiology, or a closely related discipline
- Minimum of 8 years of combined experience in applied sport science research and elite sport performance support, including at least 3 years in a high-performance sport environment (e.g., professional club, national federation, institute of sport)
- Experience working across both men’s and women’s sport programs
- Demonstrated expertise in biomechanical assessment methodologies, including experience with force platforms, 3D motion capture, inertial measurement units, and/or pressure mapping systems
- A peer-reviewed publication record that reflects both scientific rigor and applied relevance
- Experience designing and managing multi-site or multi-team research projects
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex scientific concepts for coaches, medical staff, and organizational leadership
- Ability to operate independently with minimal supervision while navigating a complex, multistakeholder organizational environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in elite football/soccer environments at the club or international level
- Familiarity with the demands and structures of national team programs, including athlete availability constraints and multi-team coordination
- Experience with longitudinal athlete monitoring and developmental tracking across age groups
- Experience working with advanced soccer tracking technologies, including player surface interaction technology, is considered a strong advantage
- Background in or exposure to sport technology innovation, product development, or industry academic partnerships
- Proficiency with data management platforms, statistical software, and visualization tools used in applied sport science
What This Role Offers
- A newly created role within a new, strategically significant initiative backed by both the U.S. Soccer Federation and Nike, Inc.
- Access to a purpose-built Performance Innovation Lab at a world-class National Training Center
- Unparalleled population access: 27 National Teams spanning youth through senior, men’s and women’s, all operating from a centralized campus
- The opportunity to build longitudinal datasets and research programs that have no existing equivalent in world football
- A platform for high-impact publication, professional visibility, and thought leadership in sport science
- Cross-sport exposure through Nike’s broader athlete network and innovation ecosystem
Key Relationships
The role maintains collaborative working relationships with National Team Integrated Performance, support staff, Nike’s Sport Research Lab (NSRL) and innovation teams, and external academic and research partners.
Governance & Accountability
The role reports into the Nike’s NSRL Team in Beaverton, OR and U.S. Soccer’s Performance Innovation Team in Fayetteville, GA. U.S. Soccer research priorities are set collaboratively between U.S. Soccer leadership and Nike, with a defined engagement cadence (e.g., quarterly research updates, annual innovation reviews). The role holder is expected to maintain scientific independence and ethical standards in all research activities.
Day-to-day project priorities may be coordinated with designated U.S. Soccer personnel; however, Nike retains sole responsibility for all contract-related matters. Nothing in this reporting or collaborative structure shall be interpreted as creating an employment relationship between the employee and U.S. Soccer.
To Apply
Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter addressing their vision for the role, and the names of three professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Nike is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in its workforce.
Related Jobs
Director, Partnership Marketing
United States Soccer Federation
Atlanta, GA
Marketing
Director
In order to be considered for this role, after clicking "Apply Now" above and being redirected, you must fully complete the application process on the follow-up screen.
U.S. Soccer Overview
The U.S. Soccer Federation exists in service to soccer. Our aim is to ignite a national passion for the game. Because we believe that soccer is more than a sport; it is a force for good.
We understand the importance and the power of teamwork, on and off the pitch. That is why we work closely with our Federation partners and members, to inspire, support and guide every level of the game: from the grassroots to the National Teams. We want to bring soccer into every home and every community, right across America. Because we believe that soccer can transform lives like no other sport. Soccer can represent the best of U.S.
U.S. Soccer is in a period of significant growth, with ambitious plans for U.S. Soccer in the near and far future. We are, therefore, looking for dynamic servant leaders to join us on this journey: in service to soccer. Applicants must be able to demonstrate visionary leadership, analytical decision-making, professional flexibility, and an empathic management style that builds bold teams and delivers globally significant results.
