Senior Director, Talent Acquisition

Overview

Major League Soccer is searching for a Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, to help us find the best talent to support our growth. The Senior Director will serve as a strategic talent acquisition partner to the league office, leading full-cycle recruiting efforts across a broad portfolio of business functions while helping to strengthen and evolve the organization’s talent acquisition strategy, processes, and candidate experience.

The candidate must be able to roll up their sleeves and thrive in an innovative, fast-paced environment, while successfully managing, prioritizing, and closing searches against a timeline. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in corporate recruiting, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and a consultative approach to talent acquisition. This role requires someone who is equally comfortable executing searches, advising leaders, improving recruiting operations, and helping shape the future of talent acquisition at MLS.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle recruiting efforts across a broad portfolio of League Office functions and levels
• Build and maintain a network of diverse candidates through pro-active recruitment, market research and on-going relationship management; conduct in-depth interviews of candidates and demonstrate the ability to anticipate hiring manager preferences
• Partner with hiring teams to build effective approaches for sourcing, assessment and onboarding while managing department expectations against budget
• Serve as a trusted advisor to internal leaders on compensation offer strategy, interview strategy, role responsibilities, candidate evaluation and competency assessments
• Support recruiting operations enhancements and future talent acquisition technology initiatives, including applicant tracking system optimization and implementation projects
• Utilize recruiting metrics, real-time data, market insights, and hiring data to assess effectiveness, identify trends, and inform talent acquisition strategy and decision-making, and course correct as necessary
• Create an exceptional candidate experience that represents MLS culture
• Drive talent acquisition initiatives and provide leadership in promoting an inclusive and equitable culture
• Manage existing and create new partnerships to help create a robust talent pipeline
• Participate in special projects and recruiting initiatives, including assessment of best practices in interviewing techniques, leveraging of internal sources of talent, and identification of top performers for internal openings
• Ensure staffing processes, procedures and practices follow Federal, State and Company guidelines
• Support executive and senior-level searches, including partnering with external search firms when appropriate
• Develop personal growth opportunities for employees
• Additional responsibilities as assigned
• Bachelor’s degree required
• 10+ years of progressive corporate recruiting experience including sourcing and full-cycle recruiting required
• Experience within sports, media, entertainment, consumer brands, or similarly fast-paced organizations strongly preferred
• Experience helping build, modernize, or scale talent acquisition processes and infrastructure preferred
• Experience implementing or optimizing applicant tracking systems, including Greenhouse, strongly preferred

Qualifications

• Proven experience recruiting across a broad range of business functions and levels, including senior leadership searches
• Experience developing recruiting strategies, including employer brand promotion in the marketplace, candidate management, diversity sourcing, and interview process management
• Experience building and cultivating productive partnerships with talent providers, professional associations, etc. to build an inclusive talent pipeline.
• Ability to prioritize time, demonstrate pushback with a sense of urgency, and understand the value of providing high-level candidate and client service
• Possess strong ability to partner with cross functional teams to deliver a pipeline of both internal and external candidates
• Strong consulting skills and demonstrated ability to work in a team environment, as a team leader and member

• Experience building and using a variety of sourcing plans and tools, including proactive recruitment and research
• Experience with applicant tracking systems, Greenhouse preferred
• The ability to manage and prioritize multiple searches, projects and client relationships

• High-level of commitment to a quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity and compliance
• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced, team environment
• Strong interpersonal and negotiating skills with the ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing
• Demonstrated decision making and problem-solving skills
• Detail-oriented with the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines with minimal supervision
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

 Desired Skills

• Knowledge of the Spanish Language (business proficiency)
• Knowledge of the sport of soccer
• Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays

Total Rewards

Major League Soccer offers a competitive starting base salary of $155,000 - $185,000, 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.