POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Arlington Soccer Association
Director of Communications

Arlington Soccer Association seeks a Director of Communications to oversee the marketing and communications of a comprehensive soccer club that serves more than 9,000 youth. This is a full-time position reporting to the Executive Director. Arlington Soccer strives to create an environment that empowers youth and strengthens community.

The Club
Founded in 1970, Arlington Soccer Association offers a comprehensive curriculum of soccer programs. Arlington Soccer is a unique organization with dedicated coaches, staff, and volunteers who work together to teach and develop players of all levels. The club provides opportunities for safe and healthy competition with a focus on treating people and the game with respect. Each year, more than 9,000 youth participate in Arlington Soccer programs, including:

• Recreation – With more than 6,000 players participating each fall and spring in league play, the recreation program is the largest in Arlington Soccer. The recreation program provides quality soccer experiences for boys and girls of any ability, from kindergarten through high school. The program consists of neighborhood clubs and places players on teams based on elementary school enrollment.
   
• Developmental – With more than 600 players, the Arlington Developmental Program is for U9 (under age 9), U10, U11 and U12 boys and girls. ADP provides youth with the opportunity to acquire and develop soccer skills through higher levels of competition and coaching expertise in a professional training environment.
   
• Travel – With 90 teams, the travel program provides the opportunity for more than 1,200 boys and girls ranging from U9 through U19 to participate in a competitive youth soccer environment that promotes excellence and sportsmanship. The travel program is player-focused and develops each player to his/her highest potential by focusing on three pillars of development: technical skills, club pride and love of the game. Arlington Soccer is a proud member of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, Club Champions League, and DC United’s DMV Pathway 2 Pro Program.
   
• Additional Programs – Arlington Soccer provides a variety of other youth soccer programs that serve more than 1,000 children: 
  • Mini-Soccer for pre-kindergartners.
  • Academy & Pre-Academy for 6- and 7-year-old players who desire additional training and game opportunities.
  • Camps and Clinics conducted throughout the year.
  • The Real Madrid Program is in partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation and Arlington Public Schools and delivers after-school soccer and character-building.
  • Girls with Goals is a no-cost, after-school program designed to encourage elementary-aged girls to try soccer, conducted in partnership with Arlington County Extended Day and 4-H.
  • TOPSoccer is a community-based program for youth with disabilities.
  • Drop-In Soccer is supervised pick-up soccer activities for all children staffed with Arlington Soccer coaches who help organize and supervise play.
     
• Tournaments – Arlington Soccer hosts a variety of tournaments including one of the region’s premier travel tournaments, the Arlington Spring Invitational Soccer Tournament (ASIST), the Summer 3 v 3 tournament, the Arlington Recreational Tournament and college showcases for boys and girls.

The Position
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Communications will serve as a member of the senior leadership team and will have primary responsibility for the club’s communications and marketing. 

The Director of Communications will:  

• Spearhead an innovative communications strategy to generate visibility and brand/message awareness in support of Arlington Soccer’s business goals.
• Shape an overarching editorial calendar to drive strategic messaging through Arlington Soccer’s communications channels.
• Serve as chief storyteller, telling the many stories of players, families, volunteers, alumni, coaches, and staff.
• Handle day-to-day execution of the website, social media, and club-wide communications.
• Draft or review all public-facing communications.
• Serve as the main point of contact for media relations and crisis communications.
• Oversee the club’s visual brand standards and graphic design.
• Leverage staff and volunteer ambassadors, generate a pipeline of compelling content (videos, photos, stories) that reflects the breadth and diversity of the club’s programs.
• Work with fundraising leads, conceive and execute digital giving campaigns.
• Work with business development leads, determine meaningful ways to honor sponsors and partners through communications. 
• Develop processes and systems to integrate communications best practices across the organization.
• Be a change leader for the club and utilize change management principles.
• Uphold club-wide organizational policies for communications and social media.
• Assist with and support events and activities associated with the club.
• Assist with the development of the annual budget.
• Additional tasks or duties as requested by the Executive Director.

Experience and Attributes
A strong candidate will bring a commitment to the values of youth sports and the mission of Arlington Soccer and U.S. Youth Soccer. S/he will bring a variety of experiences and attributes including:

• 7-10 years of progressive experience in nonprofit marketing communications.
• Outstanding storytelling, writing, editing and proofreading skills.
• Effective verbal communicator with outstanding interpersonal skills.
• Intimate knowledge of social media platforms, best practices and metrics.
• Familiarity with email marketing platforms and website content management systems.
• Demonstrated ability to be collaborative and work with diverse constituencies.
• Experience supporting online fundraising and other development initiatives. 
• Ability to think strategically, translate strategic initiatives into measurable annual plans, monitor progress toward goals and mitigate risk.
• Solid understanding of media relations and crisis communications. 
• A demonstrated commitment to providing excellent customer service to internal and external customers.
• Maturity, sound judgment, and resourcefulness. 
• Experience coordinating, communicating and implementing organizational change.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Success in working with remote staff.
• Experience in developing and managing budgets.
• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing or a related field.
• Flexibility and a willingness to work outside of normal business hours to include evenings and weekends as necessary.
• Graphic design and youth sports experience preferred but not required. 

Application Process
To apply, email your resume, a cover letter that explains how your skills align with the requirements above, and a list of three references to jobs@arlingtonsoccer.com (e-mail applications are required). Review of applicants to begin immediately.

Arlington Soccer Association is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate in hiring on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.