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

Reporting to the Senior Director, Advancement Services, the Director, Prospect Development & Strategy will build and lead U.S. Soccer's prospect development and fundraising strategy capabilities, establishing the frameworks, practices, and fundraising discipline needed to support an Advancement program raising $70M+ annually and scaling toward $100M.

Serving as a strategic partner to Advancement leadership and frontline fundraisers, the Director will bring deep fundraising expertise and relationship-management practices to prospect identification, portfolio strategy, pipeline development, and moves management. With particular emphasis on principal, transformational, and complex philanthropic opportunities, this role will help fundraisers identify the strongest pathways to advance donor relationships and drive philanthropic growth.

In partnership with the Senior Director, Advancement Services, the Director will lead the development of prospect and portfolio management capabilities within Salesforce, embed U.S. Soccer's frontline fundraising methodology into daily practices, and oversee the growth and effectiveness of the prospect development function.

We’d love to learn more about you—please include a brief cover letter sharing why you’re excited about this role and what you’d bring to the team. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a comprehensive prospect development strategy aligned with U.S. Soccer's fundraising priorities, campaign objectives, and long-term philanthropic growth.
• Build and scale prospect development capabilities by establishing the strategic roadmap, operating framework, performance measures, and resources needed to support a growing Advancement program.
• Partner across Major Gifts, Principal Gifts, Annual Fund, Institutional Giving, Stewardship, and Advancement leadership to align prospect development strategy, fundraising priorities, pipeline growth, and relationship-management practices.
• Partner with fundraising leadership to develop and advance strategies for principal, transformational, stalled, and complex philanthropic opportunities, identifying relationship dynamics, barriers, strategic connections, and next actions.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to leadership and frontline fundraisers on relationship and account strategy, cultivation, solicitation planning, and opportunity progression.
• Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive moves-management program, establishing clear definitions, business rules, and milestones for prospect qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and ongoing relationship management.
• Establish portfolio and pipeline management standards, including qualification criteria, portfolio composition, assignment and reassignment practices, capacity expectations, opportunity stages, aging standards, and next-action requirements. Lead regular portfolio and pipeline reviews that strengthen accountability and advance donor relationships.
• Establish strategic priorities and expectations for prospect identification, research, screening, and qualification, ensuring research produces timely, actionable intelligence that supports fundraising strategy and leadership-level giving.
• Partner with fundraisers and leadership to translate prospect intelligence into recommendations for prioritization, relationship strategy, assignments, and next actions that advance qualified prospects through the pipeline.
• Lead, supervise, mentor, and develop the Manager, Prospect Research & Management, overseeing the effectiveness and growth of the research function and assessing future staffing and resource needs.
• Lead the implementation and adoption of U.S. Soccer's frontline fundraising methodology, including Plus Delta, integrating relationship-management practices into fundraising strategy, coaching, portfolio management, and pipeline reviews.
• Help lead the definition of business requirements for prospect development and management capabilities within Salesforce, including functional requirements, workflows, data standards, and processes that support frontline fundraising and drive adoption.
• Monitor portfolio and pipeline health, prospect movement, qualification effectiveness, and adoption of established practices to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support the strategic priorities and growth of the Advancement department and perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in prospect development, major/principal gift fundraising strategy, advancement leadership, relationship/account management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience building, transforming, or significantly scaling a prospect development, fundraising strategy, or relationship-management function.
• Deep understanding of major and principal gift fundraising best practices, including qualification, portfolio and pipeline management, moves management, cultivation, solicitation, and relationship strategy.
• Demonstrated experience developing and advising on strategies for principal, transformational, and complex philanthropic opportunities, including high-capacity donor engagement, relationship mapping, and solicitation planning.
• Proven ability to serve as a strategic partner to senior Advancement leadership and frontline fundraisers, translating research, data, and relationship intelligence into actionable fundraising strategies and coaching fundraisers on opportunity progression.
• Experience designing and implementing portfolio, pipeline, qualification, and moves-management frameworks within a complex fundraising or relationship-driven organization.
• Experience translating fundraising strategy and business requirements into CRM processes and functionality; experience implementing prospect management capabilities in Salesforce or a comparable CRM strongly preferred.
• Experience implementing fundraising methodologies or significant changes in frontline practices and driving adoption; familiarity with Plus Delta or similar relationship-based fundraising methodologies preferred.
• Demonstrated experience hiring, supervising, coaching, and developing professional staff, including building team capabilities and establishing clear performance expectations.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, facilitation, coaching, communication, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership and work effectively across functions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, establish new processes and operating practices, and balance strategic planning with hands-on implementation.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• 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

• General knowledge of soccer preferred.

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.