Director, Partnerships

WHO WE ARE
Hometown Soccer Holdings (HSH) is building locally rooted MLS NEXT Pro clubs, deeply connected to their communities and poised for long-term success.

We're launching a new professional soccer club in the Pacific Northwest region and seeking talented individuals to join us. We're looking for builders — entrepreneurial operators who thrive with real ownership of  their work, are comfortable moving fast, and are energized rather than intimidated by a blank slate. This is not an environment for people who need an established playbook; it's for people who want to write one, and who see the scrappiness of building something from scratch as an incredible opportunity. In return, you'll get outsized responsibility, direct exposure to club leadership, and the chance to leave your fingerprints on a new organization from day one.

Reporting to the VP of Partnerships, the Director, Partnerships & Commercial Strategy owns the relationship with every sponsor after the contract is signed. The job is turning agreements into partnerships that deliver — for the partner and for the club — through thoughtful activation, consistent follow-through, and creative ideas for how a partnership shows up. The ideal candidate is a strong relationship manager who also enjoys the craft of bringing a partnership to life.

This position is based in the Pacific Northwest region and will be predominantly on-site. The exact location of this new club will be announced publicly in the near future. Qualified candidates who advance to the interview stage will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before receiving additional details about the location.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape a professional soccer organization at a foundational moment — contributing to a new club launch, front office, systems, and team culture that will carry the club for years to come.

WHO YOU ARE
You're a relationship person first. You're genuinely curious about what our partners are trying to accomplish, what keeps their marketing team up at night, and what a win would look like for them a year from now. You ask good questions and remember the answers. Partners call you because you're useful to them, not because they owe us a check.

You get equally excited about a partner’s quarterly financial reports, a perfectly placed halftime moment, a clever co-branded giveaway, or the small gesture that makes a sponsor know they’re in our inner circle. You understand that the best activations feel like part of the experience rather than advertising. You’re someone who walks into partner meetings with ideas they couldn’t stop thinking about after the last match, reads up on a partner's industry just because it's interesting, and sees every contract as a starting point rather than a finish line.

WHAT YOU WILL DO
● Build and scale our sponsorship program from the ground up, developing inventory, pricing, and partnership structures that reflect an ambitious first-year club
● Own the relationship with each partner post-signature — understanding their business goals and identifying ways the club can help them meet those goals
● Lead activation planning and execution for every partnership, translating contracted benefits into well-run moments across game days, digital content, and community programming
● Manage fulfillment for each partner agreement, ensuring every contracted benefit is delivered on time and to standard
● Develop creative activation concepts that fit naturally into the club experience rather than reading as advertising
● Serve as the primary point of contact for partners — proactive on updates, quick on problem-solving, focused on the relationship going the distance
● Help shape our early partnership structures and inventory alongside leadership as the program is built
● Report on partnership performance to leadership, including renewal outlook and partner satisfaction
● Additional duties as assigned

Location: Pacific Northwest Region
Reports To: VP, Partnerships
Classification: Full time, exempt
Travel: Up to 5%

WHAT YOU HAVE
● 5+ years experience managing partner or client relationships in sports, entertainment, or another relationship-driven industry
● A track record of building trust with clients or partners and keeping relationships strong over time
● Creative judgment for how to activate a partnership well, not just fulfill it
● Comfort building programs and processes from scratch in an early-stage environment
● Experience in professional sports — especially at the minor league or emerging-market level — is a plus

WHAT WE OFFER
Compensation:
● Base Salary: $82,500
● Commission plan: You will be eligible for a competitive commission plan, which will be outlined in a separate document.
● Broad-Based Ownership Pool (BBOP) Eligibility: This position is eligible to participate in a Broad-Based Ownership Pool, a company-wide equity program designed to give employees a stake in the organization’s long-term success. Additional details on allocation and vesting will be provided as the program is finalized.
Benefits: All Full-Time Employees are eligible to participate in our standard benefits package. Including, but not limited to:
● Generous Paid Time Off
● Employer Sponsored Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and their dependents
● Retirement Plan
● Complimentary access to an Employee Assistance Program
● Pre-Tax Flexible Spending Accounts - both Medical and Dependent Care
● Company provided basic Life insurance and Long Term Disability
● Other voluntary benefits, including Short-Term Disability and Term Life Insurance

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Hometown Soccer Holdings is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a staff that reflects the communities our clubs play in. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available at any point in the application or employment process.

E-VERIFY STATEMENT
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States, and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Hometown Soccer participates in the E-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.e-verify.gov.  
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.