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 an 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 of 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 logístical 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 an