What are the responsibilities and job description for the Manager, Player Care position at Sporting Kansas City?
The Manager of Player Care will provide a wide range of off-field support for Sporting Kansas City, SKC II and Sporting KC Academy players, totaling almost 200 players. Such areas of support include but are not limited to, assisting in the relocation & settlement of new players & families, providing day-to-day off-field support & enrichment. Critically, this position will oversee & manage the Academy Residential Program. The primary objective for this role is to enrich the off-field dynamics for players to maximize their on-field performance.
Essential Functions
- Oversee & manage the Academy Residential Program. Primary areas of focus within the program are marketing for & sourcing host families, matching hosted players, onboarding new hosted players & continual day-to-day support.
- Supporting onboarding & relocation of professional players & families on the first team & second team. Primary areas of focus are securing bank accounts, phone numbers, social security number, housing, transportation, schooling, English lessons, general assimilation to local culture & society, and more.
- Supporting the growth & transition of Academy players. Primary areas of focus are school support, transportation, off-field maturation, etc.
- Provide continual player engagement programs to enrich the player’s lives.
- Attend all home matches and provide in-stadium support to reserve players & player families.
- Be a resource for all players for any off-field support or guidance.
- Liaise with various internal & external partners on behalf of players.
- Maintain & develop various relationships inside and outside of the organization.
- Maintain & develop a competitive & successful team culture & environment.
- Support Sporting Kansas City’s mission, vision and purpose.
- Represent Sporting Kansas City and its related affiliates in a professional manner at all times.
- Perform other related tasks or projects as assigned.
Personal Attributes
- Adaptation to the four Sporting Kansas City Core Values; Team First, Work Ethic, Intelligence & Winning Mentality.
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
- Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities.
- Must possess a strong, positive, and self-motivated work ethic.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Detail-oriented.
- Have a desire to continually improve from both individual & team perspectives. Exemplify a growth mindset.
- Passionate about professional sports, including soccer and team operations.
- Ability to demonstrate poise, tact and diplomacy. Strong teamwork aptitude required.
- High level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive, confidential situations and information.
- Professional appearance and attitude, as well as ability to work with others.
Skills and Experience
- Three (3) years or more of related experience.
- Prior experience preferred.
- Knowledge of MLS, CONCACAF, U.S. Soccer & FIFA regulations.
- Bachelor’s degree in relative field required. Master’s degree preferred.
- Capacity to adapt to the unique and vibrant Kansas City market.
- Must be able to fluently speak, read, and write in the English language.
- Spanish or other language fluency preferred.
- High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Calendar.
Physical Abilities
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
- Required to sit, stand, walk and run.
- Use hands to finger, hand or feel objects, tools or controls.
- Frequent stooping, bending, pulling and pushing.
- Reach with hands and arms.
- Required to talk and hear consistently.
- Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to one hundred (100) pounds if necessary.
- Specific vision abilities required by the role include the ability to distinguish the nature of objects by using the eye.
- Role will be performed both indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions, including frequent exposure to the sun and heat, as well as wet, cold conditions.
- Associate will be required to travel at various times during the year.
- Ability to maintain emotional control in stressful situations.
- Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays as necessary.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
