As a vital member of the Emerging Ventures team, you will assist in building strategic partnerships and enabling new capabilities with the goals of growing the MLS fanbase, engaging fans in new ways, improving the quality of play on the field, and delivering new revenue streams.

In this role you will identify partnership strategies, build relationships, scope potential partnerships, analyze fields of business, negotiate business deals, design test plans, and support the implementation and execution of these opportunities.

You will work closely with a number of internal departments such as: Media, Sponsorship, Consumer Products, Marketing, Youth Development, Competition, Finance, and Legal to bring nascent ideas to life. Your entrepreneurial spirit and thought leadership will enable MLS to ideate, validate, and execute on our vision.

Primary Responsibilities

• Support MLS innovation activities to grow the fanbase, engage fans, improve the quality of play on the field, and create new revenue.
• Deliver short and long-term revenue opportunities for the League and Clubs.
• Analyze and evaluate potential equity investments for the League office.
• Build a constellation of relationships with MLS ownership, private equity, venture capital, and incubators to uncover emerging startups that align with MLS strategic objectives.
• Manage portfolio of existing partnerships including but not limited to companies building next generation experiences including computer vision, AI, youth development, metaverse, NFT’s, Fan Tokens, etc.
• Advise Clubs on new opportunities while creating best practices and commercial guidelines for enterprise activation.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree, MBA preferred
• 10+ years of experience in a relevant role, such as management consulting, investment banking, private equity or venture capital

Required Skills

• Strong handle on deal process, build/buy/partner frameworks, and financial analysis.
• Excellent Excel modeling, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Willingness to roll up your sleeves, help as needed to advance the team’s work, work effectively in a fast paced, team environment
• Strong communication skills and collaborative work style to work across teams to efficiently drive results and impact
• Ability to solve problems with limited information and amid changing circumstances.
• Superior organization, project management skills and attention to detail.
• High level of commitment to quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity and compliance.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate, both written and verbally.
• Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

Desired Skills

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