What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Financial Planning & Analysis position at Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC)?
OVERVIEW
The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is an MLS soccer club serving the greater Los Angeles area. LAFC is dedicated to building a world-class soccer club that represents the diversity of Los Angeles and is committed to delivering an unrivaled experience for fans. LAFC’s ownership group is comprised of local leaders and innovators of industry with intellectual capital, financial prowess, operations expertise, and success in the fields of entertainment, sports, technology, and media. LAFC is invested in the world’s game and Los Angeles, constructing, and developing the 22,000 seat BMO Stadium and a top-flight training center on the campus of Cal-State Los Angeles.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director, Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) oversees all aspects of the Club’s financial planning and performance management. This includes, but is not limited to, annual budget; long range plans; forecasts; cash flow forecasts; monthly reporting; league reporting (Major League Soccer); salary cap tracking and performance management. This individual will play a crucial role in driving financial performance, providing insights to support executive decision-making, and building and optimizing financial processes. The Director of FP&A will partner with key stakeholders across the organization to develop financial models, establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs), and identify opportunities for growth and efficiency within the sports industry.
The ideal candidate is strong and confident in their ability to form positive relationships with key stakeholders and business leaders across the organization. Specifically, this individual will act as a key business partner in providing clear and timely insights to help org leaders create highly effective and streamlined systems aimed to push the growth and profitability of the Club.
LAFC is currently operating on a hybrid work model with a minimum of 1 – 2 in-office days per week. Please note that this may vary by role, and your scheduled in-office days are up to the discretion of your supervisor.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
At LAFC, we carefully consider a wide range of factors to determine a fair and equitable compensation package. The final offer amount will consider a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to skill sets; relevant experience and training. Pursuant to state and local pay disclosure guidelines, the salary range for this role is $150,000 - $175,000 per year.
HIRING PRACTICES
The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
LAFC strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.
Applicants for employment in the U.S. must possess work authorization, which does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa.
The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is an MLS soccer club serving the greater Los Angeles area. LAFC is dedicated to building a world-class soccer club that represents the diversity of Los Angeles and is committed to delivering an unrivaled experience for fans. LAFC’s ownership group is comprised of local leaders and innovators of industry with intellectual capital, financial prowess, operations expertise, and success in the fields of entertainment, sports, technology, and media. LAFC is invested in the world’s game and Los Angeles, constructing, and developing the 22,000 seat BMO Stadium and a top-flight training center on the campus of Cal-State Los Angeles.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director, Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) oversees all aspects of the Club’s financial planning and performance management. This includes, but is not limited to, annual budget; long range plans; forecasts; cash flow forecasts; monthly reporting; league reporting (Major League Soccer); salary cap tracking and performance management. This individual will play a crucial role in driving financial performance, providing insights to support executive decision-making, and building and optimizing financial processes. The Director of FP&A will partner with key stakeholders across the organization to develop financial models, establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs), and identify opportunities for growth and efficiency within the sports industry.
The ideal candidate is strong and confident in their ability to form positive relationships with key stakeholders and business leaders across the organization. Specifically, this individual will act as a key business partner in providing clear and timely insights to help org leaders create highly effective and streamlined systems aimed to push the growth and profitability of the Club.
LAFC is currently operating on a hybrid work model with a minimum of 1 – 2 in-office days per week. Please note that this may vary by role, and your scheduled in-office days are up to the discretion of your supervisor.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Lead the financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes while ensuring accuracy and alignment with business objectives tied to corporate functions, soccer operations (team performance analysis), and stadium operations (event-based financials).
- Oversee the Club’s financial planning and performance management of salary cap tracking.
- Develop and maintain financial and cash flow models to support strategic initiatives, and scenario planning. Furthermore, ensuring there is long-term forecasting for business operations, such as player costs, sponsorship revenue, game-day operations, and tournaments.
- Provide insightful financial analysis and reporting to senior leadership to support data-driven decisions.
- Partner with department heads to analyze financial performance, identify cost-saving opportunities, and improve operational efficiency.
- Establish and track KPIs to assess business performance and trends and look for opportunities to add more KPI and ROI data into our performance reporting.
- Oversee variance analysis, identifying risks and opportunities, and recommending corrective actions.
- Support merger and acquisition activities, financing decisions, and financial due diligence including debit compliance reporting as needed.
- Implement and improve FP&A tools, processes, and systems to enhance financial reporting and efficiency.
- Prepare and present financial insights and recommendations to business leaders, executive leadership, and the board of directors.
- As department scope grows, identify the timing and opportunity to add an additional resource to support these activities
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration
- Serve as a leader within the Finance department
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by Supervisor/Management.
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field; MBA preferred.
- CPA required.
- At least 8 years of experience in financial planning & analysis, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
- Strong financial modeling and analytical skills, with expertise in Excel and financial software (e.g., Hyperion, Adaptive Insights, Anaplan).
- Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis within a sports or entertainment organization required.
- Proven ability to translate financial data into actionable business insights, particularly in sports business analytics.
- Strong business acumen with experience partnering with executives and cross-functional teams in a professional sports setting.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to connect with stakeholders at all levels, including team owners, general managers, and league officials.
- Experience in process improvement and implementing FP&A best practices tailored to professional sports financial structures.
- Knowledge of GAAP accounting principles, financial reporting, and league-specific financial compliance regulations.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize multiple initiatives, and thrive in a fast-paced dynamic sports environment.
- Flexible schedule with the ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required by financial deadlines.
- Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality at all times.
At LAFC, we carefully consider a wide range of factors to determine a fair and equitable compensation package. The final offer amount will consider a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to skill sets; relevant experience and training. Pursuant to state and local pay disclosure guidelines, the salary range for this role is $150,000 - $175,000 per year.
HIRING PRACTICES
The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
LAFC strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.
Applicants for employment in the U.S. must possess work authorization, which does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa.
Salary : $150,000 - $175,000
