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Director of Major Gifts

Employer
U.S. Soccer Federation
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Closing date
Feb 5, 2022

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Focus Areas
Philanthropy / Social Responsibility, Recreation / Sports
Job Function
Development / Fundraising
Position Type
Full Time
Degree Level
Bachelors
Experience Level
Management

Description

The next 10 years are a moment in time unlike any other for soccer in the United States. With a growing sport, U.S. Soccer’s thriving Senior, Youth and Extended National Teams, and the FIFA World Cup on U.S. soil in 2026, there has never been a better time to join the soccer movement!

Position Description 

The Director of Major Gifts will harness Americans’ excitement and passion for soccer today to drive investment into programs building the world-class players, coaches, referees and National Teams of tomorrow. The Director of Major Gifts will oversee U.S. Soccer’s front-line major giving program, and generate significant philanthropic support for the organization. The individual will manage and coach a team of front-line Major Gifts Officers working with donors across the country, and will be responsible for operational activities ensuring we are effectively identifying, cultivating, soliciting, stewarding, and tracking towards our goals. The individual will take an active role in facilitating U.S. Soccer’s philanthropic leadership and volunteer groups, including the U.S. Soccer Champions Circle and Development Councils. In addition, the individual will personally manage a portfolio of approximately 75 – 100 donors and prospects capable of making a gift of $100,000+. 

Requirements

 

 

This individual will be a leading contributor on a team 100% focused on high-qualify donor experiences and organizational philanthropic growth, with responsibilities including but not limited to: 

  • Strategically and effectively lead U.S. Soccer’s major gifts development area. In consultation with the Senior Director of Development, establish an annual budget and strategic operating plan, with measurable performance objectives aligned with U.S. Soccer’s organizational goals. Oversee the organization’s portfolio of major gift donors and prospects with a focus on best-in-class donor experiences and maximizing potential gifts over the long-term.  
  • Mentor and manage a successful team of front-line fundraisers. Work closely with Major Gifts Officers to monitor individual performance, provide ongoing feedback, and motivate and support team members to achieve targeted results. Set benchmarks, establish goals, and regularly track results to ensure Major Gifts Officers are meeting expectations.
  • Collaborate with organizational leadership to develop principle donations. Together with the Senior Director of Development, work directly with key U.S. Soccer executives to build and support high-impact philanthropic relationships with donors and prospective donors capable of making transformative gifts for U.S. Soccer. 
  • Establish processes to ensure organized and efficient team administration. Build operational best practices and standards across the team for tracking, reporting, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors, including a strong emphasis on usage of U.S. Soccer’s development CRM system (Salesforce). 
  • Manage a personal portfolio of major donors. Create individualized donor action plans, solicit, steward, and successfully drive investment through personal engagement with donors. Identify prospects and cultivate donors via in-person visits, zoom, telephone, email communication, event participation, and unique engagement opportunities. 
  • Facilitate the U.S. Soccer Champions Circle and drive the growth and engagement U.S. Soccer’s philanthropic leadership groups. Grow the participation, connection, and positive experiences for members in high-functioning philanthropic leadership and donor volunteer groups, including the Development Council and other major giving programs. 

Minimum Qualifications 

  • Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s Degree or CFRE Certification valued
  • Minimum of six (6) years of front-line experience cultivating major gifts from individual donors
  • Minimum (2) years of leadership of major giving team
  • Superior interpersonal communication and relationship building skills 
  • Donor-centric mindset with commitment to authentic relationship building
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Suite, including presentation development
  • Demonstrated experience in talent identification, mentorship and guidance of major gift fundraisers

Desired Qualifications 

  • Passion for the sport of soccer 
  • High emotional intelligence, and the ability to motivate and mentor others
  • Demonstrated work ethic as a self-starter 
  • Desire to be part of a team
  • Committed work ethic
  • Possess a growth mindset, is open minded and seeks challenges 
  • Pursue lifelong development and learning
  • Communicate in a direct, open and honest manner
  • Accountable for actions/decisions and does not make excuses
  • Request feedback and is open to criticism
  • Practice self-assessment and self-reflection
  • Believe and commit to the company’s culture and organizational goals
  • Ability to anticipate challenges and identify opportunities to support U.S. Soccer’s initiatives

Who We Are

  • 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 are soccer stewards, uniting people through the global game and our collective goal to inspire, elevate communities and change lives in pursuit of a better future for soccer and our nation. Our core principles are: We Aim High, We Win Together and We Champion DEIB; our staff embody the values of Integrity, Commitment, Teamwork and Respect; and we’re seeking candidates that share our beliefs. We embrace a healthy work life balance, diversity, technology and global connections to drive the growth of our sport and by supporting members, impacting athletes, and serving fans. Through our actions everyday, we are changing lives, developing a sport, and inspiring a nation.
  • Who You Are 
  • Working at U.S. Soccer is a unique opportunity as employees have the privilege of working with the top soccer players and commercial minds in the country. We’re looking for someone who is a difference maker, creative, accountable, loves engaging people and excited by the prospect of leveraging the passion of supporters to grow the sport. Your work will directly support the ability to achieve our mission by providing resources and awareness to programs that develop world-class players, coaches, referees and National Teams. 
  • 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
  • Presents new ideas for partnerships and internal processes 
  • 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 

Benefits

  • Comprehensive compensation plan with generous benefits and time off offerings
  • Vacation Time: Increases at your 5th and 10th year of employment. Starts at 2 weeks (10 days) 
  • Holidays: 16 paid holidays—including end of the year federation wide holiday break
  • Sick Leave: Unlimited
  • 401K: U.S. Soccer immediately contributes 3% of your salary whether or not you make your own contributions. If you choose to contribute, U.S. Soccer will match up to 6% of your salary at 100%. Immediately vested. 
  • Medical: PPO and HSA plans 
  • U.S. soccer covers 100% of employee and dependent premiums for Dental and Vision
  • Culture & Perks 
  • Nike discounts
  • U.S. Soccer Store website discounts
  • Ticket access to Chicago Fire and Red Stars regular season games
  • Social Activities year-round (ex. Footgolf, Volunteer opportunities, Holiday parties and more)
  • Free annual subscription to Headspace app 
  • Flexible work schedules

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