First Team 3rd Assistant Coach, Seattle Sounders FC

Job Title:  First Team 3rd Assistant Coach, Seattle Sounders FC   

Department:  MLS Coaching

Reports To:  Head Coach, Seattle Sounders FC

Type:  Full-Time

FLSA Status:  Exempt

Role Type:  Individual Contributor

 

 

OUR CLUB

When you join Seattle Sounders FC, you join a soccer-loving, socially progressive, ambitious club rooted in the best soccer city in America. We have one of the most passionate sports fan bases in North America who are invested in the Sounders as much for our commitment to making a positive impact in our communities as they are for winning the 2019 MLS Cup,2022 CONCACAF Champions League, and 2025 Leagues Cup on home soil. We exist to create special moments like these, where we enrich lives and unify our fans and city through soccer.

 

POSITION SUMMARY

The First Team 3rd Assistant Coach supports the Head Coach and First Team coaching staff in all aspects of team preparation, match performance, player development and all club competitions. This role contributes to the design and delivery of training sessions aligned with the club’s game model, supports match planning and opponent scouting, and leverages video analysis and performance data to drive consistent, high-performance standards. The Assistant Coach also plays a key role in the integration and development of High Potential Players across the club pathway (MLS NEXT Pro / Academy), working closely with technical leadership to align development plans and opportunities with First Team needs.

Beyond on-field responsibilities, the role helps foster an inclusive, growth-oriented environment consistent with the organizational values of Seattle Sounders FC and the club’s commitment to excellence, diversity, equity, inclusion, and social impact.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

On-Field Coaching & Training Delivery

• Attend and actively contribute to all First Team training meetings, sessions, and matchday operations including preseason, regular season, post season, and all other competitions that Sounders compete in/across.
• Assist the Head Coach with individual and group instruction(s), and positional development aligned with the club’s game model.
• Support the design and implementation of daily training sessions, including planning, setup, execution, and post-session meetings with staff and players alike.
• Reinforce learning objectives and inform future training design through video review of training sessions regularly
• Maintain day-to-day integrity of the First Team environment, ensuring professional standards, accountability, and consistent messaging across the staff.

Match Preparation, Opponent Scouting & Game Administration

• Assist with preparation for all technical and tactical components of First Team matches, including development of match-specific, situational, and player-specific strategies.
• Help prepare and present opponent scouting reports, game model reviews, and pre-game meetings as assigned by the Head Coach.
• Support and aid in enforcement and compliance of all club, league, and competition rules applicable to coaching staff and players.
• Attend weekly player movement meetings and report necessary information to Head Coach and first team coaching staff.

Set Pieces

• Support planning and delivery of attacking and defending set pieces for each opponent as assigned by the Head Coach.
• Design and implement set piece training components in coordination with the Head Coach and staff.
• Support in-game management and adjustments for attacking and defending set pieces.

Game & Player Evaluation

• Review First Team matches and provide clear performance feedback specific to top developing young players, as well as action items aligned with Pro Player Development Coach.
• Support the development of player evaluations and ratings for First Team matches as assigned by General Manager.
• Use video, performance data, and scouting insights in coordination with the Pro Player Development Coach, to contribute to individual player development and player selection/movement decisions.

Integration of High Potential Players (Pathway Alignment)

• Support coordination and integration of High Potential Players into First Team training and match plans in partnership with Technical Leadership.
• Participate in cross-department meetings to evaluate High Potential Players and align development plans, playing minutes, as well as short, and long-term plans with Firs