Job Title: Director, Programs
Reports To: Associate Vice President
Department: Programs

Overview

The U.S. Soccer Foundation helps young people embrace an active and healthy lifestyle and cultivate critical life skills through soccer. The Foundation’s programs are the national model for sports-based youth development in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1994, the Foundation has impacted thousands of children through its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives, which offer safe environments where kids and communities thrive. For more information, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org. The Foundation’s headquarters are located in Washington, D.C.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our work as we continue to create opportunities for underrepresented populations and fight systemic inequalities through soccer. This is a shared commitment with our partners, within our organizational systems, across all the programs we offer, and within the communities we work with, as we continue to do our part to build a better future for children. We value our diverse team and are committed to creating and sustaining a culture of respect and inclusivity in which they can thrive. To read the Foundation’s detailed goals, please visit our website.

About the Role

The Director, Programs, is responsible for overseeing the execution of programs and initiatives in the east region as part of the Foundation’s Programs department. Reporting to the Associate Vice President, this role ensures the delivery of high-quality programming while developing and managing local and regional partnerships and program execution. This position involves a focus on streamlining processes and collaboration across the organization, often with in-house counsel. The role also includes contributing to national-level initiatives, such as federal grant management, and taking a leadership role where required.

About the Team

The Programs Department is responsible for operating, improving, and scaling the U.S. Soccer Foundation's child-centered programs and adult learning trainings, to ensure that the Foundation remains at the forefront of the sports-based youth development (SBYD) field. This work involves curating SBYD best practices to innovate and tailor our curricula and training to meet the unique needs of underserved communities across the country. Designing and deploying pathways to scale, this team is responsible for driving the adoption of the U.S. Soccer Foundation methodology in youth serving marketplaces across the country.

Responsibilities

• Drive regional expansion in the east, aligning with the Foundation's mission to increase youth participation from 500,000 to 2.5 million per region while ensuring program quality and sustainability
• Maintain program fidelity by ensuring partners adhere to training, curriculum, assessment, and compliance standards
• Build and sustain regional, state, and local partnerships to foster program adoption and long-term collaboration
• Implement scalable strategies, processes, and systems that integrate programming with play space initiatives where possible and maintain necessary controls
• Oversee compliance obligations of community partners, ensuring all requirements are met
• Identify and respond to emerging partner needs, conducting implementation and outcome assessments as necessary
• Support fundraising efforts and manage grants and other funding deployment through community and programmatic initiatives
• Deliver high-quality programmatic and community activations while providing thorough reporting to internal and external stakeholders
• Develop administrative manuals, provide training, and offer technical assistance to ensure compliance and program fidelity
• Design and refine processes, protocols, and innovative approaches to improve operational efficiencies
• Create and deliver engaging presentations for industry events, conferences, and meetings, both onsite and virtual, while participating actively in discussions within school, out-of-school, and coach communities
• Manage assigned team members, fostering a collaborative, team-oriented environment that aligns with the Foundation’s vision and goals
• Contribute to the planning and execution of significant training sessions and end-of-season events
• Promote and uphold the goals, mission, and culture of the U.S. Soccer Foundation through all activities and responsibilities
• Perform additional responsibilities as needed to advance the Foundation’s initiatives

About You

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• At least 5-7 years of work experience directly related to specified duties and responsibilities and at least 3 years of leadership experience in a non-profit, for-profit, government, or philanthropy
• Practical knowledge of organizational planning, budgeting, administrative operations, and fundraising
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and compile complex data for planning purposes
• Demonstrated expertise in issues impacting children and families, specifically in underserved communities
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to represent the organization externally across a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies
• Strong relationship builder with the ability to build consensus and strengthen collaboration among diverse stakeholders
• Ability to successfully navigate in a fast-paced, outcomes-driven, and entrepreneurial environment
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Analytics, social media platforms, email client platforms, and Salesforce 
• Passionate about the mission of the U.S. Soccer Foundation and a personal interest in sports-based youth development
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to be a team-player in a fast-paced work environment
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, inclusiveness, and empowerment
• Spanish and/or other language proficiency a plus
• Ability to travel 30% of schedule, to include nights, weekends, and holidays

The U.S. Soccer Foundation isn’t a typical organization, and the right candidate for this role isn’t typical either. The ideal candidate is looking for opportunities to improve themselves and the organization. We want go-getters. We want candidates with high expectations for themselves, hungry for the next opportunity to learn and grow.

Salary

The Foundation offers a market competitive compensation package. We are committed to incorporating DEI practices and accounting for inequities as we conduct an annual salary planning process to include merit increases, promotions, bonuses, and equity analysis across the entire organization. Foundation benefits include generous medical and dental insurance plans; 401(k) retirement plans with employer match; professional development; mobile data plan reimbursement; and generous vacation.