Director, Content Planning

Overview

The Director, Content Planning will serve as the operational, strategic, and planning lead for the department. This role will be responsible for connecting enterprise priorities, seasonal narratives, commercial opportunities, and audience insights into a unified content plan that aligns all content-producing teams across MLS.

This leader will be responsible for ensuring Editorial, Social Media, Creators, Feature Content, Production, Partnership Marketing, Communications, Product, and Commercial teams operate from a shared content roadmap while providing direct strategic and operational support to the VP and the Content Leadership Team.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Operations

• Serve as the primary strategic planning partner to the VP, helping translate organizational priorities into actionable content, distribution, audience growth, and monetization plans. Act as an extension of the VP, driving alignment across stakeholders and ensuring key initiatives are executed effectively.
• Support the development of annual business plans, seasonal content strategies, organizational priorities, and special projects across the Content, Social & Creators organization.
• Manage the team’s budget planning and resource management, leading connections with Finance for invoicing, budget tracking and procurement.
• Build operational excellence within the team and cross-functionally to define and drive team process, content planning and delivery requirements, measurement and centralizing team updates.
• Connect and share content calendar, enterprise narratives, priority matches, player stories and weekly storylines across the Media and Marketing departments.

Content Portfolio Management

• Lead the planning and governance of MLS's non-live content portfolio, ensuring content investments align with fan growth, engagement, revenue, and strategic business objectives.
• Develop and maintain the league-wide content roadmap and calendar, integrating editorial, social, creator, original content, and commercial initiatives into a unified operating plan.
• Lead planning processes and operating rhythms that align stakeholders around key narratives, business priorities, tentpole events, and content launches.

Performance & Insights

• Monitor content portfolio performance and business outcomes across audience growth, engagement, content consumption, sponsorship delivery, and revenue contribution.
• Provide actionable recommendations based on audience insights, market trends, and content performance.
• Help establish KPI frameworks that connect storytelling investments to measurable business impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 8+ years of experience required

Required Skills

• Professional experience in content strategy, content operations, media, digital marketing, social media, audience development, or related fields, including leadership experience within a complex, matrixed organization.
• Proven experience developing and executing enterprise-level content strategies that align audience growth, business objectives, commercial priorities, and brand objectives. 
• Demonstrated expertise building and managing integrated content calendars, editorial roadmaps, and cross-functional planning processes across multiple teams and stakeholders. 
• Strong operational leadership skills with experience establishing planning frameworks, workflows, governance models, and operating rhythms that improve organizational effectiveness.
• Deep understanding of digital media ecosystems, including editorial content, social media, creator/influencer marketing, original content production, and content distribution.
• Experience developing KPI frameworks, performance reporting, and measurement systems that connect content investments to business outcomes. 
• Demonstrated success managing budgets, forecasting, vendor relationships, procurement processes, and financial planning. 
• Exceptional executive communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and align diverse stakeholders around a common vision. 
• Strong project management capabilities with experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from planning through execution. 
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments while effectively balancing multiple priorities and competing stakeholder needs.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to travel and work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Desired Skills

• Fluency in Spanish
• Knowledge of soccer and Major League Soccer

Total Rewards

Major League Soccer offers a competitive starting base salary of $120,000 - $155,000, based on individual qualifications, market financials, and operational business needs. We are committed to providing a Total Rewards package that attracts, supports, engages, and retains talent. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a $500 wellness reimbursement, and generous Holiday and PTO schedule to promote work-life balance. We also prioritize career and professional development, offering on-the-job training, feedback, and ongoing educational opportunities.

Major League Soccer believes in the value of in-person collaboration to support teamwork, creativity, and connection. Employees in this role are expected to work a four (4) day in-office schedule, with the flexibility to work remotely one (1) day each week, based on business and department needs.

Major League Soccer is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Major League Soccer is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process, as well as during employment. Applicants who require an accommodation may contact Human Resources to request assistance.

Join our team and help support the growth and success of Major League Soccer.