Manager, Audience Development

Description

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

U.S. Soccer is seeking a dynamic and analytical Manager, Audience Development to join our Content Strategy and Planning team. This role is pivotal in understanding and leveraging data to shape our content strategy and development, planning and programming of best-in-class content that will engage and inspire soccer fans and members. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in analyzing/interpreting data analytics to deduce insights and establish best practices to help us to optimize content performance and engagement.

This role will support our content team in developing dynamic content to tell the story of soccer in all its forms, including the Federation’s work in service to soccer, our members (referees, coaches, member orgs, etc.) and ultimately the best of us - our athletes, from our Senior National Teams to Extended National Teams.

This individual will work with the Director, Content Strategy and Planning by generating insights, audience segmentation, and content analytics that inform and inspire content briefs and distribution plans. This role will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Partnership Marketing, Matchday Marketing, and Consumer Products, to aid in data gathering, analytics sharing, and enhancing briefs with audience insights. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Analyze audience data to identify trends and insights related to content performance across U.S. Soccer’s owned and operated platforms, including website, app, DTC, and social media
• Collaborate with Partnership Marketing and Brand Marketing teams to develop data-driven content strategies and briefs. 
• Provide actionable insights to inform and direct content brainstorming and ideation sessions
• Assist with content briefs for new content series, including developing distribution plans, mapping to audience cohorts and outlining potential brand integrations 
• Collaborate with Content, Video and Social Media team on building out content distribution schedules that allows us to test and learn and implement learnings from data to optimize our content schedules
• Track and analyze the performance of content to identify best practices and leverage insights to optimize content plans for future roll outs
• Take on special projects as needed such as supporting specific campaigns, product launches or other events tied to U.S. Soccer’s objectives
• Stay up to date with latest digital, industry and SEO trends, ensuring U.S. Soccer content remains relevant and impactful
• Present findings and recommendations to senior management and other stakeholders

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications 

• 4+ years of experience in digital content or strategy with a focus on sports (soccer experience preferred but not required)
• Proven ability to perform and excel in fast-paced environments and meeting tight deadlines
• Strong understanding of SEO best practices and ability to stay on top of trends and algorithm changes
• Proven experience in data analytics, preferably within a content or media environment
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data sets
• Experience using different content management systems and web analytics tools
• Ability to present data and insights to different groups of stakeholders at all levels of the federation 
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to balance short-term deliverables with long-term projects in concurrent workstreams
• Experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic and fast-changing enviro