Director, Social Media

Director, Social Media

The Director, Social Media is responsible for defining and evolving how Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC show up in the world—every day, in real time, and across culture.

This role leads social media strategy and execution across both clubs, overseeing two dedicated teams while ensuring each brand maintains a distinct voice and identity. You will operate as a builder and architect—designing systems, shaping content direction, and enabling teams to create work that drives both cultural relevance and measurable growth.

You will also lead the organization's evolution in how AI is used across content and workflow—identifying tools, building processes, and embedding new ways of working that increase speed, creativity, and impact.

Success in this role requires a balance of brand instinct and analytical rigor. You will define what great looks like, test relentlessly, and use data to continuously refine how we engage and grow our audiences.

Your success in this role will be measured by your ability to:

• Fanbase growth and engagement
• Revenue growth through sponsored content and ticket sales
• Increase brand status and employee engagement through impactful content and storytelling that elevates both brands, and celebrates organizational culture and values
• Collaborate across the organization to ensure digital efforts are aligned with broader organizational outcomes.
• Lead, inspire and develop a high performing and highly engaged team.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a cohesive social media and digital strategy that aligns with organizational goals for revenue, fan growth, and engagement.
• Develop initiatives that amplify brand presence, foster community, and achieve measurable business outcomes.
• Serve as a thought leader on digital and social innovation, ensuring the organization stays ahead of industry trends.

Social Strategy & Brand Expression

• Define and lead social media strategy for both Sounders FC and Reign FC, ensuring distinct voices with aligned ambition.
• Translate brand priorities into clear, actionable content direction across platforms.
• Push creative boundaries within defined brand guardrails to ensure cultural relevance and differentiation.

Storytelling Excellence, Content Systems & IP Development

• Collaborate with marketing and content teams to deliver compelling, on-brand content that resonates with prioritized audiences.
• Leverage video, live streams, interactive formats, and graphics to engage fans and deepen their connection to the clubs.
• Partner closely with Brand and Creative teams to develop scalable content systems and recurring formats (content IP).
• Balance planned storytelling (series, long-form, narrative arcs) with real-time and matchday content.
• Ensure consistency, quality, and clarity in how content ladders up to broader brand goals.

AI & Workflow Transformation

• Lead how the organization adopts and integrates AI across social and content creation.
• Identify and implement tools (e.g., generative AI, video, design, and ideation platforms) that enhance creative output and efficiency.
• Build repeatable workflows that enable teams to create smarter, faster, and at higher quality.

Performance & Optimization

• Establish and evolve a data-driven approach to social performance.
• Analyze audience behavior, content performance, and platform trends to inform strategy.
• Optimize content, formats, and publishing approaches based on continuous learning.
• Analyze platform performance metrics, developing actionable insights to optimize campaigns and platform strategies.
• Establish KPIs and a data-driven approach to decision-making, leveraging analytics to achieve continuous improvement.

Experimentation & Innovation

• Create a culture of experimentation across the social team.
• Design and lead structured testing across content formats, platforms, and workflows.
• Translate insights into scalable improvements in both creative output and operational systems.

Partnership Integration

• Oversee social execution of partnership commitments.
• Develop innovative approaches to integrating sponsors into content in ways that feel native, creative, and valuable to fans.

Collaboration and Alignment

• Act as a key liaison between internal teams to ensure seamless integration of strategies.
• Advocate for the social and digital platforms across the organization, driving alignment with overall business goals.
• Create digital campaigns that celebrate employees, enhance internal culture, and reflect the organization's values.
• Build community-driven initiatives that enhance the clubs' relationships with fans, partners, and employees.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and develop social media teams across both clubs, fostering a culture of accountability, creativity, and continuous learning.
• Empower teams to execute at a high level while providing strategic direction and support.
• Push the team to evolve, challenge norms, and operate at the forefront of the industry.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of social media and digital specialists, fostering a culture in alignment with organizational values.
• Champion continuous learning by providing development opportunities, clear career paths, and actionable feedback.

How success is measured includes:

• Audience Growth: Expansion within priority audiences across key platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)
• Engagement Quality: Depth of interaction (shares, saves, completion rates) and content resonance
• Content Impact: Development and performance of recurring content formats and storytelling systems
• Experimentation Velocity: Volume and effectiveness of testing across content, platforms, and workflows
• Operational Evolution: Adoption and impact of AI-driven tools and processes across the team

Qualifications include:

• 10+ years of experience in social media, content, or digital storytelling, with 5+ years leading teams
• Proven ability to build and execute social strategies that drive both brand relevance and measurable growth
• Strong understanding of platform dynamics, especially TikTok, Instagram, and emerging formats
• Experience developing content systems, series, or repeatable formats that scale
• Demonstrated ability to leverage data and analytics to inform decisions and optimize performance
• Experience integrating emerging technologies (including AI tools) into creative or operational workflows
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, challenge, and inspire teams
• Ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels when needed

Work environment includes:

• This role requires regular on-site presence, Tuesday-Thursday, at our Headquarters & Training Facility in Renton, WA, as part of a hybrid work arrangement. Frequent attendance at Sounders FC and Reign FC matches is also expected.
• This role may require occasional road travel to support club matches, content priorities, events, or other business needs.
• Employee must reside within Washington state upon date of hire.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Must be able to facilitate own local travel.
• Must be eligible to work in the US without sponsorship.
• Responsibilities may require standing on feet for long periods of time, as well as lifting up to 20 pounds.

Compensation, benefits, and perks include:

We offer competitive compensation and an engaging, supportive environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of our people.

The annual salary range for this position is $130,000 - $170,000. Positioning within the range at time of offer is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, internal equity, and current market conditions.

In addition to financial compensation, we provide a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being and professional growth, including:

• Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: We offer 100%