Senior Director, Strategy and Operations

Nfl-Players-Association; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 265,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Onsite three days a week

Job summary

The NFL Players Association in Washington, DC is seeking a Senior Director, Strategy and Operations to lead strategic planning, program integration, and performance measurement across Player Affairs. Reporting to the CPAO, you will align Benefits, Wellness, Former Players, and Player Assistance funds to deliver high-impact services.

You will drive cross-functional initiatives, build data-driven decision processes, manage budgeting and forecasting, and mentor Programs and Analytics teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in strategy, operations, or program management.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Proven ability to translate strategic priorities into measurable outcomes.
• Experience overseeing budgets, forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Strong collaboration and communication across teams and leaders.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for NFLPA's Programs function and oversee multiple portfolios.
• Drive operational alignment across Wellness, Benefits, Former Players, and related Funds.
• Develop and maintain performance measurement frameworks, dashboards, and reporting tools.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation across the department.
• Build and maintain external partnerships and drive cross-organizational initiatives.

Skills

Strategic planning

Cross-functional leadership

Budgeting & forecasting

Data analytics

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Senior Director, Strategy and Operations

Regular Full-Time Management Washington, DC, Washington, DC, US

$265,000.00 To $300,000.00 Annually

The Opportunity

As the NFLPA evolves, it is critical to strengthen how programs, services, and operations work together to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience for active and former players.

The Senior Director, Strategy and Operations is a key member of the Player Affairs leadership team, reporting to the Chief Player Affairs Officer (CPAO) helping drive alignment, integration, and execution across Benefits, Former Players, the Gene Upshaw Player Assistance Fund, and Player Affairs.

Working closely with leadership across the organization, this role helps ensure that programs, resources, and operational practices are responsive to player needs, aligned with organizational priorities, and positioned to create meaningful impact throughout a player’s career and beyond.

The Role

The Senior Director, Strategy and Operations serves as a senior member of the Player Affairs leadership team, leading strategic planning, operational integration, performance management, and organizational effectiveness across the department. Reporting to the CPAO, this role oversees the Programs function and works closely with leaders across Wellness, Benefits, Former Players, the Gene Upshaw Player Assistance Fund, and Player Affairs to align priorities, enhance collaboration, and strengthen the delivery of programs and services to players.

The role is responsible for driving cross-functional initiatives, establishing data-driven decision-making processes, overseeing departmental planning and resource allocation, and ensuring strategic priorities translate into measurable outcomes. As a trusted advisor to the CPAO, the Senior Director helps guide complex decisions, strengthen accountability, and foster collaboration across the Player Affairs portfolio.

This role requires a strategic and operational leader who can connect vision to execution, build strong relationships across teams, and continuously improve how the NFLPA serves players throughout their careers and beyond.

This position is based in Washington, DC.

Key Responsibilities

Player Affairs Operations and Integration

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the NFLPA's Programs function.
• Drive operational alignment across Wellness, Benefits, Former Players, the Gene Upshaw Player Assistance Fund, and Player Affairs, ensuring services are delivered effectively, efficiently and consistently.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve coordination, service delivery, and the overall player experience.
• Ensure player-facing programs and services operate as a cohesive, integrated portfolio.

Strategic Planning & Performance

• Lead the development and execution of strategic priorities across the active and former player portfolio in partnership with department leadership.
• Develop and maintain performance measurement frameworks, dashboards, and reporting tools to evaluate program effectiveness, business impact, and return on investment.
• Partner with IT, Finance, and department leaders to strengthen data analytics, operational reporting, and decision-making capabilities.
• Facilitate strategic planning sessions across Player Affairs functions to align priorities, measure progress, and drive achievement of departmental objectives.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation processes across the department.
• Assess outcomes, identify trends, and recommend improvements to programs, services, operations, and investments.

Program & Organizational Development

• Identify emerging player needs and opportunities to strengthen existing programs and services.
• Lead the development and implementation of new programs, initiatives, and service offerings.
• Ensure programs remain relevant, accessible, and impactful throughout a player’s career and beyond.
• Promote innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence across the Player Affairs portfolio.

External Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain effective relationships with external partners, sponsors, service providers and affiliated organizations.
• Represent the NFLPA in program-related discussions, partnerships, and collaborative initiatives.
• Serve as a liaison to the Trust, Mackey-White Committee, and Player Assistance Fund Boards, as needed.
• Ensure partnerships and stakeholder relationships advance organizational priorities and deliver meaningful value to players.

Leadership & Team Development

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CPAO on sensitive player-affairs matters, providing balanced recommendations, sound judgment, and discretion.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the Programs, Data Analytics, and Operations team members.
• Drive accountability and resolution of complex issues by establishing clear ownership, timelines, follow-up actions, and escalation pathways.
• Foster a culture of professionalism, collaboration, empathy, accountability, and respect.
• Promote effective communication and alignment across teams and stakeholders.
• Model the values and leadership behaviors that strengthen the NFLPA’s service to active and former players.

Experience & Background

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, organizational leadership, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in strategy, operations, program management, business administration, nonprofit management, sports administration, or related fields.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational change in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Demonstrated success translating strategic priorities into measurable outcomes and operational execution.
• Experience developing performance metrics, reporting frameworks, dashboards, and business analytics.
• Experience overseeing budgets, forecasting, resource allocation, and operational planning.
• Strong background in program design, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• Experience managing external partnerships, vendors, sponsors, and service providers.
• Proven ability to build alignment and influence outcomes across departments and levels of leadership.
• Exceptional judgment, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to service, collaboration, and mission-driven work.

About the NFL Players Association

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the NFL and headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of protecting the health, safety and financial future of its more than 2,000 player members, who are the backbone of North America's most popular and highest revenue-generating sport. Through a wide offering of programs, resources and engagement opportunities, the NFLPA provides world-class service to players throughout their career lifecycle and builds solidarity to advocate on their behalf in the areas of healthcare, revenue, compensation and working conditions. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at nflpa.com .

In addition to competitive salaries and comprehensive benefit package, the NFLPA also offers an engaging, learning culture and hybrid work environment. All full-time employees are required to work onsite in our Washington, DC a minimum of three days a week.