Chicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997 and is Chicago’s ambassador to the global sport of soccer. The Club returned to Soldier Field as well as opened a new 50,000 square foot office in the heart of the city. With tremendous growth and expansion, the Club is laying the foundation for an audacious and ambitious vision that will transform the brand and the success of the Club in the coming years.
Job Overview: Chicago Fire FC is seeking a Director of Community Relations to oversee all community and philanthropic programs, events and fundraisers to support all aspects of the department’s strategic direction and work collaboratively with the entire Chicago Fire organization.
Reports To: Vice President of Community Relations, Executive Director of Chicago Fire Foundation
Job Responsibilities:
Collaborate with Vice President of Community Relations and senior leadership team to determine and prioritize business strategies
Develop programming priorities and infrastructure for implementation within Chicago’s neighborhoods
Oversee The Beacon Program
Create internal and external service platform
Establish criteria for eligible partner organizations
Coordinate club wide service days
Work with Business Strategy and Analytics department to create assessment tools for monitoring and evaluation of all outreach initiatives.
Collaborate with the Community Football department to conceptualize and implement grassroots initiatives that prioritize integration into all of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods
Work with Head of Sporting Operations to manage all club wide appearances and autograph sessions for players, coaches, and staff
Develop communication, tools, and other resources needed to manage a high-level fundraising program
Assist with oversight of department finances and fundraising including budget management, forecasting, and expense tracking
Execute MLS WORKS Initiatives and theme nights in conjunction with league and other internal stakeholders as needed including Special Olympics, Soccer for All, etc.
Manage CFFC donation request program and maintain departmental website updates
Work with Marketing and Events team to develop annual calendar of outreach events and initiatives
Produce periodic and season summaries and reports for internal purposes as well as write regular community impact newsletters and annual impact report
Supervise, develop, and mentor department staff
Execute programming in-community and during Fire matches, which will require work hours outside of normal office hours
Assist with administrative tasks and other departmental duties as needed
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or similar field required
Minimum seven (7) years of experience in non-profit, sports, community relations, or program management experience required
Minimum three (3) years of managerial experience, successful track record managing staff to exceed goals and expectations required
Strong knowledge of the Chicago market and community required
Experience working in professional sports and community outreach/events desired
Highly detailed-oriented and skilled in project management, specifically working on multiple projects that require cross-departmental teamwork to meet tight deadlines
Strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to understand and speak Spanish a plus
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Demonstrates understanding and knowledge of database management and reporting tools
This role requires work hours outside of normal office hours (evenings and weekends) to execute programming in-community and during Fire matches
Must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19
Some of the employee perks Chicago Fire Football Club offers to full-time employees include:
Paid Time Off
3 weeks of Paid Time Off upon hire
Robust holiday calendar
1 day of birthday PTO
4 hours of Volunteer Time Off per month
Excellent Benefit Programs
Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Supplementary Life, Supplementary AD&D, Flexible, Spending Account & Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits
401k eligibility immediately upon hire with a 3% employer contribution rate
Paid Parental Leave
14-16 weeks fully paid leave for employees giving birth and 8 weeks fully paid leave for committed partners & spouses – applicable to foster care & adoptive parents as well
6 weeks fully paid FMLA leave to care for a family member with a serious medical condition
Office Culture & Facilities
Full game room, frequent happy hours & parties, employee recognition programs, and access to a full workout center and rooftop at our central office
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 Human Resources Department at [email protected] to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
