The Chicago Red Stars Equipment Manager will work closely with the General Manager, Coaches, Team Administrator, and Technical staff to support the club by performing essential tasks. This role provides dedicated daily functions and training and game day assistance. Efficiency is critical to support the goals and accomplishments of the coaches and players. The ideal candidate will help to promote the team culture and foster a respectful, positive, and affirming environment.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Daily preparation and assistance in the execution of team training sessions
- Ordering, distributing, maintaining, packing, and inventorying gear and equipment needed by the players and technical staff to execute training sessions, matches, road trips, and sponsorship/ media obligations
- Distribution of training gear into lockers before player arrival or after player departure
- Laundering game uniforms and training gear
- Daily maintenance of soccer balls to check for pressure and quality
- Assistance with field set-up and maintenance
- Organization and cleaning of equipment and locker rooms
- Transportation of gear from the locker room to the field
- Assist Team Administrator with pressing team and all-staff training gear and uniforms
- Assist Team Administrator with Nike apparel and equipment inventory
- Ability to reasonably anticipate and fulfill the soccer-related player and technical staff needs and proactively address problems
- Communicate with Team Administrator about various soccer-related needs
- Work closely with the Corporate Partnerships department for sponsor approvals, vinyl orders, and
pressing for all sponsor needs/activations.
Match Day Responsibilities:
- Preparation of home and away team locker rooms for home matches
- Warm-up setup and execution
- Maintain field bag and blood kit
- Work closely with players and coaches to help fulfill all soccer-related needs
Travel Responsibilities:
- Pack all uniform and team equipment needed for away games and training sessions
- Coordinate with the Athletic Trainer to ensure all medical travel bags and equipment needs are met
- Ensure the safe and efficient transportation of all team bags to and from the home stadium/airport/hotel and away stadium
- Set up meeting rooms, training grounds, and locker rooms for coaches and teams during away visits
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree (preferred but not required)
- Ability to work regular office hours (minimum of 20 hours/week), as well as non-traditional hours for events and game days, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary
- Superior time management skills, initiative, dependability, and attention to detail
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to manage multiple personality types and communication styles
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to exercise tact, discretion, and sound judgment
- Must adhere to the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality within a team environment
- Must have a valid driver’s license and a reliable, timely, and consistent method of transportation
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
- Experience in equipment/soccer/ operations (preferred but not required)
- Strong understanding and passion for soccer preferred
The Chicago Red Stars provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
