Manager, Athlete Programs

United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee; Colorado Springs (CO); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive program

USOPC benefits

Job summary

United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee is seeking a Manager, Athlete Programs in Colorado Springs to lead the Athlete Fellowship Program and build athlete career pathways. You will partner with People & Culture, manage cohorts, design development experiences, and drive outcomes with data-driven insight.

You will oversee onboarding, recruitment, and ongoing professional development, while collaborating with national bodies and partners to expand opportunities for Team USA athletes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business, sports management, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in learning and development, athlete services, workforce development, talent development, program management, or a related field.
• Experience designing and facilitating educational, leadership development, or career readiness programs.
• Experience managing complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Experience analyzing data and translating insights into program improvements.
• Experience working with athletes, higher education institutions, workforce development organizations, or employer partnerships preferred.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple programs and deadlines simultaneously.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including athlete‑facing communication.
• High level of integrity, discretion, and commitment to equitable athlete support.
• Thrives in a multi-tasking environment and can adjust priorities quickly
• Self-motivated, self-managed, proactive, risk-taking, with high drive to succeed
• Passion for sport and the ideals of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement
• Detail-oriented and organized
• Abilityto quickly build relationships and gain trust in virtual environments
• Effective presentation and public speaking skills
• Versatile and adaptable to a changing work environment
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of the USOPC Athlete Fellowship Program, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and athlete career transition objectives.
• Partner closely with People & Culture and hiring departments to coordinate recruitment, selection, placement, onboarding, and rotational experiences for Athlete Fellows.
• Develop and execute recruitment and promotional strategies that maximize awareness and attract a diverse, qualified applicant pool.
• Serve as the primary program point of contact for Athlete Fellows, providing guidance, resources, and support throughout the fellowship experience.
• Facilitate fellowship onboarding, orientation, cohort engagement activities, and professional development programming.
• Maintain regular touchpoints with Fellow People Leaders to address programmatic challenges, monitor fellow progress, and support successful departmental placements.
• Coordinate monthly cohort meetings, career development workshops, and networking opportunities that strengthen fellow engagement and career readiness.
• Build and sustain relationships with current and prospective fellowship host departments, donors, and external partners to enhance program impact and sustainability.
• Strategize, create, and implement athlete learning, leadership development, career readiness, and professional development programs designed to engage Team USA athletes in educational and workforce development opportunities.
• Design and develop engaging learning experiences and programs, including in-person, virtual, and self-paced offerings.
• Conductathleteandstakeholder needsassessments to identify development gaps and opportunities across the athlete population.
• Collaborate with National Governing Bodies (NGBs), educational institutions, employers, and external partners to expand access to learning and career development opportunities.
• Work with Athlete Outreach & Engagement to align engagement strategies and increase awareness, participation, and utilization of athlete development resources.
• Serve as the primary resource for connecting athletes to educational opportunities, workforce development programs, and career pathways.
• Utilize dashboards, athlete data, and program metrics to identify service gaps and inform strategic decision-making.
• Establish evaluation frameworks to measure participation, engagement, learning outcomes, athlete satisfaction, career readiness, and employment outcomes.
• Collect, analyze, and communicate program impact data and insights to leadership, donors, and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate with the Manager, Impact and Athlete Grants to develop reports, presentations, and impact stories demonstrating the outcomes and value of athlete development and fellowship initiatives.
• Conduct regular analyses of program effectiveness and recommend enhancements to improve athlete experiences and outcomes.
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Learning & development

Athlete services

Workforce development

Program management

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Public speaking

Athlete engagement

Communication

Integrity

Multi-tasking

Proactivity

Team collaboration

Education

Nonprofit/administration degree

Job description

Description

Are you mission-driven and passionate about helping others succeed?

Do you strive to lead, follow, and act with integrity?

Are you the one who honors your commitments?

Is building trusting relationships an integral part of why you do what you do?

Do you push limits and challenge the status quo?

Are you mission-driven and passionate about helping others succeed?

Do you strive to lead, follow, and act with integrity?

Are you the one who honors your commitments?

Is building trusting relationships an integral part of why you do what you do?

Do you push limits and challenge the status quo?

If you answered YES, keep reading to discover how you can significantly contribute to Team USA's success!

