Counsel, Corporate Development

United States Soccer Federation 1•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

U.S. Soccer’s Corporate Development team leads inorganic growth initiatives that advance the organization’s strategic priorities and drive value creation. These initiatives include mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments and partnerships, corporate integrations, and real estate development projects. The team works with cross-functional partners across U.S. Soccer, including Finance, Strategy, and Legal. This new role reports to the Deputy General Counsel and is embedded in the Corporate Development team. The Counsel will provide general corporate transactional support, help the organization make sound business decisions and manage risk, and creatively navigate internal and external challenges. The role covers transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, real estate and financing, and bylaw amendments. The position may be performed in person at the National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia, or remotely. Remote employees must occasionally travel to the National Training Center and member organizations’ offices for key meetings and relationship-building with internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school.
Active license to practice law, in good standing, in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
4–6 years of corporate legal experience, preferably at a top-tier law firm, with a significant focus on corporate transactions.
Ability to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal colleagues.
Exceptional drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong commitment to quality work product, ethics, integrity, and compliance.
Ability to connect micro-level details to the broader vision and mission.
Proficient experience with Microsoft Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.

Nice To Haves

Experience with mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, and diligence is preferred.
Prior experience managing transactions involving nonprofit organizations is desirable but not required.
A general understanding of the youth soccer ecosystem in the United States is preferred; sports industry experience is not required.

Responsibilities

Support the legal structuring, negotiation, and execution of significant corporate transactions, including term sheets, letters of intent, managed services agreements, joint venture agreements, acquisition agreements, bylaw amendments, strategic alliance agreements, financing agreements, real estate-related agreements, and other transaction documentation.
Perform legal due diligence for transactions and identify legal, regulatory, and commercial risks and opportunities.
Partner with leaders across Corporate Development, Legal, Risk Management, Compliance, and Finance to evaluate opportunities, structure transactions, and drive successful deal execution.
Coordinate with outside counsel to ensure efficient, high-quality support on large transactions.
Research and advise on transaction-related regulatory approval strategies.
Prepare concise materials for executive leaders and, as necessary, the Board of Directors, regarding transaction structure, key risks, and approval requirements.
Support transaction integration and post-closing activities, including implementation of legal and governance requirements.