Manager, Applied Systems

Soccer Forward, U.S. Soccer’s 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup legacy initiative, is dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities through the most accessible sport in America. Soccer Forward will be partner focused and driven and staff will engage with key stakeholders in the world of soccer, such as FIFA, Concacaf, NWSL, and MLS, as well as with U.S. Soccer member organizations.

The Soccer Forward team will create innovative and thoughtful strategies on how Soccer Forward can contribute to U.S. Soccer’s sponsors, media partners and donors. The team will organize, engage, manage and develop relationships with key community and charitable partners, particularly at a national and global level.

The Kang Women’s Institute Overview

The Michele Kang Institute for Women is U.S. Soccer’s dedicated platform for advancing the women’s game through science, standards, and innovation. As part of the Soccer Forward strategy, KWI addresses long-standing gaps in female-specific research, training models, health systems, and performance support. The Institute leads foundational research on female players’ needs, co-develops evidence-based standards with leagues and clubs, and creates practical education and wellbeing tools for athletes, coaches, and parents. KWI exists to ensure that the growth of women’s soccer is matched by comprehensive, female-centered practices - strengthening systems, elevating player wellbeing, and building a legacy for women and girls across all levels of the game.

We welcome applicants who are passionate about meaningful impact and thrive in roles that require initiative, collaboration, thoughtful communication, and the creation of clarity within complex systems. If this describes you, we strongly encourage you to apply and ensure your application gives us a clear sense of your strengths, working style, and contribution.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a structured, competency-based interview process in Atlanta, GA, in April 2026., The Kang Women’s Institute is seeking a highly capable, Manager to support the development and implementation of our transformative, ecosystem-wide Operational Best Practices Framework (OBPF); shaping the future of women’s soccer in the United States. This role is ideal for someone who excels in bringing clarity to complex, ambiguous work, thrives in multi-stakeholder environments, and is energized by building structure, process, and alignment around emerging systems.

The ideal candidate will partner closely with KWI’s Governance & Innovation Lead Advisor, acting as their operational counterpart by translating strategy into project plans, tangible actions, organizing multiple parallel workstreams, and ensuring a consistent delivery rhythm across both internal and external partner working groups.

Domain knowledge in female health & performance or sporting governance is not required.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own the day-to-day execution of the KWI OBPF project, driving execution across multiple workstreams
• Bring clarity and structure to evolving program areas, translating ideas into executable plans.
• Establish and maintain the core processes and systems that enable consistent delivery.
• Accountable for delivery outcomes, pace, and quality, making trade-offs as constraints and priorities shift
• Plan and run effective working sessions, ensuring clear decisions, ownership and follow-through.
• Manage timelines, milestones, dependencies and delivery risks across multiple workstreams
• Translate complex inputs into clear plans, materials, and briefings for senior leadership.
• Maintain clear communication and momentum across the program, anticipating what’s needed next
• Coordinate and align internal and external stakeholders and subject matter experts to keep work moving and unblock decisions
• Identify risks, blockers, and interdependencies; identify options and recommendations early
• Act as the execution partner of the KWI Governance & Innovation Lead Advisor, ensuring plans are delivered end-to-end

• Manager-level experience in program, project, or operating roles, delivering complex initiatives across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead end-to-end delivery in evolving environments, bringing structure, clarity, and momentum to ambiguous work.
• Exceptional structuring and sequencing skills, turn loosely defined ideas into clear plans, processes, and priorities.
• Experience translating strategy into practical implementation plans.
• Strong communication skills across written, verbal and visual formats, with experience briefing senior leaders and aligning diverse audiences.
• Comfort operating in uncertainty, making progress without complete information and adjusting course as needed.
• Ability to influence and coordinate and drive alignment without formal authority.
• Detail-oriented while retaining a clear view of strategic objectives and delivery outcomes.
• Proven ability to thrive in a high-performance environment.
• General knowledge of soccer.
• Capable of working in fast-paced and demanding environments.
• Must be able to connect “micro” details to the “macro” vision and mission.
• Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook).
• Self-motivated to drive outputs and impact with a discerning sense of urgency.
• Confidence managing expectations and asking strategic and clarifying questions.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in governance, policy, education, sport, or not-for-profit environments.
• Familiarity with organizational change, readiness or maturity models.
• Experience operating in sensitive or high-trust environments that require discretion, judgement, and stakeholder diplomacy.

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

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’s 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 US.

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