Technical Director

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

San Diego Football Club (San Diego FC) is the newest member of the MLS family. As part of the unique Right to Dream model and the Sycuan Tribe’s deep roots, we are proud to be building a San Diego-centric soccer organization that honors our history and celebrates emerging excellence.

Globally, Right to Dream partners with talented young people to give them a nurturing environment to flourish and thrive. They do this through a holistic model of athletic development, where young people grow as human beings and great footballers. RTD’s promise is set out in their Manifesto: a set of 8 commitments which are central to the San Diego FC ethos from the front office to the field.

The Technical Director will be tasked with supporting the vision, values, and strategic objectives of the club. Executing the long-term sporting vision, this role will work on the development of coaches & players while fostering evolving leadership to consistently succeed on the field to achieve success at all levels of the organization.

• Technical Direction: Acting as the repository of technical knowledge, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the organization's football philosophy. Playing a crucial role as a bridge between the first team and the academy, dedicating 60% of their time to the former and 40% to the latter. Collaborating closely with the Sporting Director & Academy Director, aligning strategies on various fronts, including playing style, methodology, academy structure, and recruitment strategy.

• Technical Implementation: With ultimate decision-making power, ensuring that the football philosophy seamlessly aligns with the broader principles of the Right to Dream group, striving for consistency across all facets of the club's approach, ethos, and culture. Oversight extends to the effective implementation of the academy structure and the enhancement of talent acquisition processes. The overarching goal is to create a unified identity that transcends both the first team and the academy.

• Cultural Architect: Ensuring an atmosphere of psychological safety is paramount within both the first team and academy settings. This involves cultivating an environment where players and staff feel secure expressing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal. By fostering open communication and mutual respect, playing a crucial role in promoting psychological well-being. Simultaneously, actively contributing to shaping a culture centered on development.
  
  This includes fostering a growth mindset, encouraging continuous learning, and emphasizing individual and collective progress over immediate outcomes.

• Staff Recruitment: Oversees and supports technical staff and personnel decisions. Involving managing the existing technical team and making strategic decisions regarding new hires. Aligning the overarching football principles ensuring that the recruitment and composition of the technical staff are in harmony with the club's vision and values. This entails evaluating the skill sets, expertise, and cultural fit of potential hires to assemble a cohesive and proficient team.

• Staff Development: Taking the helm in spearheading the succession plan for the academy staff, collaborating closely with the Academy Director, and adhering to the overarching Football Function, guided by the RTD framework. Charting the course for future leadership within the academy staff. Considering factors such as skill development, leadership qualities, and cultural compatibility. This collaborative effort aims to secure a robust and effective plan for the academy staff, fostering continuity, and sustained excellence in line with the club's overall developmental objectives.

Candidates can meet the requirements with a combination of experience in the following areas:

• Proven knowledge and experience of MLS and of international soccer
• Experience creating, implementing and managing processes
• Prior roles working with academy and first team players & staff
• Knowledge and experience of scouting and recruitment processes for academy and first team players
• Proven leadership experience
• Thorough…