The Sporting Kansas City Director, Scouting & Player Recruitment is responsible for identifying and recruiting high-caliber players to the club on a global scale. In addition to scouting and recruiting domestic and international players for all levels of Sporting KC’s professional pathway, this individual must work within the roster budgets set forth by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro and ownership mandates. The Director, Scouting & Player Recruitment will report to the Sporting KC Sporting Director, overseeing a team of scouts that evaluates and ranks prospective players based on strengths, weaknesses, positional characteristics, financial profiles and long-term potential. The individual will work closely with the Sporting Director and coaches to establish and uphold a sustainable scouting methodology and transfer strategy for the club.
Essential Functions
- Work closely with the Sporting Director and coaches of Sporting KC and Sporting KC II to develop scouting methodology, transfer strategy and identify roster needs
- Assess Sporting KC’s roster needs and determine which prospective players would fit well at the club from a cultural, quality and position-based perspective
- Travel near and far, at home and abroad, to identify high-caliber and high-potential players to bring into Sporting KC’s first team and second team
- Represent Sporting KC in a professional manner on all club-related travel and scouting trips
- Adhere to the salary cap and other funding mechanisms to meet league requirements across both MLS and MLS NEXT PRO
- Maintain relationships with the MLS office relating to roster rules and regulations, policy changes and more
- Manage and collaborate with other club scouts while overseeing the scouting process internationally and domestically
- Communicate effectively with club scouts to ensure scouting objectives, profiles and timelines are clear
- Gather essential facts on clubs, agents and prospective players, including but not limited to: interest in MLS, current salary and contract status, projected transfer/loan fee, projected MLS salary, immigration, family status, health and injury background
- Negotiate on behalf of Sporting KC based on parameters and guidelines established by the Sporting Director
- Interact with clubs, agents and players for the purpose of obtaining all relevant information on international leagues and player pools
- Develop scouting templates and processes designed to support player recruitment tailored to the club’s playing style and philosophy
- Implement performance data and analytics into the club’s scouting process
- Maintain an online club database of player information, ensuring depth and quality of information on a broad range of players
- Ensure consistent and accurate presentation of all scouting reports and facilitate the process for information flow to the club’s technical staff
- Ensure that the Sporting Director and Manager have everything they need to make informed, educated decisions related to player recruitment
- Evaluate team and individual performances at all levels of the club’s professional pathway over the course of the season
- Meet with agents and scouts in attendance at Sporting KC matches (home and away)
- Contribute to the identification and hiring of domestic and international scouts
- Facilitate the needs of players and coaches when called upon
- Meet and greet local partners at home matches as needed
Personal Characteristics
- Excellent leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills
- Personable, trustworthy and hardworking
- Outgoing, engaging and able to communicate the club’s vision and story
- Willingness to protect and defend the club’s organizational culture
- Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives, and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities
- Proficient in speaking and writing in multiple languages (preferred but not mandatory)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to address large audiences
- Ability to analyze performance and develop a plan for improvement
- Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, demanding environment
- Ability to respond effectively and professionally in demanding, time-sensitive situations
- Ability to manage and oversee vast scouting databases using multiple data platforms and software programs, including (but not limited to) WyScout and Impect
- Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively within a team
- Strong problem-solving, time management and organization skills
- Ability to work weekends and travel on short notice domestically and internationally
- Possession of a valid passport for international travel
- An unrelenting determination to win championships
Experience & Qualifications
- Five years of experience as a scout or equivalent in a professional club or international organization
- A deep and extensive knowledge of soccer, player recruitment, and an ability to demonstrate a proven track record
- Excellent soccer knowledge as it relates to the local, domestic and global markets
- Budget management experience relating to the MLS salary cap and ownership expenses around player acquisitions
- Comprehensive understanding of MLS roster rules and regulations
- Strong understanding and aptitude in the emerging field of data and analytics
- Experience communicating with a network of agents and contacts within multiple domestic and international soccer circles
- Demonstrated administrative and organizational abilities to manage multiple individuals, programs and priorities, including short-term (event) and long-term planning
Physical Abilities
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
- Required to sit, stand, walk and run
- Use hands to finger, hand or feel objects, tools or controls
- Frequent stooping, bending, pulling and pushing
- Reach with hands and arms
- Required to talk and hear consistently
- Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to one hundred (100) pounds if necessary
- Specific vision abilities required by the role include the ability to distinguish the nature of objects by using the eye
- Role will be performed both indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions, including frequent exposure to the sun and heat, as well as wet, cold conditions
- Associate will be required to travel frequently
- Ability to maintain emotional control in stressful situations
- Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays as necessary
Sporting Kansas City is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
