The Washington Spirit is seeking a Sr. Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) who will lead the organization’s financial planning, forecasting, and analytical efforts to support strategic decision-making across the club. This role partners closely with executive leadership, department heads, and ownership to provide insights into financial performance, optimize resource allocation, and support long-term growth initiatives.
The ideal candidate is a strategic finance leader with deep experience in budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and performance analysis, ideally within a complex, fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Financial Planning & Forecasting
- Lead the annual budgeting process, including operating budgets and capital expenditure planning
- Oversee rolling forecasts and long-range financial planning aligned with organizational strategy
- Develop and maintain sophisticated financial models to support scenario planning and investment decisions
Financial Analysis & Performance Management
- Analyze actual financial results against budget, forecast, and historical performance
- Identify trends, risks, and opportunities across revenue streams (ticketing, sponsorships, media, league distributions) and operating costs
- Provide actionable insights and recommendations to improve financial performance and operational efficiency
Reporting & Executive Communication
- Manage the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for senior leadership and ownership
- Present financial results, forecasts, and strategic analyses to executive leadership and board-level stakeholders
- Translate complex financial data into clear, concise narratives to support decision-making
Strategic Partnership & Business Support
- Partner with department leaders across Soccer Operations, Commercial, Marketing, and Operations to support strategic initiatives
- Advise leadership on long-term business planning, growth opportunities, and financial implications of new initiatives
- Support league-related financial reporting and compliance as required
Leadership & Process Improvement
- Build, mentor, and lead FP&A team members as the organization grows
- Improve financial planning processes, tools, and systems to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and scalability
- Establish best practices for financial governance and performance management
Qualifications & Experience:
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field
- 8+ years of progressive experience in finance or accounting, with significant leadership responsibility
- Deep expertise in budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and variance analysis
- Proven ability to partner with senior leadership and influence decision-making
Preferred
- MBA or other advanced degree
- CPA, CMA, or similar professional certification
- Experience in sports, entertainment, media, or consumer-facing organizations
- Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills; experience with financial planning systems preferred
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen
- Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills
- Clear, confident communicator with executive presence
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving organization
- Collaborative leader with a hands-on, solutions-oriented mindset
Location:
This role is primarily based at our Falls Church, VA office. Our front office team follows a hybrid arrangement.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON SPIRIT
The Washington Spirit is a founding club of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), proudly representing the Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is the first franchise to have a minority woman hold a majority stake. A visionary entrepreneur, Michele Kang, is leading a new era for women’s sports with a vision to:
- Become the most preeminent sports organization in the world
- Build a high-performance culture of winning on and off the pitch
- Train women as women
- Motivate and inspire the next generation of girls and women
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
