USL Work Experience Program
Job Title: Digital Services UWEP
Position Type: Internship - For College Credit Hours Only
Semester: Summer 2024
Location: Remote
Overview of the United Soccer League (USL)
The United Soccer League (USL) is the heartbeat of American soccer. Impacting more than 200 communities across the United States, the USL is the first and only soccer organization in the United States to build a youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women within one ecosystem. That structure includes three professional leagues: USL Super League (women), USL Championship (men), and USL League One (men); two pre-professional leagues: USL League Two (men) and the USL W League (women); and two youth platforms: USL Academy and USL Youth.
Authentic, vital, and exciting, the USL is dedicated to providing an inclusive and memorable soccer experience for players, fans, and communities across our growing "soccer nation."
Program Purpose
Under the direction and guidance of USL Executives and Leaders (mentors), the USL Work Experience Program (UWEP) provides students with the unique opportunity to gain practical sport management experience in a professional sports league setting. By working on various strategic projects and initiatives, UWEP participants will gain hands on experience with league staff as well as member teams.
Participants are tasked with and responsible for partnering within a specialized department but will interact with all league departments across the organization including business development, digital, club services, analytics, and more; with the ultimate goal of providing students with well-rounded practical work experience in sports.
Position Purpose
Under the direction of the USL Digital Services team, the Digital Services UWEP supports the digital department by ensuring an overall positive user experience and user interface for 7 league websites and the 70+ club sites within the USL Digital Network. The Participant will assume an integral role in the placement of content for all league sites as well as the enforcement of league guidelines across the network.
Duties and Responsibilities
Specific duties include, but are not limited to:
- Assist with the monitoring of club websites to ensure compliance with league guidelines.
- Work alongside the Digital Services team to generate and organize statistical, team and player-specific pages within the USL website platform.
- Activate sponsors and digital campaigns on the USL Digital Network on behalf of partners. Also, identify opportunities for further partner integration on the websites and apps.
- Update internal website pages with roster, schedule, and information changes.
- Assist with the communication of player, team and match information to the league’s Official Data Provider.
- Execute on-page and on-site SEO best practices as directed.
- Develop ideas for content and layout on the official sites of USL League Two and USL Youth.
- Act in a quality assurance role to ensure a uniform display and maintain functionality.
- Utilize HTML and CSS to create page elements for league sites.
- Work with other areas of the business – communications, marketing, analytics etc. – to accomplish their web goals.
- Assist other departments and operational areas as requested.
Qualifications
- Participants must be working towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field and/or training and must certify that they are able to receive college course credit from an accredited college or university for their participation.
- Solid computer skills and proficiency with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook are a must.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
- Positive attitude and strong work ethic are a must. Must have a “team-first” mentality with an eagerness to learn.
- Should be extremely organized and detail oriented, with a focus on quality and consistency.
- While completing the USL Work Experience Program remotely, participants must have access to a computer or laptop with reliable internet connection.
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.
