Principal Recruiter

Seattle Sounders FC•Renton, WA

1d•$140,000 - $190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Reign FC, and RAVE Foundation are seeking a Principal Recruiter to lead talent acquisition and hiring across the three organizations. This senior individual contributor role owns the hiring process from role definition through offer, leads complex and confidential searches, and establishes consistent, inclusive, evidence-based hiring practices. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, the Principal Recruiter works directly with executive leadership to advise on workforce planning, hiring priorities, and talent decisions. The role combines hands-on recruiting with strategic advising and system building. The Principal Recruiter will improve hiring processes, develop recruiting measurement and reporting, build proactive talent pipelines, equip hiring managers, and guide People & Culture partners. They will also lead responsible use of AI, automation, and recruiting technology, maintaining human oversight, candidate privacy, and accountability. The position is based at the Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse in Renton, Washington, with in-person work Monday through Thursday and remote-work flexibility on Fridays. The role follows the soccer calendar, so occasional evening and weekend work and varying workloads during peak hiring periods are expected.

Requirements

At least 10 years of full-cycle recruiting experience, including hiring individual contributors, leaders, and executives.
Track record of raising hiring standards by designing, improving, or scaling recruiting processes and systems.
Experience leading complex and confidential searches and advising senior leaders on hiring decisions.
Strong knowledge of structured interviewing, candidate assessment, and consistent evaluation practices.
Hands-on experience evaluating or implementing recruiting tools, automation, or related technologies.
Demonstrated experience designing, building, and implementing agentic AI workflows to automate or improve complex, multistep processes.
Hands-on proficiency with AI assistants, automation platforms, and connected tools, with the judgment to evaluate outputs and maintain appropriate human oversight.
Experience partnering with leadership on hiring strategy, workforce planning, and talent priorities.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence, coach, and build trust across teams.
Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and hiring laws, including equal employment opportunity, pay transparency, fair chance hiring, and background check requirements; judgment to know when to involve Legal.
Commitment to fair, inclusive, and responsible hiring practices.
Must reside in Washington state upon date of hire.
Must be able to facilitate own local travel.
Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.
Physical requirements may include regular outdoor work, standing for long periods, and lifting up to 20 pounds.
Demonstrated commitment to the organization's values and mission: Create Moments, Enrich Lives, and Unify & Uplift Through Soccer.

Responsibilities

Lead talent acquisition and hiring across Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Reign FC, and RAVE Foundation, owning the process from role definition through offer.
Run complex searches with discretion and build trusted relationships with leaders and candidates.
Partner with leadership to define role expectations and culture-related behaviors, and assess candidates through structured, evidence-based evaluation.
Advise executive leadership on workforce planning, hiring priorities, and talent decisions using market insight, recruiting expertise, and sound judgment.
Set and uphold consistent, inclusive, evidence-based hiring practices, tools, and workflows in partnership with the Chief People Officer.
Lead responsible use of AI, automation, and recruiting technology to improve recruiting effectiveness and candidate attraction and evaluation.
Establish recruiting measurement and reporting capabilities to provide visibility into performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Train, guide, and coach hiring managers to improve hiring decisions and recruitment practices.
Build proactive talent pipelines and sourcing strategies, including for passive and hard-to-reach candidates.
Mentor and guide the Senior HR Generalist and People & Culture partners on recruiting practices, standards, and tools.
Partner across People & Culture and the broader organization to align recruiting with business needs, compensation practices, and organizational priorities.
Champion responsible, equitable, and compliant recruiting, including human oversight, candidate privacy, and accountability in hiring decisions.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

100% employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision premiums for employees and dependents.
Employer contributions to a Health Savings Account for employees enrolled in the HSA plan: $1,000 per year for employee-only coverage and $2,000 per year for spouse or family coverage.
Unlimited paid vacation, paid company holidays, and paid sick leave in compliance with Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time ordinance.
Paid bereavement leave and paid jury duty leave.
401(k) retirement plan matching.
A $10,000 lifetime maximum fertility benefit through the healthcare plan.
Gender-neutral parental leave providing 12–16 weeks of paid leave, inclusive of Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave.
Employer-paid long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
Complimentary match tickets.
Employer-funded ORCA cards for public transit.
Learning and development programs and resources.
Volunteer opportunities aligned with social impact goals and RAVE Foundation initiatives.