Manager, Media Relations

U.S. Soccer Overview

The U.S. Soccer Federation exists in service to soccer. As the governing body of soccer in all its forms in the United States, U.S. Soccer has played an integral part in charting the course for the sport in the USA for more than 100 years. 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’s 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 across America.

U.S. Soccer is in a period of significant growth, with ambitions plans for U.S. Soccer in the near and far future. We are therefore looking for dynamic servant leaders to join us on this transformative journey. 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 dynamic and strategic Manager, Communications to drive storytelling and elevate the profile of the Soccer Forward Foundation, while aligning communications across the Advancement and Commercial teams. This role plays a critical part in building awareness and momentum around major gifts, partnerships, and donor impact, while seamlessly connecting the work of the Foundation to broader commercial initiatives.

This position will work closely with the Vice President, External Communications to develop and execute an integrated communications strategy. The ideal candidate is a natural storyteller, strong writer, and proactive media liaison with excellent project management skills and the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the communications strategy for the Soccer Forward Foundation in collaboration with the VP, External Communications.
• Create and manage storytelling opportunities for Soccer Forward programs. Work to build and maintain relationships with a diverse portfolio of reporters to secure coverage of Soccer Forward’s work. Regularly liaise with Federation programmatic staff to identify opportunities and assess options for pitching and storytelling through USSF channels and earned media.
• Craft compelling narratives that highlight the impact of the Foundation, major gifts, and strategic donor partnerships.
• Connect storytelling across Advancement, Commercial, and Foundation efforts to ensure brand alignment and amplify impact.
• Create press materials, feature stories, speeches, talking points, and donor communications.
• Pitch stories to media and secure earned coverage that enhances the visibility of the Foundation and Advancement programs.
• Assist with reactive press support as needed: manage and field incoming press inquiries. Be able to provide research, recommendations, and strategic assessments for press inquiries.
• Oversee the creation of donor spotlights, case statements, social media content, videos, and other storytelling tools.
• Serve as a liaison between the Advancement, Commercial, and Foundation teams to align messaging and share success stories.
• Support Commercial partnerships with communications content that ties back to mission-driven work.
• Lead and manage multiple communications projects from concept to execution, ensuring on-time delivery and high-quality outcomes.
• Track progress and provide regular updates to internal stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in in communications, public relations, or related field.
• Experience developing campaigns from the ground up, including strategy, messaging, content, and distribution – specifically for initiatives focused on community or social impact.
• Outstanding writing and editing skills for different formats including reactive statements, briefing memos, press releases, social media, pitches, etc.
• Strong planning capabilities to identify and prioritize communication strategies and activities, execute upon them and meet fast-moving deadlines.
• Track record of successfully pitching and placing stories in traditional and digital media.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated success working across internal departments and external partners to align messaging and maximize community impact.
• Experience working with fundraising, philanthropic, or nonprofit initiatives preferred.
• Passion for sports, community impact, and donor engagement a plus.
• 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)

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.

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’s 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 US.

U.S. Soccer is in a period of significant growth, with ambitions plans for US 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 Manager, Sporting Strategy is a strategic and operational leader that will play a critical role in driving The U.S. Way – U.S. Soccer’s Strategy for producing winning Senior National Teams with an emphasis on player development. This individual will collaborate with the Sporting leadership team and other key Federation stakeholders to shape, plan, and execute priority initiatives and processes.

Primary Responsibilities

• Shape and manage transformative strategic initiatives (e.g., project goals and tracking, stakeholder management, communications) that further the goals of The U.S. Way.
• Support Sporting leadership in establishing creative, clear, and effective organizational processes and systems.
• Lend important operational support for Sporting initiatives such as setting meeting agendas, coordinating schedules, and tracking key next steps.
• Perform qualitative and quantitative analyses for Sporting projects, with the ability to create analytical insights, package those into effective communications, and inform critical decisions.
• Establish relationships with peers in other Federation departments to further Sporting’s strategic initiatives and U.S. Soccer’s overall strategy
• Support Sporting department leadership in all aspects of board and external stakeholder management, including key analyses for board topics, creating clear communication materials, etc.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3-5+ years professional experience in management consulting, business operations/ general management, strategy, or project management
• Outstanding project management skills with ability to manage and drive forward multiple projects
• Proactive self-start who can work independently and with ambiguity to drive towards set objectives
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong intellectual curiousity and ability to apply learnings quickly and creatively
• Ability to spot issues and manage risk by anticipating challenges and proactively working to resolve
• Excellent quantitative, financial, research, modeling, and problem-solving skills
• 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)

Desired Qualifications

• Passion for soccer and understanding of the U.S. Soccer ecosystem + global game
• Prior experience working in the sports industry, non profit, or national governing body

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.

