UNITED STATES SOCCER FEDERATION 1
Director, Media Operations
UNITED STATES SOCCER FEDERATION 1, Atlanta, GA
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 Director of Media Operations will be a key member of the U.S. Soccer media team charged with overseeing broadcast operations for all U.S. Soccer events, including U.S. Senior Men's and Women's National Team matches, U.S. Youth National Team and Extended National Teams matches and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The director will be responsible for ensuring match productions meet and exceed international standards by implementing consistent and reliable processes for partners and innovative broadcast integrations. Additionally, they will lead match programming and strategic scheduling of our matches and events. This position interfaces with U.S. Soccer media partners, FIFA Member Associations and Confederations, international rights holders, and a wide range of venues to coordinate and execute delivery of U.S. Soccer's live events.
Primary Responsibilities
Broadcast Production Planning: Own and manage the broadcast production planning process and delivery of live game and events by facilitating proactive communication between production groups, rights holders, international takers, venues, internal departments, and relevant third parties.
Media Partner Relationship Management: Foster and maintain relationships with key production point of contact for all media partners, including tv and radio rights holders, international takers and sport betting partners- managing relationships for both domestic and international events. Work with various internal departments to support inclusion of U.S. Soccer initiatives on media partner broadcasts.
Programming: Lead the scheduling process with media partners to optimize kickoff times and coordinate lead-in programming while working with internal sporting, commercial and finance departments to ensure media partner contractual deliverables are being met.
Budget Management: Formulate and manage the department's production budget, ensuring financial accountability and alignment with strategic goals.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
Desired Qualifications:
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.
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 Director of Media Operations will be a key member of the U.S. Soccer media team charged with overseeing broadcast operations for all U.S. Soccer events, including U.S. Senior Men's and Women's National Team matches, U.S. Youth National Team and Extended National Teams matches and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The director will be responsible for ensuring match productions meet and exceed international standards by implementing consistent and reliable processes for partners and innovative broadcast integrations. Additionally, they will lead match programming and strategic scheduling of our matches and events. This position interfaces with U.S. Soccer media partners, FIFA Member Associations and Confederations, international rights holders, and a wide range of venues to coordinate and execute delivery of U.S. Soccer's live events.
Primary Responsibilities
Broadcast Production Planning: Own and manage the broadcast production planning process and delivery of live game and events by facilitating proactive communication between production groups, rights holders, international takers, venues, internal departments, and relevant third parties.
- Lead production calls, meetings and site visits with media partners, visiting team rights holders and venues in preparation for all matches
- Coordinate the delivery of feeds to all takers for both home and away matches
- Support and ensure delivery of "special" broadcast and programmatic needs, including but not limited to Video Assistant Referee (VAR), virtual advertising signage, and more
Media Partner Relationship Management: Foster and maintain relationships with key production point of contact for all media partners, including tv and radio rights holders, international takers and sport betting partners- managing relationships for both domestic and international events. Work with various internal departments to support inclusion of U.S. Soccer initiatives on media partner broadcasts.
Programming: Lead the scheduling process with media partners to optimize kickoff times and coordinate lead-in programming while working with internal sporting, commercial and finance departments to ensure media partner contractual deliverables are being met.
- Lead weekly programming calls with main media partners and share preferred windows and/or conflicts with scheduling and sporting teams
- Contribute to contractual language in match agreements
- Track match deliverables across all current media deals
Budget Management: Formulate and manage the department's production budget, ensuring financial accountability and alignment with strategic goals.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Minimum 7 years of experience in sports and/or live event broadcast operations
- Proven experience in broadcast production and rights management
- Knowledge of international soccer broadcasting standards
- Ability to develop relationships with senior-level broadcast executives
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent events through multi-tasking and prioritizing efficiently
- Ability to deliver high quality work and execute under pressure/deadlines
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Able and willing to travel 50% of the time
- Able and willing to work non-traditional hours including evenings and weekends as needed
- Bachelor's degree required
Desired Qualifications:
- Previous experience in sports and working with high profile athletes, coaches and teams
- Deep understanding of the ever-evolving sports marketing and media landscape
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and as a part of a multidisciplinary team
- Bilingual (English and Spanish) - able to read, write and speak Spanish proficiently 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.