Sporting Director

Location:

Long Island, New York

Reports To:

Ownership / President of Business Operations

Overview

The Island FC is building a new professional soccer club on Long Island, launching as an independent MLS NEXT Pro franchise in 2027, with a long-term vision to establish a women’s professional team.

The club is anchored by two MLS NEXT clubs across Nassau and Suffolk Counties, alongside a Girls Academy, serving a population of over three million residents and providing a true Island-wide player development pathway built around a high-performance, development-driven model.

With close proximity to New York City and access to players, professionals, and global football networks, this is a rare opportunity to build a club from its foundation — defining its football identity, player model, and long-term competitive strategy from day one.

The Opportunity

The Island FC is seeking a Sporting Director to lead all aspects of the club’s football operations, including defining its playing identity, constructing the inaugural roster, and building a fully integrated youth-to-professional pathway aligned with the club’s long-term vision.

The Sporting Director will oversee all football operations — including roster construction, recruitment, and technical infrastructure — in alignment with ownership’s objectives.

This role requires balancing immediate competitiveness with long-term player development, building a roster capable of competing within MLS NEXT Pro while establishing a sustainable pathway for player progression and long-term squad development.

Beyond the first team, the role includes shaping an integrated development model that connects all levels of the club into a cohesive and scalable system.

This is an opportunity to build a lasting football infrastructure — creating a complete player development ecosystem for Long Island.

Key Responsibilities

The Sporting Director will be responsible for the following:

Sporting Strategy & Identity

• Define and implement the club’s football philosophy, ensuring alignment across recruitment, player development, and first-team performance
• Establish a unified sporting model connecting all levels of the club within a consistent framework
• Partner with ownership and executive leadership to align on football identity and roster philosophy

Player Recruitment & Roster Construction

• Build a roster strategy that prioritizes top Long Island and regional talent while strategically integrating domestic and international players
• Lead all player identification, scouting, and recruitment for the inaugural roster
• Build an inaugural roster capable of competing within MLS NEXT Pro, balancing emerging youth talent with experienced players
• Build pipelines across MLS NEXT Pro, USL, college, academy, and international markets
• Align recruitment strategy with the club’s development model to ensure continuity in player profiles and long-term squad building
• Identify value within budget constraints through trialists, free agents, waivers, and targeted acquisitions
• Build and manage relationships with domestic and international clubs to support player loans, transfers, and strategic partnerships that strengthen the roster and long-term player pipeline

Player Development & Pathway

• Lead the integration of an existing youth infrastructure across Nassau and Suffolk Counties into a unified, club-aligned development model
• Build and oversee a true youth-to-professional pathway designed to identify and develop top talent from Long Island
• Ensure alignment between player development, first-team requirements, and recruitment strategy
• Establish a player-centered model emphasizing accountability, growth, and progression both on and off the field
• Manage inbound and outbound loans and affiliate relationships
• Integrate player development with a defined player trading and asset creation strategy
• Lead the development of international pathway initiatives, including a residential model designed to attract foreign-based players into a structured student-athlete pipeline from youth through college and into the professional game

Technical Operations & Compliance

• Manage roster construction in compliance with MLS NEXT Pro rules and salary structures
• Oversee contracts, registrations, and player documentation
• Lead international transfers, FIFA clearances, and USSF compliance
• Navigate league mechanisms, player eligibility, and roster regulations

Leadership & Department Buildout

• Lead the hiring of the inaugural Head Coach in partnership with ownership
• Lead and align coaching staff across all levels of the club, establishing consistency in playing philosophy, standards, and player development from youth through the professional team
• Build and manage a lean technical staff and scouting infrastructure
• Foster alignment across coaching, performance, medical, and recruitment functions
• Align coaching staff, front office, and ownership on roster strategy and execution
• Serve as the primary point of contact with agents, clubs, and league stakeholders

Analytics & Scouting Infrastructure

• Integrate data, video analysis, and performance insights into recruitment and player development
• Develop analytical frameworks to support decision-making across recruitment, performance, and progression

Performance Expectations

The Sporting Director will be evaluated across the following core areas:

• Staff Leadership & Infrastructure Buildout
• Roster Construction & Talent Identification
• Player Development & Pathway Success
• Competitive Performance
• Strategic Alignment with Ownership

Qualifications

• Experience as a Sporting Director, Assistant Sporting Director, or senior technical leader within a professional club
• Deep knowledge of player identification at the USL/lower-division and international levels
• Strong understanding of MLS NEXT Pro, USL, and the North American development ecosystem
• Established domestic and international network, including relationships in Europe and South America
• Proven experience in roster construction, talent valuation, and recruitment within budget constraints
• Experience working with players transitioning from academy or collegiate levels
• Strong understanding of player trading models, including MLS mechanisms and international markets
• Experience with loans, transfers, and contract negotiations
• Familiarity with scouting and analytics platforms (Wyscout, Hudl, InStat)
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Comfortable operating in a build-from-scratch, resource-conscious environment

Preferred Profile

The ideal candidate brings proven experience building a roster from inception, with the ability to construct and lead a balanced team combining emerging youth talent with experienced players. Deep relationships across domestic and international markets, along with a strong understanding of the MLS NEXT Pro and USL landscape, are essential, as is the ability to evaluate technical quality and player upside at a high level.

Strong leadership, communication, and organizational capabilities are critical to aligning coaches, staff, and stakeholders across all levels of the club. Experience with data-driven recruitment, a deep knowledge of youth soccer and emerging domestic talent, and the ability to connect authentically with Long Island’s diverse soccer communities are key to shaping both player identification and overall club development. The role also requires the ability to establish and manage relationships with clubs globally to support player movement and long-term squad development, while working closely with ownership and executive leadership on club strategy.

Why The Island FC

This is an opportunity to define the football identity of a professional club from its inception.

Long Island provides a unique platform to build a true Island-wide football pathway. Positioned within the New York metro area and rooted in one of the country’s richest soccer communities, The Island FC sits within a region that offers direct proximity to elite players, coaches, executives, and global football networks.

For the right candidate, this role offers the opportunity to shape a defining chapter of their career while building a lasting legacy across Long Island — creating a true Island-wide pathway and a sustainable model for long-term success.