Position Description
U.S. Soccer is seeking a Director of Partnership Marketing to join our industry-leading team and help drive the growth of soccer in the United States. This individual will be a leader within U.S. Soccer’s growing commercial team and an important driver in the relationship between the Federation and its largest strategic partners. The Director will be keenly focused on driving partner-specific commercial value among its roster of blue-chip partners while building, leading and developing a team. The Director will also work across the organization and with the balance of the Federation’s commercial team to build the U.S. Soccer brand, engage fans, and deliver results.
Primary Responsibilities
This individual will be a key contributor on a team 100% focused on growth and retention of current U.S. Soccer partnerships including, but not limited to:
- Leading a dynamic team: direct, develop and inspire a team that is driven to deliver on both our partners’ and U.S. Soccer business objectives while demonstrating a consistent level of intellectual curiosity.
- Owning day-to-day relationships: lead U.S. Soccer’s relationships with a number of strategic partners; develop and implement creative and high-impact activations that help all parties achieve their goals, including integration with our media partners to build and strengthen long-term strategic relationships.
- Establishing new platforms and opportunities: work collaboratively with U.S. Soccer colleagues across all departments to help create and implement sellable programming and identify ways that current partners can be authentically integrated to help accomplish their goals, and support U.S. Soccer’s bullish growth projections.
- Renewing existing relationships: lean on industry trends, deep category knowledge, evolving partner objectives and meaningful relationships to drive long-term partner extensions
- Securing new partners: assist business development initiatives and the growth of U.S. Soccer by reviewing proposals and developing innovative concepts that support prospective partner objectives.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field of expertise
- 8+ years of experience in strategic brand and partnership marketing
- Able and willing to travel up to 35% of the time to all domestic U.S. Soccer controlled matches
- Able and willing to work non-traditional hours including evenings, weekends & holidays
- General knowledge of soccer
- Capable of working in fast-paced and demanding environments
- Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission
- Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook)
Desired Qualifications
- Pro-active and curious with a bias for action to maximize partner value
- Proven organizational, leadership and project management skills are required. Must be able to lead a team, think strategically, and handle multiple projects.
- Strong analytical skills and experience understanding and interpreting quantitative and qualitative research
- Creative strategist with the ability to open doors
- Relationships with senior level marketing executives at agency and client level
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent events through multi-tasking and managing priorities efficiently
- Ability to work independently and as a part of a multidisciplinary team
- Excellent computer skills, including Outlook, MS Word, PowerPoint and advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities
- Experience with Adobe suite or a similar program is preferred
- A background in, and passion for, soccer, sports and entertainment is preferred
- Experience in sports marketing
- Desire to be part of a team
- ”Student of the Game” mentality and desire for continual growth
- Accountable for actions/decisions and does not make excuses
- Multi-lingual a plus
U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture, and an atmosphere for professional development.
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.
Platform Manager- Salesforce
United States Soccer Federation
Atlanta, GA
Other
Manager
In order to be considered for this role, after clicking "Apply Now" above and being redirected, you must fully complete the application process on the follow-up screen.
U.S. Soccer Overview
The U.S. Soccer Federation exists in service to soccer. Our aim is to ignite a national passion for the game. Because we believe that soccer is more than a sport; it is a force for good.
We understand the importance and the power of teamwork, on and off the pitch. That is why we work closely with our Federation partners and members, to inspire, support and guide every level of the game: from the grassroots to the National Teams. We want to bring soccer into every home and every community, right across America. Because we believe that soccer can transform lives like no other sport. Soccer can represent the best of U.S.
U.S. Soccer is in a period of significant growth, with ambitious plans for U.S. Soccer in the near and far future. We are, therefore, looking for dynamic servant leaders to join us on this journey: in service to soccer. Applicants must be able to demonstrate visionary leadership, analytical decision-making, professional flexibility, and an empathic management style that builds bold teams and delivers globally significant results.
Position Description
The U.S. Soccer Federation seeks a Salesforce Platform Manager to own project management and translate business requirements into epics and user stories. This role ensures that Salesforce becomes the trusted CRM platform for broad Federation use. The Manager must bring experience in philanthropy and CRM adoption for small-to-medium non-profit organizations, with an ability to scale to a national platform. The role requires balancing platform governance with business needs. This position reports to the Senior Salesforce Administrator.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Act as a product manager for Salesforce: manage the platform roadmap, prioritize enhancements, and oversee backlog grooming.
