Executive Brief

Senior Director, Stewardship & Engagement
U.S. Soccer Federation

The Organization: U.S. Soccer Federation

Originally founded in 1913 as the United States Football Association, U.S. Soccer was one of the world’s first organizations to be affiliated with FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, and has grown into one of the sport’s organizational leaders, integrating player participation and player development into arguably the world’s most successful top-to-bottom National Team program. U.S. Soccer oversees the development, promotion, and regulation of the sport at all levels—from youth and grassroots programs to professional leagues and the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Soccer serves as the central hub for advancing the sport’s growth and success across the country. Through its commitment to excellence, equity, and global competitiveness, the Federation plays a pivotal role in expanding soccer’s reach and elevating the United States’ presence on the world stage.

U.S. Soccer exists in service to soccer. The organization's ambition is to ignite a national passion for soccer. U.S. Soccer believes soccer is more than a sport, it is a force for good.

U.S. Soccer's Advancement Department

The Advancement Department at the U.S. Soccer Federation is dedicated to driving philanthropic support and strategic partnerships that fuel the growth and success of soccer in the United States. Through donor engagement, institutional investments, and fundraising initiatives, the department secures vital resources to strengthen U.S. Soccer’s mission—from developing grassroots programs and high-performance training environments to supporting the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams. Guided by a commitment to expanding access, fostering excellence, and elevating the global impact of American soccer, the Advancement team plays a central role in ensuring the long-term sustainability and advancement of the sport nationwide.

Following a significant strategic shift and the establishment of a standalone Advancement Department over the past eighteen months, the fundraising team at the U.S. Soccer Federation is positioned for sustained and strategic revenue growth in the years ahead. Growing revenue from $7 million in FY24 to more than $70 million in FY25, the team has demonstrated the transformative potential of contributed revenue in driving the Federation’s future success.

Advancement Department's Leadership Spotlights

Leah Burton
Chief Advancement Officer

Leah Burton is the Chief Advancement Officer at the U.S. Soccer Federation, where she is responsible for overseeing the planning, management, and execution of the organization’s strategic engagement with both current and prospective donors. She is responsible for leading the team charged with growing a robust and diversified portfolio of contributed revenue for U.S. Soccer and its impact both on and off the field.

Her leadership in this role fosters meaningful fundraising efforts and strengthens relationships that support and advance the Federation's mission.

Before joining U.S. Soccer, Leah served as the Deputy Director and Chief Advancement Officer for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. In this capacity, she successfully led fundraising and campaign efforts to support a range of museum programs and initiatives, further enhancing the institution's cultural impact. Leah's extensive experience also includes her role as Vice President at CCS Fundraising, where she advised nonprofit clients across various sectors, including arts and culture, higher education, healthcare, and social services. Her areas of expertise encompass comprehensive fundraising strategy development, focusing on functions such as annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, digital fundraising, major and principal gifts, planned-giving, campaign management, and board and volunteer development.

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Leah is an Adjunct Faculty Member at Columbia University, teaching courses on fundraising and nonprofit governance in the Master of Nonprofit Management program. She holds a degree in Political Science and International Business from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, and has a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University in New York City.

Leah is actively involved in the nonprofit community as a member of Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies Alumni Council and as a board member of the AFP New York City Chapter. She currently serves on the Campaign Committee for Delta Delta Delta. In recognition of her significant contributions to the field, Leah received the National Young Professional of the Year Award from AFP in 2017 and the Young Alumni Achievement Award from Knox College in 2021.

Burton and her husband, Kevin, reside in Connecticut, with their daughter and son.

Liz Liston McCarty
Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy

Liz Liston McCarty brings over 18 years of dedicated nonprofit experience, with a passion for empowering communities and fostering meaningful philanthropic relationships. She currently serves as the Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy at the U.S. Soccer Federation where she is responsible for building robust fundraising plans within key audiences and stakeholder groups and oversees enterprise-wide management of operational processes and functions.

Throughout her career, Liz has established a reputation for building high-performing fundraising teams, developing innovative programs, and cultivating deep connections with donors to advance a wide range of missions. Her extensive experience includes leadership roles at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, HOPE Atlanta, CHRIS 180, The Galloway School, and the Truancy Intervention Project Georgia, as well as fundraising for the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University.

Prior to joining the Federation, she served as the Director of Donor Relationships at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, leading a team of Philanthropic Advisors supporting 730 Donor Advised Funds, over 1,200 donors, and managing assets totaling $1 billion.

As Chief Development Officer at HOPE Atlanta, one of the city’s premier homeless-serving organizations, Liz crafted and executed a philanthropic strategy that contributed to a remarkable 400% growth over three years. She also played a pivotal role in supporting CHRIS 180’s $15 million Turning Point Capital Campaign, which doubled the organization’s capacity to serve at-risk youth and families.

