Director, Advocacy Strategy

Who We Are

We are Tennis! The USTA (United States Tennis Association) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis and the leader in promoting and developing the sport’s growth on every level in the United States, from local communities to the crown jewel of the professional game, the US Open.

Why Work for the USTA?

We are a passionate team of staff and volunteers focused on growing the sport of tennis and making it accessible to all. We are committed to removing barriers and creating opportunities for ALL to participate. Don’t know tennis? Don't worry, you can still find yourself in the game!

The Role

The Director of Advocacy Strategy will partner with the Managing Director of Advocacy & Resource Strategy to develop advocacy priorities. Serving as an internal consultant and thought partner, this role blends consulting expertise with advocacy capacity building to promote tennis participation and elevate tennis as a platform for community development, inclusion, health, and youth engagement. Given the department’s broadened scope and significant demand from sections, this position will take ownership of a broad range of projects and relationships to move new and existing work forward.

As a member of the Section Development Team, the Director will have a primary orientation to supporting section needs and goals. As a member of the Advocacy & Resource Strategy Team, the Director will work with the Senior Director of Advocacy and Specialist of CTA Development to build respective strategic priorities and align advocacy efforts with grants and fundraising efforts - including a holistic approach to supporting partners with a combination of advocacy, CTA, grants, and fundraising best practices.

Strategy Partner to Department Lead 

• Work directly with department lead to iterate on and prioritize strategic pillars - integrating grassroots advocacy, CTA development, grants and fundraising.
• Collaborate with Advocacy team members, lead projects to proactively identify challenges/opportunities and develop resulting solutions.
• Serve as internal voice of Advocacy Team, representing the department across all business units - listening to needs and collaborating where possible. 
• Execute existing priorities across the department as project manager and direct relationship with key stakeholders.
• Support the public image and voice of the department through deck development/design and speaking engagements.
• Provide project-based supervision and mentorship to fellows, Bain externs, and 5 external consultants to support specific initiatives.

Lead Grants & Fundraising Initiatives

• Manage the department’s grants pillar - growing the recoverable grant pilot, iterating on national grant transparency to sections and providers, serving as non-technical lead for grants into new enterprise CRM.
• Manage the department’s fundraising initiative -  growing the grant-sourcing and grant-writing partnerships with third-party firms, tracking national/major funding opportunities, collaborating with the USTA Foundation for mutual benefit and transparency.
• Collaborate with Section Development Team and section staff to guide the 17 USTA Sections on grants and fundraising best practices while developing tools, playbooks, and training materials on grants and fundraising. 

Analytics & Impact Measurement  

• Support the annual advocacy planning process by gathering market intelligence on emerging policy and funding opportunities relevant to the USTA mission.
• Establish evaluation frameworks, KPIs, and dashboards to measure the effectiveness of the advocacy department and the social impact of philanthropic dollars.  
• Package data-driven insights into engaging communications and board memos to facilitate senior-level decision-making and highlight the connection between tennis and social impact.

Who You Are

• Required 

  • Bachelor's Degree and 5+ years of experience; preferably at a management consulting firm and/or internal strategy role
  • Strong consulting and advisory skill set, comfortable operating as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, staff, volunteers, and external partners. 
  • Comfortable using data and evaluation to drive strategy, with experience setting KPIs and reporting dashboards. 
  • Outstanding problem-solving and program management skills; ability to prioritize effectively.
  • Excellent public speaking and written communication skills, with messages tailored to the audience - from first-time volunteers to the national board of directors. 
  • Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. 
  • Ability to build trust quickly with teams across varied geographies and organizational structures. 
  • This position is designated as "hybrid/flex" in Orlando, FL. Any such position must meet the current USTA hybrid/flex requirements as updated from time to time.  

  Preferred 

  • Experience working within or with national sports or nonprofit organizations, and familiarity with volunteer governance models. 
  • Experience in sport-for-development, youth development, community engagement, or national membership organizations. 
  • Experience working with volunteers and board-led committees. Passion for tennis or community sport (no playing ability required). 

What We Offer

At the USTA, we know people are our most important asset. For this reason, we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to meet the needs of a diverse workforce!

• Flexibility: Our Hybrid with Flexibility approach combines a balance of remote working with in-office collaboration to spark teamwork and creativity.
• Comprehensive benefits designed to meet your unique needs: Medical, dental, vision, access to doctors virtually, a flexible spending account to manage your health and dependent care expenses, and life and disability insurance are a small part of our offerings.
• Time to recharge and energize: Generous paid time off policy - including vacation, sick, personal, and paid holidays, parental leave, and a paid winter recess.
• Plan for your future financially and professionally: 401(k) with employer matching (up to 6.5%), promotional and growth opportunities, Learning and Development programs to learn on the job, and up to $5,000 for tuition reimbursement.
• Mental and emotional wellness: Resources for overall well-being, including mental health and meditation benefits.
• Other cool perks: A personalized health management program, pet insurance, commuter benefits, identity theft protection, discounts with our network of partners, and fun events are just a few of the optional benefits available.

The expected range for the base salary for this position is $115,000 - 146,000 plus a potential ICP bonus up to 10%. This range does not include any additional pay or benefits for which a person may qualify. The actual base salary offered is determined by several variables, including, as appropriate, the applicant's qualifications for the position, the years of relevant experience, their unique skills, and the location from which they will be performing the job.

Come One, Come All

We strongly encourage you to apply if you’re interested; we'd love to learn how you can “serve” our team with your unique experience!

USTA is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals, regardless of age, disability, national origin, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, pregnancy, veteran status, marital status, family status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.