Head Of Leadership Development Jobs in Decatur, GA

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 is 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 U.S.

U.S. Soccer is in a period of significant growth, with ambitious plans for U.S. 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

The Head of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) leads the design and development of a continuous professional development ecosystem for coaches and technical leaders including (but not limited to) US Way player-centered approach, leadership development, and broader professional development learning across the soccer ecosystem.

To succeed in this role, the Head of CPD brings extensive experience in coaching and coaching education, along with a strong understanding of how learning translates into practice across different environments.

Working across the Coaching Education department and the broader soccer ecosystem, this role connects formal education, educator development, and ongoing learning to ensure consistent, high-quality, and scalable CPD opportunities nationwide.

The Head of CPD contributes proactively across multiple areas of the Coaching Education department, combining strategic thinking with strong organizational and execution skills. The individual demonstrates a high level of professionalism, sets clear standards, and fosters collaborative, learner-centered environments that support the development of coaches and technical leaders.

This role reports to the Director of Coaching Education and works closely with Coaching Education technical and operational staff, Sporting Technical Leaders, and Coach Educators to drive innovation, consistency, and excellence across U.S. Soccer’s Coaching Education pathway.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the CPD Framework: Design the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) framework, establishing the overall learning architecture, learning pathways, competency progression, and quality standards that define how coaches and technical leaders engage in continuous learning across their careers.
• Develop and Execute CPD Content Roadmap: Design and manage a national CPD content roadmap that defines priority content areas, learning sequences, and content lifecycles across technical, leadership, and professional development domains, ensuring relevance, differentiation, and alignment to evolving ecosystem needs.
• Align with The U.S. Way: Ensure all CPD initiatives reflect U.S. Soccer’s player-centered approach.
• Connect Learning Across the Education Pathways: Ensure CPD reinforces and extends learning from formal education into practice.
• Drive Innovation and Relevance: Incorporate learning technologies and modern learning approaches, while identifying emerging needs to keep CPD forward-thinking and impactful.
• Drive Adoption and Cultural Change: Lead engagement strategies that build understanding, trust, and participation in CPD across coaches, technical leaders, and member organizations.
• Collaborate Across the Organization: Partner with technical, operational, content, and educator teams to align strategy, design, and delivery.
• Develop Strategic Learning Partnerships: Collaborate with external experts, federations, and industry leaders - including specialists in adult learning, instructional design, and continuous learning systems - to enhance CPD content quality, innovation, and long-term impact.
• Expand Access and Delivery: Ensure CPD opportunities are accessible and inclusive, and support scalable delivery models nationwide.
• Measure Learning Impact: Work with Operations leadership to define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate participation, learning application, coach retention, and performance outcomes, and evolve program accordingly.
• Benchmark Globally and Innovate: Monitor global best practices in professional development and sport learning systems to ensure U.S. Soccer remains forward-thinking and internationally competitive.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Coaching, Education, Sport Science, Sport Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Coaching Certification: U.S. Soccer A License or equivalent.
• Learning Design Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in adult learning, instructional design, and continuous professional development systems, with experience designing learning experiences that drive behavior change and application in real-world environments.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in coaching, coach education, professional learning, or performance development environments, including demonstrated leadership in designing and implementing learning or development programs at scale.
• Leadership & Project Management: Proven ability to lead projects, manage people, and contribute to strategic decision-making. Capable of working in fast-paced and demanding environments.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to connect day-to-day delivery with broader organizational vision and impact. Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission.
• Technology & Digital Learning Systems: Experience designing and leveraging digital learning ecosystems, including learning management systems (LMS), content delivery platforms, and learning analytics tools. Demonstrated ability to integrate technology into scalable learning strategies that enhance accessibility, engagement, and learning impact. Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook).
• Language: English required; Spanish proficiency is a plus.

U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture, and an atmosphere for professional development.

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.