What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Coordinator of Team Operations, Academy (U15-U18) position at Chicago Fire?
The Chicago Fire Football Club (Chicago Fire FC) is Chicago’s premier professional soccer club competing in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top U.S. domestic league. Founded on October 8, 1997, on the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Club began play in 1998, becoming the first and only expansion team in North American sports to win a title in its first year of existence. Beside MLS Cup 1998, the Fire have won five other major domestic titles, including the 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups, and the 2003 MLS Supporters’ Shield.
The Club’s Football Operations department is guided by one vision: to build a world-class club that inspires greatness, helps unite Chicago, and wins championships. To that end, Owner and Chairman Joe Mansueto named former U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter as Director of Football and Head Coach ahead of the 2025 regular season, leading the Fire to the postseason for the first time since 2017 in only his first full season with the Club. Berhalter and his staff operate out of the Endeavor Health Performance Center, the $100M state-of-the-art training facility of Chicago Fire FC, its second team Chicago Fire II, and the Chicago Fire Academy.
In addition, Mansueto announced his commitment in 2025 to build a $750M privately financed downtown stadium in Chicago in 2028. The stadium will anchor Chicago’s newest neighborhood, the 78, a 62-acre development and entertainment district located along the Chicago River just south of Roosevelt Road. For more information on our bold plans, visit DearChicago.com.
Position Overview:
Chicago Fire Football Club is seeking a dedicated Sr. Coordinator of Team Operations, Academy (U15-U18) to join our team! You will be responsible for all aspects of team operations for academy teams (U15-U18) including but not limited to staff/player/parent communication, budgeting, player registration, & trip planning. We are searching for someone with the ability to work independently and in a team/collaborative work environment as required along with strong organizational, interpersonal, analytical, and planning skills. The Sr. Coordinator of Team Operations, Academy (U15-U18) will report to Director of Team Operations, CFII & Academy and the Academy Director.
Job Responsibilities:
- Build & manage the annual Academy budget in collaboration with the Director of Team Operations, CFII & Academy and the Academy Director.
- Budget, coordinate & facilitate all aspects of academy away trips which includes devising itineraries, booking hotels, bus/vans & flight reservations as well as nutrition for players & staff
- Collaborate with Academy travel agents for bookings hotels, bus/van & flights
- Coordinate & facilitate all aspects of academy home games with high standards which include coordinating schedules with our players & opponents, roster submittal to the league, field setup & game execution
- Liaise with the Facility Operations Department on the field schedules for Academy training and games to assure all necessary reservations are booked in a timely matter
- Onboard/offboard players/families with the Club
- Manage player registrations for MLS NEXT league and any other competitions to adhere to all rules & regulations
- Execute all academy player ITCs as needed in conjunction with the Director of Team Operations, CFII & Academy
- Manage weekly/daily communication via Teamworks with players, staff & parents regarding training & travel schedules & important information as needed
- Lead academy team operations department and mentor operations staff of the U13/14 academy teams
- Collaborate with 2nd team operations staff to organize player movement across teams
- Assist in the planning and operational execution of Academy events as needed (i.e. Family Orientation, Senior Night, College Signing Day, International Trip Meetings, MLSNP Signing)
- Collaborate with the Marketing department for all social media outlet needs
- Completion of other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Minimum 1-2 years of experience in team operations or travel coordination.
- Strong proven experience in Team or Match Operations
- Experience with managing budgets and tracking expenses
- Must display a strong work ethic and desire to build a career in professional sports
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, high-performance environment
- Ability to travel and work weekends/flexible hours required
Preferred Qualifications:
- Spanish language fluency
- Bachelors degree in related field
- Experience with Teamworks (team communication and operations platform)
Compensation:
- This role offers a salary range of $60,000-62,500 Final salary is determined by carefully considering the applicant's background, experience, and qualifications. Base pay may vary significantly based on geographic location, job-specific knowledge, skills, and overall experience. This role is classified as Full-time, exempt
- This role is bonus eligible
- Additional benefits & perks: Official Chicago Fire FC Website
Please note:
- Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Our diversity initiatives start with the recruitment and selection process; therefore, we’d like to welcome all diverse candidates to apply to opportunities within our Club.
- CFFC is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, age, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual orientation or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.
- If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the People and Culture Department at peopleandculture@chicagofirefc.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
- If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the People and Culture Department at peopleandculture@chicagofirefc.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
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Salary : $60 - $63