Sr Manager, Hardlines

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 Senior Manager, Hardlines to join our industry-leading team to help drive the growth of soccer in the United States and be a leader within U.S. Soccer’s growing commercial team. Consumer Products is a key driver of fan engagement and brand messaging. As such it is critical that every product partner and every product line aligns with our fan segments and properly reflects our brand positioning. The ideal candidate is one who is organized, confident, detail oriented, and resourceful. A genuine interest in the overall sports licensing and retail space is key.

Primary Responsibilities 

Licensing related:

• Prospect, negotiate and manage licensee partnerships across the hardline categories.
• Effectively influence all aspects of the product development process from trend board to final approvals.
• Analyze sales trends by partner, category and channel of distribution. This includes monitoring product assortment planning, including tracking market trends and identifying gaps.
• Work with licensees to communicate U.S. Soccer’s vision, marketing initiatives and platforms.
• Facilitate retail placement and promotions with licensees in conjunction with U.S. Soccer’s Retail Development team.

Cross-departmental integration:

• Assist in identifying opportunities to incorporate product within all applicable commercial, media and marketing programs and initiatives.
• Act as lead point of contact for all internal requests and questions for hardgood licensed product to service internal stakeholders and external partners. 
• Take a lead role in coordinating internal and external meetings with applicable partners.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field of expertise.
• 7 years of experience in consumer products related industries, e.g., retailing, product development / manufacturing and/or intellectual property licensing. A background in, and passion for, soccer, sports and/or entertainment is a plus.
• Strong analytic skills and experience interpreting quantitative and qualitative data and research.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Able and willing to travel up to 50% of the time for partner meetings, key matches, etc.
• Able and willing to work non-traditional hours including evenings, weekends & holidays.
• Able and willing to lift and move items weighing up to 30 pounds.    
• General knowledge of soccer.
• Capable of working in fast-paced and demanding environments. 
• Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission. 
• Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook).

Desired Qualifications 

• Creative thinker with an ability to track and leverage marketplace trends.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects through multi-tasking and prioritizing efficiently.
• Ability to work both independently and as a part of a multidisciplinary team.
• ”Student of the Game” mentality and desire for continual growth.
• Excellent computer skills, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and advanced Excel capabilities.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Multi-lingual a plus.

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.