Sports Program Manager Jobs in Canton, GA (NOW HIRING)

Full-time

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.

The Senior Manager, Program Delivery & Transformation serves as the operational counterpart to the Head of Refereeing, responsible for turning the strategic vision for U.S. Refereeing into practical action across the national system.

This role exists to ensure that national priorities become operational reality by connecting people, programs, technology, partnerships, and delivery. Working across Education & Development, Technology & Platforms, Operations, Communications, Soccer Markets, and Referee Leadership, the Senior Manager builds the relationships, alignment, and implementation plans necessary to strengthen how refereeing serves soccer throughout the United States.

The role leads the planning, coordination, and delivery of complex initiatives while continuously evaluating opportunities to improve how refereeing is delivered nationally, regionally, and locally. As the Federation evolves, the Senior Manager helps prepare refereeing to evolve alongside it by building trusted partnerships, understanding operational realities, and supporting thoughtful organizational change.

Success requires balancing national objectives with local realities. The successful candidate will develop a deep understanding of the referee ecosystem, listen to stakeholders, build consensus across diverse groups, and lead implementation that reflects both strategic priorities and the practical needs of the game.

Working directly with the Head of Refereeing and senior leadership, the role provides recommendations on implementation, stakeholder engagement, organizational readiness, and delivery approaches. Final strategic decisions remain with executive leadership.

Success is measured by the organization’s ability to consistently deliver high-quality referee programs and services, strengthen collaboration across the soccer ecosystem, successfully implement strategic initiatives, and continuously improve how refereeing supports the game at every level.

• Serve as the operational leader responsible for translating the strategic vision for U.S. Refereeing into practical, scalable solutions.
• Partner closely with the Head of Refereeing to develop implementation strategies, identify opportunities and risks, and ensure successful execution of strategic priorities.
• Lead delivery of priority initiatives from concept through implementation, adoption, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Develop structured implementation plans that include governance, stakeholder engagement, communications, education, rollout, and measurable outcomes.
• Balance strategic planning with hands-on execution, ensuring initiatives move efficiently from concept to operational reality.

• Continuously evaluate how refereeing programs and services are delivered nationally, regionally, and locally, identifying opportunities to improve consistency, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.
• Support the evolution of referee delivery models as the Federation's operating model continues to develop.
• Lead change management efforts that help stakeholders understand, adopt, and sustain improvements in how refereeing operates.
• Evaluate programs, services, and processes as an interconnected system, identifying opportunities to strengthen the overall referee experience.

• Build trusted relationships with State Referee Committees, referee coaches, assignors, mentors, state associations, professional leagues, Soccer Markets, and other key stakeholders across the soccer ecosystem.
• Develop a deep understanding of stakeholder needs, operational realities, governance structures, and volunteer leadership to ensure national initiatives are informed by practical experience.
• Facilitate collaborative planning sessions, working groups, and cross-functional initiatives that build alignment across diverse stakeholders.
• Build credibility through active listening, thoughtful communication, transparency, and consistent follow-through.
• Serve as a trusted partner who helps connect national priorities with local realities.

• Lead initiatives requiring collaboration across Education & Development, Technology & Platforms, Operations, Communications, Soccer Markets, and other Federation departments.
• Partner with the Director of Education to ensure education initiatives are implemented consistently across the referee ecosystem.
• Partner with the Senior Manager, Refereeing Technology & Platforms to align product development, user adoption, and organizational readiness for technology initiatives, including Ref360.
• Partner with Operations to ensure implementation plans align with operational capacity and service delivery requirements.
• Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop communication strategies that support rollout, adoption, stakeholder engagement, and organizational change.

• Track implementation, adoption, stakeholder feedback, and organizational outcomes to drive continuous improvement.
• Identify barriers to successful delivery and work collaboratively to resolve them.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure initiatives strengthen the referee experience while advancing the Federation's long‑term vision for refereeing.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 7+ years of experience leading complex programs, organizational initiatives, or cross-functional projects.
• Proven ability to lead delivery across multiple stakeholders and workstreams.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority and build trust across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience leading organizational or operational change initiatives.
• Strong planning, organizational, facilitation, and execution skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity while maintaining momentum toward strategic objectives.
• Demonstrated systems thinking with the ability to connect operational details to broader organizational goals.
• Ability to move comfortably between strategic planning and hands-on execution.
• General knowledge of soccer.
• Capable of working in fast‑paced and demanding environments.
• Must be able to connect the "micro" details to the "macro" vision and mission.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook).

• Experience working within soccer, sport, or officiating environments.
• Experience within the referee ecosystem as a referee, referee coach, assignor, assessor, administrator, or other leadership role is strongly preferred. Such experience provides valuable context for understanding the operational realities, governance, stakeholder relationships, and volunteer culture that shape referee development and enables more effective organizational leadership and decision making.
• Candidates without referee ecosystem experience should demonstrate a proven ability to quickly immerse themselves in complex stakeholder environments, earn credibility, and successfully lead organizational change.
• Experience within national governing bodies, membership organizations, or complex matrix organizations.
• Experience improving service delivery models, organizational effectiveness, or operational processes.
• Experience bringing new products, technology, or programs into large, distributed organizations.
• Experience driving adoption and behavioral change across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience partnering with Marketing & Communications to support organizational change and stakeholder engagement.

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.