- Facilitate Agile ceremonies in JIRA including sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and reviews to ensure timely delivery of value.
- Translate diverse business requirements into epics, user stories, and acceptance criteria with clear definitions of success.
- Partner with advancement, finance, and program teams to understand business processes and optimize Salesforce to support holistic customer relationship management.
- Oversee end-to-end project management for Salesforce initiatives, including defining scope, setting timelines, coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, and ensuring on-time delivery aligned with business objectives
- Coordinate with Salesforce administrators, developers, and external partners/vendors to deliver platform solutions and integrations
- Develop and maintain governance processes for data integrity, user adoption, and change management.
- Serve as the bridge between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring platform solutions are user-centered and mission-driven.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional experience managing Salesforce as a platform in a nonprofit or fundraising environment.
- Proven track record acting as a product owner/manager: backlog management, sprint planning, and Agile delivery
- Familiarity with fundraising operations, donor engagement, campaign tracking, and grant management processes
- Strong collaboration and relationship-building abilities across teams and functions
- General knowledge of soccer
- Capable of working in fast-paced and demanding environments
- Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission.
Desired Qualifications
- Demonstrated strategic hustle and work ethic with diversity of thought
- A background in, and passion for, soccer, sports and/or entertainment is preferred
- Ability to handle multiple projects, tasks, and priorities
- Bilingual (English and Spanish, preferred)
- 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
- Creative thinker, self-starter with strong analytical skills
U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture, and an atmosphere for professional development.
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.
Program Manager, WNT
United States Soccer Federation
Atlanta, GA
Internship
Technology/IT
Other
Team Administration/Operations
Manager
In order to be considered for this role, after clicking "Apply Now" above and being redirected, you must fully complete the application process on the follow-up screen.
U.S. Soccer Overview
The U.S. Soccer Federation exists in service to soccer. Our aim is to ignite a national passion for the game. Because we believe that soccer is more than a sport; it is a force for good.
We understand the importance and the power of teamwork, on and off the pitch. That is why we work closely with our Federation partners and members, to inspire, support and guide every level of the game: from the grassroots to the National Teams. We want to bring soccer into every home and every community, right across America. Because we believe that soccer can transform lives like no other sport. Soccer can represent the best of U.S.
U.S. Soccer is in a period of significant growth, with ambitious plans for U.S. Soccer in the near and far future. We are, therefore, looking for dynamic servant leaders to join us on this journey: in service to soccer. Applicants must be able to demonstrate visionary leadership, analytical decision-making, professional flexibility, and an empathic management style that builds bold teams and delivers globally significant results.
Position Description
The WNT Program Manager serves as a strategic-administrative partner supporting execution of WNT Strategy and Goldprint for Winning through planning, coordination, and day-to-day alignment across all departments. The role ensures strong follow-through, clear communication, and consistent standards across people, processes, and projects, enabling WNT leadership to remain focused on high-impact priorities as the program builds toward World Cups and Olympics.
This is a senior program management role – not a purely administrative one – requiring independent judgement, strong soccer and organizational understanding, influence with senior stakeholders, and the ability to manage complexity across multiple workstreams while translating strategy into coordinated action across the WNT and Youth National Team ecosystem.
Primary Responsibilities
In Camp Roles and Responsibilities
- Operate with a high degree of autonomy while maintaining alignment with WNT leadership, WNT Operations, and Sporting Strategy.
- Embed female-specific best practices into planning, logistics, and communication.
- Advocate for athlete-centered and gender-informed operational standards.
- Measure and report on progress against strategic milestones.
- Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend process improvements.
- Flag misalignment, recommend prioritization changes, and escalate risks or resource constraints to the Program Director and relevant leadership.
- Ensure continuity and institutional knowledge across multi-year cycles.
