U.S. Soccer Overview

We are U.S. Soccer and we are the future of sport in the United States. Our mission is to make soccer the preeminent sport in the United States. We embrace diversity, technology and global connections to drive the growth of our sport and by supporting members, impacting athletes, and serving fans. We seek motivated, passionate, skilled people who can think, create and work on a team.

U.S. Soccer is a growing company that looks for team members to grow with it. U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture and an atmosphere for professional development.

Position Description 

We’re seeking a seasoned researcher to lead our understanding of the U.S. Soccer fan and inform the strategy/tactics that go into every commercial touchpoint (Ticketing, Content, Retail, Insiders, Media, Partner Activations, and more). This individual will lead a small team of analysts, as well as external agencies, and work closely with the Data Science team and each commercial department to understand goals, recommend actions, track performance, and ultimately grow the business.

The ideal candidate will have a deep background in both research and business intelligence, having conducted formal primary research (quantitative and qualitative) and worked extensively with first- party data to derive insights. Success will also be determined by how effective the candidate is at communicating those insights to large groups of business stakeholders.

  Primary Responsibilities

• Consumer research. Lead our primary fan research plan, working closely with agency partners, to understand fan sizing, segments, and need-states.
• Industry expertise. Serve as key point of contact and subject matter expert on key industry metrics such as TV viewership, ecommerce sales, digital reach, and Customer Lifetime Value
• Deliver insights. Work with Data Science team to translate data into consistent reporting and actionable insights/storylines to inform the decision-making among Commercial and Comms teams (Content, Insiders, Consumer Products, Ticketing, Partnerships).
• Data wrangling. Ensure data pipelines are operating and delivering accurate information
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• Identify opportunities. Provide a strategic lens to all commercial activities, identifying business opportunities, new areas of research/measurement, and ultimately where and how we can better serve the fan.
• Project management. Budgeting, vendor management, developing research proposals, juggling many projects, delivering on time.
• People management. Recruiting, hiring, retaining team members who bring diverse and excellent skills and perspective to the group. Developing talent through timely, effective feedback and management. Harnessing the team’s time and resources to deliver impressive results on time.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Marketing, Insights, or Research-related field
• At least 5 years of experience in roles focused on market research, business intelligence, and insights
• Extensive experience using syndicated research to inform and sell strategy/tactics internally across orgs (e.g., YouGov, Nielsen, MRI Simmons)
• Expertise in digital attribution methodologies and A/B testing (measuring the effectiveness of marketing campaigns)
• Proven understanding of web and social media analytics tools and metrics (Google Analytics, Blinkfire, Meltwater)
• Advanced Tableau and Excel skills (IF functions, macros, array formulas)
• Familiarity with linear and OTT television landscape as well as SVOD platforms, including measurement practices
• Demonstrated experience leading an effective team of researchers/analysts and delivering stakeholder deliverables on time
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and guidance, with ability to multi-task, prioritize, meet deadlines and keep manager updated to progress
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional time management skills and ability to prioritize the most impactful tasks
• Able and willing to work non-traditional hours including evenings and weekends as needed

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business, Marketing, Analytics, or related field
• Intermediate Python or R skills
• Understanding of RESTful APIs
• Strong knowledge of data usage in sports and sports business
• Passion for soccer and a solid understanding of the soccer landscape in the United States

Working at U.S. Soccer is a unique opportunity.  Employees who work at U.S. Soccer have the following attributes:

• Adopt a company centric approach—Serve the Athlete and the Fan
• Embrace and see learning as a lifelong pursuit
• Possess a growth mindset—keeps an open mind and seeks new challenges
• Practice self-assessment and self-reflection
• Open to criticism and does not make excuses
• Possess a tireless work ethic
• Wants to be part of a team that wins
• Has the ability to be firm but fair
• Communicate in a direct, open, and honest manner
• Build relationships through genuine interpersonal skills