Director, IT Projects

Director, IT Projects at Major League Soccer

The Director, IT Projects is a versatile, high-visibility generalist responsible for supporting the CIO across MLS’s most critical technology initiatives. This role is deployed to high-priority, cross-functional projects spanning Business Applications, Information Security, Network Engineering, Sporting Technology, Infrastructure and Cloud, and IT Planning. The Director provides program leadership, project management, business analysis, and vendor oversight to ensure strategic initiatives are delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with MLS governance, security, and operational standards. The position requires exceptional communication, organizational discipline, and the ability to quickly understand complex technical domains and drive clarity, structure, and momentum across teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a deployable project leader across cross functional groups of technology
• Lead high-priority and high-visibility initiatives on behalf of the CIO, managing timelines, budgets, risks, and deliverables
• Oversee end-to-end project delivery from discovery through deployment, ensuring clear ownership, accountability, and cross-team alignment
• Conduct business analysis to document requirements, workflows, dependencies, and use cases across diverse technology domains
• Translate business and technical needs into structured project plans, specifications, and functional documentation
• Support the IT planning and budgeting process, including annual planning cycles, forecasting, prioritization, and financial tracking across Technology
• Coordinate RFP processes, system evaluations, and vendor selections for new technologies, renewals, or major upgrades
• Collaborate with the Architecture Review Board and Information Security teams to maintain compliance with MLS governance, integration, and cybersecurity standards
• Drive process improvement, automation, and analytics initiatives to enhance reliability, visibility, and decision-making
• Document project progress through structured summaries, RAID logs, readouts, and action trackers to ensure clear communication
• Manage meeting follow-ups, task assignments, risk tracking, and next-step documentation to maintain accountability and project momentum
• Develop and maintain SOPs, system documentation, operational checklists, and training resources
• Support organizational readiness, user adoption, communication plans, and training for new tools or processes
• Serve as an escalation point, as directed, for critical technical issues, coordinating with internal teams and vendors for timely resolution
• Monitor technology and industry trends to identify opportunities to improve operational performance, security, or user experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field preferred or equivalent working experience
• 7+ years of experience managing technology projects or programs across multiple IT disciplines
• Experience in enterprise IT environments with exposure to infrastructure, networks, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, and SaaS applications
• Experience managing vendor relationships and RFP processes
• Prior experience in enterprise governance, process optimization, or system integrations preferred

Required Skills

• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional technology initiatives in fast-paced enterprise environments
• Ability to quickly learn new technical domains and translate complex information into structured project plans and deliverables
• Strong analytical, documentation, and workflow-mapping skills
• Excellence in meeting management, including structured summaries, action tracking, and executive readouts
• Strong understanding of IT operations across networks, cloud, InfoSec, sporting technology, or enterprise applications
• Skilled in vendor management, contract oversight, and performance tracking
• Familiarity with systems integrations, APIs, data flows, and enterprise reporting
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills, with the ability to influence across business and technical stakeholders
• Experience leading change-management and user-adoption programs
• Proficiency in Asana, Jira, Smartsheet, Microsoft 365, Slack, or similar project management and collaboration tools
• Commitment to documentation accuracy, operational rigor, and consistent project follow-through

Desired Skills

• Knowledge of the sport of soccer
• Project management certification (PMP, Agile, Scrum)

Total Rewards & Work Environment

Major League Soccer offers a competitive starting base salary of $130,000 - $170,000, based on individual qualifications, market financials, and operational business needs. We are committed to providing a Total Rewards package that attracts, supports, engages, and retains talent. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a $500 wellness reimbursement, and generous Holiday and PTO schedule to promote work-life balance. We also prioritize career and professional development, offering on-the-job training, feedback, and ongoing educational opportunities. We believe in the power of in-person collaboration to fuel creativity, strengthen connections, and cultivate a vibrant workplace. As a result, employees are required to work from an MLS office at least four days a week. We understand the value of balance, so employees also have the flexibility of working remotely on Fridays, along with the option to take up to two additional remote flex days each month. At Major League Soccer, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and inclusion and believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to compete in the marketplace. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are dedicated to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation throughout the job application or interview process, essential job functions, and other benefits and privileges of employment. If you require accommodation, please contact us to request it. Join our team and be part of the Major League Soccer family, where we elevate the game and inspire greatness!

Key skills/competency

• Project Management
• IT Strategy
• Business Analysis
• Vendor Management
• Information Security
• Cloud Platforms
• Network Engineering
• Software as a Service
• Process Optimization
• Cross-functional Leadership