- Assist with daily updates in the camp planning and information flow.
- Support the Program Director with the preparation and follow-up of all relevant meetings.
- Ensure key decisions, actions, and follow-ups from camp meetings are clearly captured and progressed.
- Support and reinforce the consistent application of female-specific standards, processes, and planning assumptions across WNT operations, escalating misalignment where required.
- Help maintain standards, consistency, and accountability across departments during camp.
- Support alignment between WNT and U23 (or other WYNT) camps during side-by-side camps.
- Enable WNT Leadership to stay focused on people, performance, and process rather than administrative load.
Off Camp Roles and Responsibilities
- Drive and support mid- and long-term planning aligned to the WNT Strategy and Goldprint for Winning.
- Contribute to major strategic initiatives including World Cups, Olympics, Legacy 2031, and broader WNT priorities.
- Work closely with the Sporting Strategy team to ensure alignment between WNT objectives and wider U.S. Soccer initiatives.
- Act as a strategic thought partner to the Program Director, helping prioritize high-impact, high-stakes decisions.
- Own and manage the WNT Project Planner (e.g., Airtable), ensuring end-to-end tracking of priorities, timelines, RACI, and delivery.
- Maintain oversight of cross-departmental workstreams to ensure alignment, prioritization, and progress.
- Provide progress updates to IRD and WNT staff, highlighting risks and dependencies.
- Drive clear actions, ownership, timelines, and follow-through from strategy and meetings.
- Support the cadence of out-of-camp and internal/external meetings by preparing agendas, briefing materials, and decision frameworks.
- Attend relevant US Soccer all-staff and all-sporting meetings and feed key insights back to WNT leadership.
- Support short-term planning and coordination for upcoming WNT camps.
- Organize and support pre- and post-camp club calls for WNT, U23, and other WYNT programs where relevant.
- Support ongoing alignment and integration between the WNT and U23/WYNT pathways.
- Maintain and oversee key documentation related to strategic planning, pathways, and department initiatives.
- Contribute to succession planning and organizational continuity by embedding repeatable systems, documentation, and processes.
- Support internal and external stakeholder mapping and coordination in collaboration with the Strategy department.
- Reduce administrative burden on senior leadership, enabling greater focus on strategy, relationships, and decision-making.
- Undertake a progressive and ongoing personal and professional developmental process attending and participating in house CPD sessions and external sessions.
- Undertake regular performance appraisals to review your personal development plan and on and off camp progress with WNT Leadership and line manager.
- Execute additional departmental and team tasks as requested by WNT Strategy Team.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Business, or a related field preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, timelines, and stakeholders, translating strategy into execution.
- Strong organizational, communication, and follow-through skills in fast-paced, high-performance environments.
- Experience working in elite sport or high-performance settings, preferably within soccer.
- Strategic, detail-oriented, and proactive, with sound judgment and discretion.
- Comfortable operating across multiple departments and senior stakeholders.
- Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission.
- Experience with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, Airtable, Asana, Smartsheet, Notion or similar).
- Strong alignment with women’s sport and athlete-centered, female-specific performance environments.
- Able and willing to travel up to 50% and work non-traditional hours as required.
Desired Qualifications
- Strong passion for and understanding of women’s soccer.
- Strong understanding of elite football operations and camp environments, gained through professional experience.
- International soccer experience, including exposure to major tournaments, as a player and/or staff member.
- Strong soccer IQ, with understanding of competition calendars, camp demands, and international football environments.
- Experience working within U.S. Soccer, NWSL, USOPC, or comparable national governing bodies preferred.
- Background in sport strategy, performance operations, or high-performance program management.
- Experience working in women’s high-performance environments, ideally through a female-athlete lens.
- Demonstrated ability to operate as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership.
- Experience building and maintaining systems and processes that scale across multi-year cycles.
- Familiarity with project management and tracking systems.
- Bilingual (English/Spanish or other languages) a plus.
U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture, and an atmosphere for professional development.
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.
