Senior Manager, Major Gifts & Distinguished Events

Overview

The U.S. Soccer Foundation helps young people embrace an active and healthy lifestyle and cultivate critical life skills through soccer. The Foundation’s programs are the national model for sports-based youth development in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1994, the Foundation has impacted thousands of children through its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives, which offer safe environments where kids and communities thrive. For more information, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org. The Foundation’s headquarters are located in Washington, D.C.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our work as we continue to create opportunities for underrepresented populations and fight systemic inequalities through soccer. This is a shared commitment with our partners, within our organizational systems, across all the programs we offer, and within the communities we work with, as we continue to do our part to build a better future for children. We value our diverse team and are committed to creating and sustaining a culture of respect and inclusivity in which they can thrive. To read the Foundation’s detailed goals, please visit our website.

About the Team

At the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Revenue Group includes development, marketing, and communications functions, driving innovation and outreach across multiple channels, maximizing impact, and achieving significant, sustained revenue and brand growth. The Revenue Group supports the mission and vision of the organization through the engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors, corporate partners, public agencies, and foundations and seeks to advance the organization’s visibility.

About the Role

The Senior Manager of Constituent Engagement & Distinguished Events plays a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s philanthropic goals, including the $30MM capital campaign, by leading prospect research, donor stewardship, and the planning and execution of high-impact events. This position focuses on cultivating positive donor relationships and providing critical operational and strategic support for fundraising initiatives. The Senior Manager collaborates with internal teams and external partners to deliver exceptional constituent experiences and achieve ambitious fundraising objectives.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising, Data Analysis and Prospect Research:

• Supports organization’s $30MM capital campaign goals, driving progress toward an annual $10MM gift commitment goal, that includes a $2M personal annual fundraising goal
• Analyze donor data trends to provide actionable insights that inform donor qualification strategies and engagement plan
• Lead prospect identification efforts, conducting in-depth research to build a pipeline of high-potential donors aligned with cultivation priorities
• Maintain comprehensive records of donor interactions, including cultivation strategies, evaluations, solicitations, and outcomes

Campaign and Event Support:

• Provide logistical support for campaign committees, including setting agendas, preparing materials, and tracking follow-up actions to ensure productive meetings
• Create and maintain campaign materials such as donor profiles, solicitation packets, and presentations, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and messaging
• Track opportunities and coordinate invitations and donor participation for Foundation events like Unity Cups, training, etc., collaborating with internal teams to create meaningful opportunities for engagement

Distinguished Event Planning and Management:

• Plan and execute high-impact events, including the 30th Anniversary Gala, donor cultivation receptions, and campaign activations, ensuring alignment with organizational goals
• Oversee sponsorship outreach and deliverables within the event framework, including drafting sponsorship guides and templates, generating prospect lists, and leading follow-up efforts to ensure sponsor satisfaction and event success
• Develop and implement event strategies to engage current donors, attract new prospects, and maximize visibility for the organization’s mission
• Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to create seamless event experiences that strengthen donor relationships and reflect the organization’s values
• Manage invitation lists, strategically segmenting constituents by geographic region, programmatic fit, and campaign priorities to enhance outreach efforts
• Track event outcomes, including sponsorship engagement, donor attendance, and post-event follow-ups, to inform future engagement strategies and measure success

Constituent Engagement & Volunteer Support

• Develop and implement personalized engagement and recognition strategies to foster meaningful relationships with donors and prospects
• Collaborate with the Senior Manager, Development Operations to ensure seamless donor stewardship, including acknowledgment processes, impact reporting, and personalized engagement strategies
• Serve as the primary liaison for the organization’s Leadership Councils, supporting their participation in events and leveraging their networks for outreach and fundraising initiatives
• Support Leadership Council meetings, including preparing agendas, tracking outcomes, and coordinating follow-up actions to ensure alignment with organizational priorities

About You

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
• 3 - 5 years of experience in fundraising, donor stewardship, campaign management, or related fields, with a proven ability to achieve ambitious individual and team fundraising goals
• Support and advance the goals, mission, and culture of the U.S. Soccer Foundation
• Experience in planning, executing, and managing high-impact donor events, including oversight of budgets, coordination with external vendors, and collaboration with internal teams to ensure alignment with organizational goals
• Experience in prospective research, donor cultivation, and stewardship, including supporting relationships with high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs)
• Experience managing high-level volunteer committees or leadership groups and collaborating effectively with senior executives
• Self-motivated team player with strong collaboration skills and a creative, resourceful approach to problem-solving
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and organizational skills, with the ability to produce high-quality materials and presentations
• Proficiency in donor databases and CRM platforms (i.e., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, etc.), with the ability to analyze data to inform strategy
• Knowledge of trends and best practices in major gift fundraising, donor recognition, and stewardship
• Deep knowledge of trends and best practices in major gift fundraising, donor recognition and stewardship
• Passionate about bettering the lives of children through sports-based youth development
• Committed to fostering a culture of inclusion internally and externally while working on a diverse team
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 20% of the schedule, inclusive of weekend and holiday travel

The U.S. Soccer Foundation isn’t a typical organization, and the right candidate for this role isn’t typical either. The ideal candidate is looking for opportunities to improve themselves and the organization. We want go-getters. We want candidates with high expectations for themselves, hungry for the next opportunity to learn and grow.

Salary

The Foundation offers a competitive compensation package. We are committed to incorporating DEI practices and accounting for inequities as we conduct an annual salary planning process to include merit increases, promotions, bonuses, and equity analysis across the entire organization. Foundation benefits include generous medical and dental insurance plans; 401(k) retirement plans with employer match; professional development; mobile data plan reimbursement; and generous vacation.