Manager, Strategy

We are Tennis! The USTA (United States Tennis Association) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis and the leader in promoting and developing the sport's growth on every level in the United States, from local communities to the crown jewel of the professional game, the US Open.

Why Work for the USTA?

We are a passionate team of staff and volunteers focused on growing the sport of tennis and making it accessible to all. We are committed to removing barriers and creating opportunities for ALL to participate. Don't know tennis? Don't worry, you can still find yourself in the game!

The USTA has made a strategic decision to become the number one tennis-playing nation (by population) in the world-increasing the number of Americans playing the World's Healthiest Sport to 10% of the population (35 million players), while deepening positive impact in communities nationwide. To achieve this ambition, the USTA must re-imagine how consumers, players and coaches engage with the game and what it takes for the ecosystem to thrive, most importantly, in the places where tennis is played.

This role will be an integral part of the re-imagining, centrally positioned in the Strategy & Innovation function, to advance the organization in operationalizing the plan to reach 35M players by 2035. This is a shared services role that functions to support the Executive Leadership and the business units across the Association, to develop goals, strategies and plans to achieve success

Strategy Consulting

Lead internal projects requested of the strategy team by business units
• Lead cross-BU or market impacting projects requested of the team by the Executive team.
• Proactively identify challenges and/or opportunities and development of business cases for new projects / change.
• Develop key initiative strategies to operationalize the plans to achieve 35x35.
• Thought partner for BUs to explore new opportunities or challenge existing challenges.

Annual Planning

• Support the annual planning process to gather insights, information and market intelligence.
• Ensure business units and functions are supported in developing goals, targets, priorities and executional plans to guide/inform the budget process.
• Lead plan consolidation and documentation in partnership with Finance

Strategy Operations

• Lead monthly Business unit review meetings; develop review documents for monthly Executive reviews.
• Establish/initiate the cadence and documentation for regular USTA National board updates.
• Support development of Board memos and documents as needed.
• Continually identify opportunities to refine USTA operating model to enable achievement of Mission and the goal of 35x35
• Support and/or lead the development of key internal processes that facilitate more efficient, effective and goal-aligned work

Innovation

• Explore new and transformative ways to achieve our Mission and ambition to reach 35x35
• This may include, but are not limited to, innovation areas such as consumer or stakeholder engagement, data capture, play formats and spaces, business model/commercialization/monetization, employee and volunteer experience
• Address any existing and potential barriers to make tennis more inclusive and accessible to everyone; identify ways to elevate and grow the sport

Market Analysis

• In partnership with Business Intelligence and Director, Strategy, lead development of 2 annual market reviews to share innovation, thought leadership, business performance, insights and analysis across the tennis ecosystem with USTA stakeholders.
• Package this information in engaging, effective communication to lead data-driven decision making

Who You Are

• Education/experience qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree and 3+ years of experience; preferably at a management consulting firm and/or internal strategy role; or
  • MBA Degree (current students encouraged to apply) with pre MBA experience ideally in an analytical/strategic role
• Experience owning and managing projects
• Experience managing senior stakeholder relationships and working cross-functionally within an organization
• Exceptional storytelling skills, simplifying the complex through verbal and written communications
• Ability to communicate with senior executives both inside and outside the organizations
• Outstanding problem-solving and program management skills; ability to prioritization effectively
• Excellent quantitative analytical, research, and modeling skills
• Strong intellectual curiosity and ability to apply learnings to create new opportunities
• Desire to be part of a team and drive continual growth of oneself and colleagues
• Ability to manage and drive forward multiple projects while maintaining zero-defect attention to detail
• Passion for the sport of tennis
• This position is designated as "hybrid/flex". Any such position must meet the current USTA hybrid/flex requirements as updated from time to time.

At the USTA, we know people are our most important asset. For this reason, we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to meet the needs of a diverse workforce!

• Flexibility: Our Hybrid with Flexibility approach combines a balance of remote working with in-office collaboration to spark teamwork and creativity.
• Comprehensive benefits designed to meet your unique needs: Medical, dental, vision, access to doctors virtually, a flexible spending account to manage your health and dependent care expenses, and life and disability insurance are a small part of our offerings.
• Time to recharge and energize: Generous paid time off policy - including vacation, sick, personal, and paid holidays, parental leave, and a paid winter recess.
• Plan for your future financially and professionally: 401(k) with employer matching (up to 3%), promotional and growth opportunities, Learning and Development programs to learn on the job, and up to $5,000 for tuition reimbursement.
• Mental and emotional wellness: Resources for overall well-being including mental health and meditation benefits.
• Other cool perks: A personalized health management program, pet insurance, commuter benefits, identity theft protection, discounts with our network of partners, and fun events are just a few of the optional benefits available.

The expected range for the annual base salary for this position $90,000 - $100,000. Any additional pay or benefits a person may qualify for, are not included in this range. The actual base salary offered is determined by several variables, including, as appropriate, the applicant's qualifications for the position, the years of relevant experience, their unique skills, and the location from which they will be performing the job.

We strongly encourage you to apply if you're interested; we'd love to learn how you can "serve" our team with your unique experience!

USTA is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals, regardless of age, disability, national origin, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, pregnancy, veteran status, marital status, family status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.