Manager, Academy Operations

POSITION:

Manager, Academy Operations (MLS Academy)

OBJECTIVE:

To provide operational and administrative support for the daily operations of the MLS Academy while supporting and upholding the overall club philosophy and objectives.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

The overall accountability for the position is to the Director, Academy Operations.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties of this position will consist of the following:

General Administrative Duties

• Handle general program inquiries and perform general administrative tasks as required.
• Liaise with appropriate club staff to ensure that all team operations and logistics are appropriately organized and executed.
• Manage and update all team calendars, schedules, and day-to-day program communications to players and parents. Work closely with appropriate staff to build schedules, including regular scheduling meetings.
• Responsible for booking training and match fields for the program, working closely with internal departments and external organizations.
• Attend league and program meetings/conferences as required.
• Ensure that all club and league administrative and operational tasks/projects are completed to the appropriate expected level and by provided deadlines.
• Lead the organization and distribution of match tickets and seasonal accreditation for players/team staff.
• Lead the organization of team/program social events.
• Collaborate to develop and build out long-term projects such as an annual awards event, alumni initiatives, and community initiatives.
• Manage the execution of specific player development initiatives, trials, and trial events.

Finance Administration

• Work with the leadership to develop annual operational budgets and team travel budgets.
• Lead all financial aspects of team travel: per diem requests and payment of all vendors and service providers.
• Work with the finance department to obtain necessary approvals and purchase order numbers for team travel and other program expenses.
• Keep detailed and current records of travel budgets and expenses.
• Reconcile team travel expenses, providing accurate and detailed travel expense reports in a timely manner following each team trip.
• Manage department credit cards and submit monthly statement reconciliation and receipts per company policy and by set deadlines.
• Manage all Billet Program player relocation expenses.

Staff Support

• Support staff professional development initiatives, including organization of staff travel to approved PD events (conferences, courses, etc.), and the organization of group PD events (first aid courses, guest speakers, in-house workshops, etc.)

Match Day Responsibilities

• Lead the operations team to ensure that all match day standards (club and league) are delivered.
• Provide administrative and operational support to designated team staff in preparation of match days.
• Lead match day communications to players, staff and club personnel.
• Communicate with other clubs to organize game-day logistics, as required.
• Arrange for training field bookings for visiting teams, if required.

Team Travel Booking & Management

Working within club travel booking standards and policies outlined in the Academy Team Travel Handbook, this position will be expected to:

• Lead all team travel logistics for league games, tournaments, playoffs, and training camps.
• Lead planning process to ensure professional delivery of all aspects of team travel: source and book team flights, ground transportation, rental vehicles, hotels, meals, travel insurance, and all other logistics.
• Build detailed travel itineraries for each trip and distribute to staff, players, and parents with all relevant travel information prior to departure.
• Assemble detailed travel folders and staff notes for each trip.
• Coordinate with all program staff to ensure all logistics are planned and executed.
• Travel with teams for out-of-town away matches and competitions as required:
  • Deal directly with all staff, players, hotels, airlines, vendors.
  • Oversee all team logistical needs and execute tasks as outlined in the Academy Team Travel Handbook.
• Coordinate and lead team check-in process at airports and hotels.

Player Education & Welfare

• Liaise closely with appropriate school staff regarding the general mental and emotional health of the players.
• Oversee the delivery and implementation of any league, club, association education/support programs.
• Support tutorial and educational support for student-athletes.
• Champion the implementation of Safe Sport policies and procedures.

Billet Program & Player Relocation Support

• Work with the Billet Program Coordinator to arrange all logistics associated with player arrival and departure and the beginning and end of each season.
• Arrange flights and ground transportation for players at the beginning and end of each season.
• Manage general communication between players, families, and host families.
• Draft and execute all Billet Program agreements and contracts.
• Provide administrative support of the Billet Program.
• Organization of first team tickets for Host Families.

Player Support

• Manage player transportation including bus bookings, management of transit passes.
• Assist with the delivery of special team meals and other events.
• Assist players with planning and logistics for special circumstance cases.
• Serve as the primary contact for all player and parent concerns (non-technical).
• Assist with the development and implementation of MLS Academy rules, policies, and procedures.
• Ensure that players and parents abide by the terms of their agreements with the club including, but not limited to: Code of conduct and WFC procedures, policies, and rules.

Player & Staff Registration

• Responsible for the oversight of all player and staff registration.
• Ensuring that all players and staff are appropriately registered to required leagues and governing bodies.
• Lead all player onboarding and player exit administration and communications.
• Administrate the Canada Soccer Connect and FIFA TMS systems for the program:
  • Registration/deregistration of players.
  • Releases and ITC paperwork.
  • Track all player passports and travel documents.
• Administrate player movement between teams and leagues within the club.
• Maintain an accurate and current database/archive of all past and current players.
• Work with national federations to provide requested player information for National Team events.
• Ensure that all staff have current background checks, Safe Sport training and any other mandated training.
• Manage and develop various organizational software platforms to enhance efficiency across program logistics.
• Track all player passports and travel documents (VISAs) to ensure that they are valid.

Talent Identification & Recruitment Support

• Work with the program technical staff and leadership to make the appropriate arrangements for any trialists and trial weeks:
  • All player invitations and communications.
  • Travel arrangements.
  • Arrange for meals and/or per-diems.
  • Create an itinerary and welcome package for each trialist.
  • Ensure that all appropriate waivers and forms are completed.
  • Coordination with club staff.
• Support staff scheduling and travel bookings for approved staff scouting trips.

QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to bringing a commitment to Vancouver Whitecaps FC vision and values, the successful candidate will have degrees of demonstrated skills and experience as follows:

• 3+ years in a similar role, in an extremely fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Post-secondary degree in Business Administration or Sport Management is preferred.
• Proven organizational skills, with highly accurate attention to detail.
• Strong initiative, with demonstrated problem-solving and sound decision-making skills.
• Outstanding communication and people skills, with the ability to interface effectively with all business functions throughout the Club.
• Exceptional verbal/written communication and presentation skills. Effective listener, with the ability to build strong internal and external relationships at all levels. Demonstrated experience in generating written reports.
• High degree of personal integrity, with the ability to practice a high level of confidentiality and discretion.
• Ability to be highly effective working independently as well as collaboratively within a strong team environment. Ability to manage and appropriately prioritize a large workload effectively and efficiently.
• Flexibility to adapt to frequently changing, fast-paced work environment while managing shifting deadlines, and changing initiatives.

Whitecaps FC believes that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. This includes but is not limited to people of colour, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. Should you require any accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to contact our People & Culture department. We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted. No recruiters or agencies, please.