Principal Recruiter
Seattle Sounders FC & Seattle Reign FC · Renton · $140,000–$190,000 (stated in the posting)
TITLE: Principal Recruiter
DEPARTMENT: People and Culture
REPORTS TO: Chief People Officer
TYPE: Full-Time Regular
FLSA: Exempt
ROLE TYPE: Individual Contributor
OUR CLUBS
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC are united as one soccer family, driven by a shared commitment to excellence, growth, and impact on and off the pitch. Each club has independently forged a rich history of performance while connecting deeply with the community. Our clubs are continually pushing the boundaries of what's possible while fostering an inclusive culture- championing causes and building community connections to expand our reach and impact. Each match is an opportunity to bring together our community, celebrating our resilience, inclusivity, and a commitment to excellence. United in professional dedication- we are two clubs with one shared vision of progress and greatness.
POSITION SUMMARY
The success of Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC starts with the people who make our clubs what they are, on and off the pitch. As two clubs united by a shared ambition, we're building a stronger organization for the future, starting with how we attract, develop, and bring talented people together.
As our Principal Recruiter, you'll be our lead expert in talent acquisition and hiring for Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Reign FC and RAVE Foundation. You'll lead searches, own the hiring process, and set the standards and partnerships that make hiring more effective, consistent, and inclusive. This is a senior individual contributor position reporting to our Chief People Officer.
Working directly with executive leadership, you'll shape hiring strategies, advise on workforce planning, and introduce innovative approaches to recruiting, including responsible applications of AI and automation. You'll have the autonomy to challenge conventional thinking, improve the experience for candidates and hiring managers, and build systems that strengthen how our clubs hire for years to come.
This is an opportunity for a hands-on recruiter, strategic advisor, and builder who believes that assembling exceptional teams, grounded in shared values, is one of the most important ways to shape the future of our clubs.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead talent acquisition and hiring across Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Reign FC, and the RAVE Foundation, owning the hiring process from role definition through offer for every hire.
- Run complex searches with discretion, building trusted relationships with leaders and candidates.
- Hire for the culture we are growing. In every search, partner with leadership to define the behaviors that strengthen our culture, describe what great looks like in each role, and assess candidates through structured, evidence-based evaluation.
- Advise executive leadership on workforce planning, hiring priorities, and talent decisions, bringing market insight, recruiting expertise, and sound judgment.
- Set and uphold the hiring standard, in partnership with the Chief People Officer, through consistent practices, tools, and workflows that keep hiring evidence-based, inclusive, and high quality across every department.
- Lead the use of responsible AI, automation, and recruiting technology to improve effectiveness, reduce unnecessary work, and create new opportunities to strengthen how our clubs attract and evaluate talent.
- Establish meaningful recruiting measurement and reporting capabilities that provide visibility into hiring performance, inform decisions, and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Equip hiring managers to make better hiring decisions and run more effective recruitments through training, guidance, coaching, and consistent evaluation practices.
- Build proactive talent pipelines and sourcing strategies across both clubs, including passive and hard-to-reach talent.
- Mentor and guide the Senior HR Generalist and People & Culture partners on recruiting practice, 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 practices, maintaining appropriate human oversight, candidate privacy, and accountability in hiring decisions.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
We're looking for an experienced recruiter and talent acquisition expert who combines strong execution with strategic thinking, sound judgment, and passion for building better systems.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, including hiring for individual contributor, leadership, and executive positions.
- A track record of raising the standard of hiring 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 that automate or improve complex, multistep work processes.
- Hands-on proficiency using AI assistants, automation platforms, and connected tools to improve personal productivity and organizational effectiveness, 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 different 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, with the judgment to know when to involve Legal.
- A commitment to fair, inclusive, and responsible hiring practices.
A college degree is not required. We value demonstrated experience, sound judgment, and the ability to deliver meaningful results.
Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strategic Thinking and Judgment: Connects talent decisions to organizational priorities, anticipates future needs, and balances data, experience, and human judgment to make sound decisions.
- Builder Mentality and Systems Thinking: Sees opportunities to improve how things work, creates structure where needed, and develops solutions that are practical, connected, and sustainable.
- Curiosity and Innovation: Challenges conventional approaches, embraces emerging technologies, and identifies meaningful opportunities to improve outcomes.
- Influence and Partnership: Builds trust across teams and with executive leadership, communicates with clarity, challenges assumptions constructively, and helps others make better decisions.
- Ownership and Accountability: Takes initiative, follows through on commitments, measures impact, and demonstrates sound judgment, integrity, and a commitment to equitable and inclusive practices.
- Demonstrates a commitment to our values and mission (Create Moments, Enrich Lives, and Unify & Uplift Through Soccer) in all interactions with colleagues, partners, vendors, and fans.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position is based at our headquarters and training facility, the Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse in Renton, Washington.
We work together in person Monday through Thursday, with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays. Our work follows the rhythm of the soccer calendar, so occasional evenings and weekends are part of the role, and workloads may vary throughout the season, particularly during peak hiring periods.
Additional requirements include:
- Must reside within Washington state upon date of hire.
- Must be able to facilitate own local travel.
- Must be eligible to work in the US without sponsorship.
- Responsibilities may include regular work outdoors and require standing on feet for long periods of time, as well as some lifting of up to 20 pounds.
COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND PERKS
We offer competitive compensation and an engaging, supportive environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of our people.
The salary range for this position is $140,000 - $190,000. Positioning within the range at time of offer is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, internal equity, and current market conditions.
In addition to financial compensation, we provide a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being and professional growth, including:
- Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: We offer 100% employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision premiums for you and your dependents. For employees enrolled in our HSA healthcare plan, we provide employer contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) — $1,000 per year for employee-only coverage and $2,000 per year for spouse or family coverage.
- Generous Paid Time Off & Leave: We offer unlimited paid vacation, paid company holidays, and paid sick leave in compliance with Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time ordinance. We also provide paid bereavement leave and paid jury duty leave to support you during life’s critical moments.
- Retirement Planning Support: 401(k) retirement plan matching, helping you secure your financial future with ease.
- Fertility & Family-Building Support: We provide a $10,000 lifetime maximum fertility benefit through our healthcare plan to support employees in their family-building journeys. This benefit includes coverage for infertility treatment, IVF, IUI, embryo transfer, fertility preservation, and related medications.
- Inclusive Parental Leave: Our gender-neutral parental leave program provides 12–16 weeks of paid leave, inclusive of Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML), giving new parents the time and support they need during this important life stage.
- Peace of Mind Coverage: Employer-paid long-term disability coverage, as well as basic life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, providing financial protection and peace of mind for you and your family.
- Exclusive Perks: Enjoy complimentary tickets to matches and employer-funded ORCA cards for public transit, making it easier for you to experience the excitement firsthand.
- Continuous Growth Opportunities: We invest in your learning and development through various programs and resources.
- Community Engagement: We provide a variety of volunteer opportunities that align with our social impact goals and RAVE Foundation initiatives, empowering you to make a meaningful difference in the Seattle community.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where every employee is respected, valued, and supported. We celebrate our diverse work environment and welcome team members of all backgrounds and perspectives. If you do not meet every job requirement listed, we still encourage you to apply. We believe your relevant experience and expertise will help us become a high-performing best-in-class workplace for all. Women, gender-nonbinary, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Sounders FC and Reign FC provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, including race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, and caste.
The physical demands reflected in the duties and work environment herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. If you’d like to request an accommodation in the application or interview process, please contact the People & Culture Team at careers@soundersfc.com.
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
PRIVACY POLICY
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