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 ambitions 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

We are seeking a dynamic and innovative Strategic Marketing Initiatives Manager to lead the go-to-market strategy for a diverse portfolio of unique ambitions and brand-building programs for U.S. Soccer. This individual will play a pivotal role in bringing to market key strategic value propositions with select audience cohorts, while serving as a central connector across internal teams and external partners throughout the soccer ecosystem. This role is ideal for a creative and collaborative marketer with a strong strategic mindset, deep relationship building capabilities, and a passion for purpose-driven work. The ideal candidate thrives at embracing their marketing acumen at the intersection of sports business, cultural relevance, social impact, and growing the sport of soccer.

Primary Responsibilities

• Social Impact Marketing: Spearhead integrated marketing plans for U.S. Soccer’s social impact arm and legacy initiative: the Soccer Forward Foundation. You will serve as the core marketing business partner to the team charged with making soccer a force for good. Whether that is making soccer more accessible to everyone and everywhere, or making the nation healthier through soccer, or making women’s soccer the best it can be, you will contribute to amplifying their core messages across both B2B and B2C audiences.
• Influencer & Cultural Marketing: Lead the development and execution of influencer strategies that amplify U.S. Soccer’s brand voice, mission, and campaigns through culturally relevant storytelling. You will architect the roadmap that identifies national and local influencers across all facets of culture, including sports, music, fashion, media, the arts, and more in order to extend our reach into new audiences.
• External Partner Engagement: Partner with clubs, leagues, soccer governing bodies, non-profit organizations, and grassroots movements to collaboratively promote initiatives that advance the growth and inclusivity of soccer in the U.S.
• Campaign Planning & Execution: Collaborate with cross-functional teams (creative, media, growth marketing, content, fan experiences, etc.) to plan, implement, and optimize integrated marketing campaigns for strategic business drivers of the Federation that align with marketing priorities and strategies, from concept to post-event analysis. Drive long-lead campaign planning, including timeline development, budget coordination, and resource allocation.
• Agency Management: Drive strategic leadership alongside our agency partners. You will be expected to craft agency briefs, prioritize objectives, deliver clear and concise feedback, and steer creative thinking in service to the Federation’s business objectives.
• Program Innovation: Identify and activate unique opportunities to elevate U.S. Soccer’s visibility and values through unconventional channels and creative storytelling approaches.
• Measurement & Optimization: Define success metrics, monitor campaign performance, and continuously optimize marketing programs to drive reach, engagement, and impact.
• Reach Amplification: Working with Communications leads to ensure all campaigns are amplified with a support plan to unlock earned media and maximize reach.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field
• 4-7 years of experience in campaign management, brand marketing, or go-to-market strategy, preferably at an agency, or in sports, entertainment, or mission-driven organizations.
• Proven experience in building integrated go-to-market strategies across multiple stakeholder groups.
• The ideal candidate will be data-driven, collaborative, and have a deep understanding of marketing trends, audience behavior, and media landscapes.
• The ideal candidate should also have a basic understanding of, or previous experience with Sport for Development, or they have worked in some capacity with other social impact initiatives, even if they are not directly related to sport
• Strong understanding of influencer and cultural marketing best practices.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and project management skills.
• Passion for soccer, purpose-driven work, and building culturally resonant campaigns.
• A strategic thinker with a bias for action and creativity.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, and evolving environment.
• A strong, balanced blend of high EQ + IQ. Not only should this candidate be a smart critical thinker, but they must also display the aptitude to navigate through interpersonal relationships with a high sense of self- awareness.
• Extensive written and verbal communication skills, ability to listen effectively, constructively challenge and be forward thinking to build agreement and alignment across teams.
• Be tenacious, be proactive and solution focused, believe in the art of the possible and be able to follow through with attention to detail.
• Be a change maker, able to influence & energize people and build collaborative relationships.
• Demonstrated success working across internal departments and external partners to align messaging and maximize community impact.
• Experience developing campaigns from the ground up, including strategy, messaging, content, and distribution – specifically for initiatives focused on community or social impact.
• Must be a collaborative communicator as a thought partner for senior management and partners.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission.
• Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook).
• Able and willing to work non-traditional hours including evenings, weekends & holidays. Travel up to 10% of the time to select domestic U.S. Soccer controlled matches.

Desired Qualifications

• Passion for soccer and a deep understanding of the U.S. sports and cultural landscape is a strong plus.
• Bilingual in Spanish, while not a requirement, is also a strong 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.