The NFL is accelerating the growth of flag football as one of the world's fastest-growing sports and a cornerstone of the future of football. With flag football set to debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, expanding international competition through the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), and the launch of a new professional flag football league in partnership with TMRW Sports, the NFL is making unprecedented investments in the sport's competitive ecosystem worldwide.
The Director, Professional & Adult Competitive Flag Football will help lead the NFL's efforts to strengthen and expand the global competitive flag football landscape. This role will be responsible for managing strategic relationships, developing competition-focused initiatives, and supporting the growth of domestic and international flag football across professional, national team, club, tournament, and recreational environments.
The ideal candidate combines a deep understanding of the competitive flag football ecosystem with strong business acumen, stakeholder management capabilities, and experience operating within complex sports environments. This individual will serve as a key leader in building relationships and aligning stakeholders across leagues, federations, governing bodies, tournament operators, clubs, and other partners to support the long-term growth of flag football globally.
Responsibilities
Competitive Ecosystem Strategy
- Support the development and execution of the NFL's strategy to strengthen and expand competitive flag football globally.
- Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the flag football ecosystem, including professional leagues, clubs, tournaments, governing bodies, athletes, coaches, officials, and administrators.
- Monitor industry trends, competitive structures, and emerging opportunities across domestic and international markets.
- Develop and manage a national database and intelligence platform tracking participation trends, organizations, competitions, and key stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities to improve alignment, collaboration, and growth across key stakeholders within the sport.
Professional League & Competition Development
- Serve as a primary NFL relationship manager with TMRW Sports, the Professional Flag League.
- Support initiatives that strengthen the professional flag football ecosystem and elevate awareness, participation, and long-term sustainability.
- Collaborate on strategic initiatives related to league operations, competition development, athlete engagement, and market growth.
- Identify opportunities to connect professional flag football with broader participation and competition objectives.
International Federations & National Team Engagement
- Serve as a key NFL liaison to IFAF, national federations, and national team stakeholders worldwide.
- Support initiatives that strengthen the global national team ecosystem and advance international competition.
- Support initiatives that advance competitive standards, governance best practices, and competition quality across the global flag football ecosystem.
- Collaborate with federations and governing bodies to promote alignment on competition structures, calendars, officiating frameworks, and strategic growth initiatives.
- Support the continued development and quality of IFAF-sanctioned competitions, including World Championships, Continental Championships, Olympic qualification events, and other international tournaments.
Olympic & International Competition Strategy
- Support the NFL's strategic engagement with the Olympic flag football ecosystem, including LA28 stakeholders, IFAF, National Olympic Committees, and National Governing Bodies.
- Monitor developments related to Olympic qualification, international competition structures, and future Olympic cycles.
- Help align NFL priorities with the continued growth and success of flag football within the Olympic movement.
Competition & Event Development
- Support the growth and visibility of competitive opportunities for both men's and women's flag football across domestic and international markets.
- Support the growth and enhancement of competitive flag football opportunities across professional, amateur, and international levels.
- Develop relationships with tournament operators, league operators, clubs, and event organizers.
- Evaluate opportunities to expand competition offerings and improve the participant and fan experience.
- Assist in the development of new events, competitions, and initiatives that support growth objectives.
Adult Participation & Recreational Growth
- Support initiatives that drive participation and engagement in adult recreational flag football.
- Collaborate with leagues, operators, and partners to identify opportunities to expand adult play opportunities.
- Develop relationships with organizations that support recreational and amateur competition.
- Help align adult participation strategies with broader NFL flag football growth objectives.
Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Management
- Collaborate across NFL departments to align competition priorities with broader participation, international, football operations, marketing, and commercial objectives.
- Identify new business, competition, and partnership opportunities that accelerate the growth of flag football globally.
- Identify partnership opportunities that advance the NFL's strategic goals in flag football.
- Support cross-functional initiatives involving internal and external stakeholders.
Industry Leadership & Representation
- Serve as a subject matter expert on the competitive flag football landscape and stakeholder ecosystem.
- Deliver strategic recommendations and presentations to NFL leadership and external partners.
- Support thought leadership initiatives that position the NFL as a leader in the growth of flag football globally.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Minimum 10-12 years of experience in sports business, football operations, league operations, competition management, international sports, partnership management, or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience managing strategic partnerships and stakeholder relationships across complex sports environments.
- Strong understanding of the competitive flag football ecosystem, including leagues, tournaments, governing bodies, clubs, and national teams.
- Experience working with professional sports leagues, national governing bodies, international federations, event operators, or comparable organizations preferred.
- Proven ability to develop and execute strategic initiatives across multiple stakeholders.
- Exceptional relationship-building, influencing, and communication skills.
- Strong project management, organizational, and negotiation skills.
- Experience managing cross-functional teams and external partners.
- Public speaking and executive presentation experience required.
Other Key Attributes / Characteristics
- Experience working within international sports ecosystems, national team programs, or governing bodies.
- Familiarity with IFAF, Olympic competition structures, and international sports governance.
- Experience working with professional sports leagues and emerging sports properties.
- Global sports experience and demonstrated ability to work across diverse cultural and geographic markets.
- Knowledge of adult participation and recreational sports programming.
Salary / Pay Range
This job posting contains a pay range, which represents the range of salaries or hourly rates that the NFL believes, in good faith, at the time of this posting that it might be willing to pay for the posted job in the location(s) specified. The NFL expects to hire for this position near the middle of the range. Only in truly rare and exceptional circumstances, where an external candidate has experience, credentials or expertise that far exceed those required or expected for the position, would the NFL consider paying a salary or rate near the higher end of the range.
Terms / Expected Hours of Work
- NFL employees are required to work 40 hours per week in office.
- This position will frequently require evenings, weekends, and international travel to support competitions, events, and stakeholder engagements.
Travel
- Requires significant domestic and international travel (40%).
- Frequent attendance at international competitions, stakeholder meetings, and major events.
- Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and non-traditional hours as business needs require.
Benefits Information
To learn more about our comprehensive benefits offerings, please visit: NFL BENEFITS
At the NFL, in-person work at our offices is a top priority because it allows us to collaborate more effectively, build stronger connections, and maintain the culture that drives our success. This role requires onsite presence at an NFL office or stadium location, and remote and/or hybrid working options are not offered.
NO RELOCATION ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED.
The NFL is committed to building an inclusive work environment that reflects our incredible fan base. We provide an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all employees and applicants without regard to status as protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws.
WHO WE ARE:
NFL Core Values:
- Respect: Everyone matters. We celebrate diverse opinions, honor hard work, and value every contribution.
- Integrity: We do what's right, even when it's tough. We hold ourselves accountable and always follow through.
- Team Responsibility: We support each other and our communities. No one is bigger than the game, and every action impacts others.
- Resiliency: We set high standards, overcome adversity, and adapt to challenges, always striving for excellence.
NFL Leadership Attributes:
- Build Talent: We develop and nurture potential, empowering individuals to grow and succeed.
- Execute: We take action with precision, delivering results that drive our goals forward.
- Inspire: We motivate others through vision, energy, and a commitment to excellence.
- Live Our Values: We embody our core principles in every decision and action.
- Know the Business: We stay informed, understand our industry, and make decisions that strengthen our position.
- Think Big: We challenge the status quo, envision bold possibilities, and strive for transformative impact
WHO YOU ARE:
Talent Attributes: What we expect for our employees:
- Embody an enthusiastic, proactive can-do attitude
- Embrace grit, free from ego or entitlement
- Excel as a relationship builder, with the ability to influence
- Eager learner, driven by passion rather than just ambition
- Encompasses an incredible work ethic with an agile mindset