Here’s a Summary Of Responsibilities

The USOPC Athlete Development & Engagement team is seeking a strategic, creative relationship builder who keeps an athlete-first mindset at the forefront of all decisions. The Manager will oversee the strategic implementation and daily operations of the USOPC Athlete Fellowship Program. The role will manage program logistics, support athlete fellows, and ensure professional development opportunities are maximized, contributing to the fellows' successful transition to long-term employment within the Movement and beyond. The Manager, Athlete Programs is also responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative learning, leadership, career readiness, and professional development opportunities that empower Team USA athletes to thrive in sport, work, and life. Through data-informed decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration, the Manager advances programs that enhance athlete engagement, well-being, and long-term success.

Here’s How You’ll Have An Impact

Athlete Fellowship Program Leadership

• Lead the strategic planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of the USOPC Athlete Fellowship Program, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and athlete career transition objectives.
• Partner closely with People & Culture and hiring departments to coordinate recruitment, selection, placement, onboarding, and rotational experiences for Athlete Fellows.
• Develop and execute recruitment and promotional strategies that maximize awareness and attract a diverse, qualified applicant pool.
• Serve as the primary program point of contact for Athlete Fellows, providing guidance, resources, and support throughout the fellowship experience.
• Facilitate fellowship onboarding, orientation, cohort engagement activities, and professional development programming.
• Maintain regular touchpoints with Fellow People Leaders to address programmatic challenges, monitor fellow progress, and support successful departmental placements.
• Coordinate monthly cohort meetings, career development workshops, and networking opportunities that strengthen fellow engagement and career readiness.
• Build and sustain relationships with current and prospective fellowship host departments, donors, and external partners to enhance program impact and sustainability.

Athlete Learning, Development & Career Readiness

• Strategize, create, and implement athlete learning, leadership development, career readiness, and professional development programs designed to engage Team USA athletes in educational and workforce development opportunities.
• Design and develop engaging learning experiences and programs, including in-person, virtual, and self-paced offerings.
• Conductathleteandstakeholder needsassessments to identify development gaps and opportunities across the athlete population.
• Collaborate with National Governing Bodies (NGBs), educational institutions, employers, and external partners to expand access to learning and career development opportunities.
• Work with Athlete Outreach & Engagement to align engagement strategies and increase awareness, participation, and utilization of athlete development resources.
• Serve as the primary resource for connecting athletes to educational opportunities, workforce development programs, and career pathways.

Program Evaluation, Analytics & Reporting

• Utilize dashboards, athlete data, and program metrics to identify service gaps and inform strategic decision-making.
• Establish evaluation frameworks to measure participation, engagement, learning outcomes, athlete satisfaction, career readiness, and employment outcomes.
• Collect, analyze, and communicate program impact data and insights to leadership, donors, and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate with the Manager, Impact and Athlete Grants to develop reports, presentations, and impact stories demonstrating the outcomes and value of athlete development and fellowship initiatives.
• Conduct regular analyses of program effectiveness and recommend enhancements to improve athlete experiences and outcomes.
• Other duties as assigned

Here are the skills and experience you'll need to be effective:

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business, sports management, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in learning and development, athlete services, workforce development, talent development, program management, or a related field.
• Experience designing and facilitating educational, leadership development, or career readiness programs.
• Experience managing complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Experience analyzing data and translating insights into program improvements.
• Experience working with athletes, higher education institutions, workforce development organizations, or employer partnerships preferred.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple programs and deadlines simultaneously.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including athlete‑facing communication.
• High level of integrity, discretion, and commitment to equitable athlete support.
• Thrives in a multi-tasking environment and can adjust priorities quickly
• Self-motivated, self-managed, proactive, risk-taking, with high drive to succeed
• Passion for sport and the ideals of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement
• Detail-oriented and organized
• Abilityto quickly build relationships and gain trust in virtual environments
• Effective presentation and public speaking skills
• Versatile and adaptable to a changing work environment
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately

Here Are The Tools, Equipment, & Conditions

• Standard office equipment
• Office environment in a multi-story building on a multi-building site.
• Non-traditional hours on occasion, including nights and weekends
• Some domestic and international travel
• Regular attendance at work is an essential job function

Here’s Where You'll Work

Colorado Springs Downtown Headquarters / Hybrid

Here’s Some More Information You Need To Know

• Hiring pay range $70,000 - $80,000 per year.
• This Full-Time, Exempt position is intended to work 40 hours per week.
• Bonus: This position will be eligible for the Annual Incentive Award Program, which has a 15% target. The USOPC may change or eliminate this program at any time at its sole discretion.
• Benefits: This position will be eligible for USOPC benefits. You can view a summaryhere.

This job posting will close 12:00pm MT on 9/2/2026