Head of Partnerships - Soccer

Double Good; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Popcorn Allowance

Health and vision benefits

Job summary

Double Good, a leading fundraising platform, seeks a Head of Partnerships in a hybrid Chicago-based role. You will own the soccer segment end-to-end, building national/state/regional partnerships, and driving fundraising growth across clubs, leagues, and platforms.

You will lead a Market Development Manager, shape outreach messaging, align with the soccer calendar, and collaborate with Marketing, Revenue Ops, and Customer Success to execute the plan.

Qualifications

• Deep, established relationships in US youth soccer (clubs/leagues/state associations/national bodies).
• Proven ability to build and close partnerships with organizations, not only individual customers.
• Experience selling into the youth soccer ecosystem and awareness of buying decisions.

Responsibilities

• Own the soccer growth plan with monthly/weekly rhythm.
• Identify and win national, state, and regional partners; manage key organizers.
• Set strategy for outreach messaging and calendar alignment with soccer buying cycles.
• Oversee partnerships contracting and renewal for large partners.
• Lead events ROI analysis and lead-sourcing plans for each event.
• Build relationships with top organizers and provide fundraising support with Success teams.
• Report on competitors, participation trends, and market activity quarterly.
• Lead and coach the Market Development Manager and coordinate with Marketing/Revenue Ops/CS.

Skills

Youth soccer relationships

Partnership development

Cross-functional collaboration

Sales strategy

Communication

Project management

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent

Tools

HubSpot

Job description

Double Good is a leading fundraising app and best-in-class technology company redefining how youth organizations raise funds for the causes they care about. Teams run short, high-impact fundraisers by selling delicious popcorn through personalized Pop-Up Stores, keeping 50% of every sale. Thousands of schools and teams nationwide use Double Good to raise meaningful funds quickly and easily.

Guided by our mission to create joy, Double Good also supports the Double Good Kids Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that exists to spark joy for children with special needs and the people who care for them through inclusive experiences and spaces that foster play, connection, and possibility.

Double Good has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list 19 times and ranked No. 16 on Crain’s Chicago Business Fast 50 list in 2026, and it continues to grow while staying focused on impact.

In recent years, Double Good has seen 40% year over year growth, and we’re excited about our future! We’re excited about the possibility of you joining our mission. We are looking for a Head of Partnerships to join our growing Partnerships team.

Location - This is a hybrid role based out of our downtown Chicago office and will require event travel.

About the role:

Own Double Good's soccer segment end to end. Grow awareness of Double Good across youth soccer, win the partnerships that bring whole clubs and leagues to us, and increase the number of soccer fundraising events run on our platform.

This role is the single accountable owner of soccer at Double Good. You set the segment strategy, build and manage relationships with national, state, and regional partners, work directly with our most important soccer organizers, and choose where we show up. You lead a Market Development Manager who executes the plan alongside you. Success is measured by partnerships signed, organizers won and retained, and fundraising growth in soccer.

Responsibilities:

• Build and own the soccer growth plan, with a clear monthly and weekly operating rhythm
• Identify and prioritize national, state, and regional partners and own the plan to win them
• Set the strategy for popcorn seeding and the personas and messaging used in cold outreach
• Time every motion to soccer's buying calendar so our outreach reaches decision makers before they commit their fundraising

Partnership prospecting and relationship building

• Add new partnership leads to the top of the funnel every week and move deals through each stage
• Win the organizations that influence many clubs at once: governing bodies, state associations, leagues, and platforms
• Own the relationship, contracting, and renewal for our largest soccer partners

Events

• Run the ROI analysis for soccer events and decide which ones we attend
• Set the lead collection plan and goal for each event, and own conversion after the event
• Attend the events that matter most and build relationships with influential decision makers at each

Key organizer relationships

• Personally work with the segment's top organizers, in partnership with Customer Success, to provide expert fundraising support and bring back what we learn

Market insights and thought leadership

• Report quarterly on competitors, participation trends, outside investment, governing body changes, and vendor activity
• Track leadership changes at partner organizations
• Be the visible face of Double Good in soccer through speaking, social media, podcasts, and customer success stories

Team leadership

• Direct and coach the Market Development Manager, delegating event logistics and administrative projects and reviewing outreach sequence copy
• Work closely with Marketing, Revenue Operations, and Customer Success to run the soccer plan

Other Job Functions:

• Performs other duties as assigned

Experience & Skills we value:

Required:

• Deep, established relationships in US youth soccer, such as clubs, leagues, state associations, or national organizations
• Working knowledge of how youth soccer is governed, funded, and organized, including when organizations make buying decisions
• Proven ability to build and close partnerships with organizations, not only individual customers
• Strong communication skills, credible with a club board, on a conference stage, and on the sideline
• Comfortable owning a plan and being measured on results
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
• 7+ years working in or selling into the youth soccer ecosystem

Nice to have and/or you’ll learn:

• 3+ years in a sales, business development, or partnerships role with a revenue target
• Experience selling to volunteer-run or nonprofit organizations, or experience in fundraising, sponsorship, or youth sports technology
• Experience coaching or managing a junior team member
• Comfort with CRM and pipeline discipline (we use HubSpot)
• Experience in a startup or fast-moving environment
• Bachelor's Degree, or equivalent experience
• 3+ years carrying a sales or partnership target. Experience building a segment or function from the ground up.

Equal Pay Disclosure(s):

We’re on a mission to create more joy in people’s lives, and that includes our internal employees. We create a place people love to be a part of, where people can discover and practice their unique skill sets, a place where they can contribute and do their best work. We do this by offering our employees a competitive compensation & benefits plan.

Base Pay range for this position:

• $135,000 - $190,000 annually
• Target Annual Bonus: 15% of base salary

The final discretionary compensation that will be offered for this role depends on a variety of factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and market location.

Work Authorization Requirement:

This position requires current authorization to work in the United States. We do not provide visa sponsorship, including support for F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT extensions, or other temporary work authorization programs.

• Double Good offers competitive benefits for all eligible full time employees including medical, dental and vision coverage with plans that can fit each teammate’s needs. We offer immediate vesting in our 401k plan, paid time off, company-paid leaves and other perks including a Popcorn Allowance (yup, free popcorn!).
• Visit the Careers page on our website for more information at https://www.doublegood.com/careers.

Double Good is an Equal Opportunity and Affir…? The EEO is the law and is available here. Right to Work Statement (English and Spanish).

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring. Double Good uses Artificial Intelligence tools to help recruiters review and summarize candidates’ resumes and qualifications for positions where this notice appears. These tools process information contained in application materials and may assist with candidate evaluation. Double Good personnel make all selection and hiring decisions. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, contact [e-mail].

This employer participates in E‑Verify. The employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I‑9 to confirm work authorization.