A dedicated advocate for Atlanta’s most vulnerable, Liz has focused her career on nonprofits addressing mental health, housing and homelessness, foster care, and education. She values engaging with donors to align their philanthropic goals with impactful programs, helping to build a vibrant, compassionate community for all.

The Opportunity: Senior Director, Stewardship & Engagement

U.S. Soccer – Senior Director, Stewardship & Engagement – Job Description (PDF Download)

Overview

U.S. Soccer is the future of sport in the United States. The organization’s mission is to make soccer the preeminent sport in the United States. U.S. Soccer embraces diversity, technology and global connections to drive the growth of the sport and serve its athletes and fans. U.S. Soccer seeks motivated, passionate, skilled people who can think, create and work on a team. 

U.S. Soccer is a growing company that looks for team members to grow with it. U.S. Soccer offers a comprehensive compensation package, casual work environment, an inclusive culture and an atmosphere for professional development.

The Federation’s core principles set organization-wide standards to identify and foster its culture and inform how the organization interacts and holds each other accountable. These principles guide U.S. Soccer: “We Win Together. We Aim High. We Champion Diversity, Equity & Inclusion”. To be successful as a USSF employee, it is critical to demonstrate and live up to these principles every day and with every interaction with peers, stakeholders, and partners. 

The Federation’s core values are the individual attributes and characteristics that staff embody to uphold the organization’s principles and succeed. These values guide U.S. Soccer’s employees: Integrity. Commitment. Teamwork. Respect.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy, the Senior Director of Stewardship & Engagement will design and lead a comprehensive, donor-centered stewardship program. This role will be first of its kind and build the stewardship function from the ground up—establishing best practices, developing scalable processes, and crafting a high-impact strategy to acquire, retain, and grow philanthropic support at all levels. This individual will partner closely with colleagues across Advancement and the Federation to create meaningful donor experiences, deliver compelling impact reporting, and drive long-term donor engagement. As part of a rapidly growing advancement team, this role is essential to shaping how supporters experience and invest in U.S. Soccer’s mission to build a better future through soccer.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

  • Develop and lead a comprehensive stewardship and reporting strategy aligned with U.S. Soccer’s growth goals and donor pipeline, including developing staffing plan and hiring to support department goals.
     
  • Serve as a strategic partner to fundraising colleagues to ensure seamless donor journeys and stewardship plans across all donor segments.
     
  • Oversee the creation and delivery of consistent, high-quality, and personalized stewardship touchpoints for various donor levels (annual, mid-level, major, and transformational).
     
  • Collaborate with MarComms and internal teams to capture and communicate the impact of philanthropic support in donor reports, digital communications, and events.
     
  • Consult on the creation of a dedicated stewardship function, including defining roles, responsibilities, and an optimal staffing model to support the strategy.
     
  • Develop resource allocation recommendations, ensuring that staffing, technology, and operational needs align with organizational goals and donor experience priorities.
     
  • Build a robust infrastructure in partnership with data/CRM teams to support personalized, scalable donor communications and journey mapping.
     
  • Develop and maintain a donor impact content calendar, integrating program milestones, campaign themes, and giving cycles.
     
  • Promote a culture of philanthropy across federation staff, stakeholders, and entire organization.
     
  • Support overall goals of the Advancement team.
     
  • Other duties as assigned.
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in related field required.
     
  • 10+ years of experience in nonprofit stewardship, donor relations, or direct fundraising with a proven track record of building or scaling stewardship and donor engagement functions.
     
  • Exceptional writing and storytelling skills tailored for donor audiences.
     
  • Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of donor motivations and fundraising lifecycles.
     
  • Strong project management, organizational, and leadership abilities.
     
  • Experience in Salesforce valued.
     
  • General knowledge of soccer.
     
  • Capable of working in fast-paced and demanding environments.
     
  • Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook).

U.S. Soccer is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, military status, political belief, or any other characteristic protected under the law. This policy applies to all U.S. Soccer’s employment practices within its organization. 

We strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA, veterans, parents, and persons with disabilities to apply.  

Applications & Nominations

The U.S. Soccer Federation has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:

Lisa Vuona
Managing Partner, Boston
lvuona@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Lisa Vuona has decades of experience in executive search and human resource management, primarily in the non-profit, healthcare and education sectors. She is distinguished by her track record and network, and by her approach, which combines the strategic power of data with a finely tuned ability to understand the client’s organization and identify high-caliber leaders who fit the culture.

Sara Swisher-Anderson
Principal
sswisher@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Sara Swisher-Anderson is an accomplished executive search professional and human capital expert with more than 15 years’ experience and a strong track record of successful searches. Specializing in the non-profit and higher education sectors, she partners with leadership teams to develop strategies and recruit transformative leaders capable of driving organizational growth and resilience.

Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden Boston is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.

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