Regional Manager (Chicago/Southeastern Illinois)

Job Title: Regional Manager - Playpen Sports Academy

Location: Chicago/Illinois suburbs area

Locations Currently Include:  (Aurora, IL, Beverly, IL, Chicago Ridge, IL, Dekalb, IL, Downers Grove, IL, Elgin, IL, Geneva, IL, , Joliet, IL, Merrillville, IN, Naperville, IL, Orland Hills, IL, Schaumburg, IL, Wheaton, IL) **Playpen Sports Academy currently has approximately 50 locations across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Locations are subject to be adjusted based on where a new hire is located however they will still be assigned 10-14 locations to manage. 

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THE POSITION: 

• Position is mostly remote but requires weekly/bi-weekly travel (15-90 miles) especially while in season. 
• Most Saturday mornings and some weeknights are required as these are when the majority of our classes are held while in the busy season. The company is extremely flexible within reason and with ample communication.

Company Overview: Playpen Sports Academy is a toddler sports company with a mission to disrupt the youth sports industry by promoting increased access for families of all income levels, encouraging participation from young athletes of all skill levels, fostering play-based learning, and prioritizing holistic development over competition. With a remarkable growth trajectory, Playpen has expanded from 8 locations to operating in 50 cities across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana within just 4.5 years.

• Flexibility: We value work-life balance offering remote work opportunities, flexible hours, and a high level of autonomy.
• Growth and Learning Opportunities (Personal/Professional): We are looking for someone to grow with us over the next couple of years as we continue to expand our reach throughout the Midwest and eventually the entire US. 
• Purpose-driven Work: We are committed to shaping the future of toddler sports and making a positive impact on the lives of young athletes and their families!
• Strong Company Culture: We believe in the power of collaboration. Our way of working is very team-based where every person plays a key role in our success. 

Job Description: We are seeking a motivated and dedicated Regional Manager to oversee (10-13 locations) within your assigned territory within the Chicago/Illinois suburbs area. As a Regional Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of your assigned locations, upholding our established standards, and actively contributing to the growth of registrations and brand awareness in your region. While you will have operational assistance and guidance from different members of the Leadership/Director team, you will be the sole person responsible for the success of the programs in your territory. This job will include a fair mix of strategic planning, operational execution, logistical management, and people management, in all areas related to our business goals within your territory. While you will be focused on your region, you will work with a passionate leadership team of Directors and other Regional Managers who all share the same goals of growing the company as a whole to provide more accessible and positive opportunities for young kids to develop.

YOUR ROLE WILL INVOLVE A DIVERSE RANGE OF TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

OPERATIONAL/ORGANIZATIONAL/LOGISTICAL DUTIES: 

• Site Visits:
  • Conduct on-site quality control visits during classes. 
  • Multi-site logistical visits to distribute supplies, organize or replace equipment, count inventory, check field safety, etc. (somewhat flexible schedule for these visits within reason)
  • Trainings
  • Community or onsite events/recruitment/flyering/etc
  • Research area/market/rental property
• Parent Communications
  • Maintain regular and clear communication with parents, addressing any concerns or inquiries promptly.
  • Sending out scheduled important updates/information (Welcome Emails, Full-Season Schedules, Picture Day, Make-up Classes, Marketing Events, etc.)
  • Following up with parent feedback in a timely and appropriate manner whether in emails or onsite. 
  • Introducing yourself to parents/guardians onsite, answering any questions or if unable to, ensuring follow-up. 
• Equipment & Apparel Distribution: 
  • Travel to sites to deliver equipment and apparel, ensuring availability and quality, and addressing any missing or damaged items with urgency.
  • Keep track of inventory and make sure each location has the correct inventory by ordering supplies and coordinating product deliveries with the Director team.
  • Ensuring all bins, storage units, etc. are being properly locked to protect from theft or damage. 
• Team Communication:
  • Actively attend and engage in weekly team meetings, check-ins, etc. as scheduled.
  • Frequent use of group chats to communicate information, questions, concerns, etc. 
  • Active use of Google Calendar to communicate travel schedules with the team and ensure on-site check-ins & training are occurring. 
  • Provide detailed assigned Site Reports on the performance and operations of each location under your supervision to report back to the leadership team.
• Hiring/Staffing Locations:
  • Develop positive, professional relationships with the Hiring Team and director of Coaches to facilitate the identification and resolution of staffing issues or needs in your assigned areas. 
  • Help identify and recruit qualified coaches as needed, ensuring their successful onboarding, training, and performance.

 MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP DUTIES:

• Coach Onboarding & Scheduling: 
  • Effectively manage and schedule coaches for all assigned locations to ensure they are properly staffed.
  • Publishing clear and concise schedules promptly to give coaches/site cord. ample time to plan their personal lives accordingly and allow for early communication regarding potential conflicts.
  • Adjusting coach assignments or program delivery to make sure we are providing the best possible experience.
  • Effectively problem-solves quickly when last-minute call-ins or people quit. 
  • Ability to cover the duties of coach or site coordinator who are unable to work their shifts if ever required.
  • Assume responsibility for timekeeping and time-off requests.
  • Keeps attendance records and takes corrective action if coach/sc accrues excessive absences and/or tardies.
  • Collaborate with payroll to ensure correct employee compensation and bonus distribution.
• Coach Training: 
  • Lead training sessions for coaches and ensure consistent adherence to our standards. If you are not training, ensure they are being properly trained on-site by the Site Coordinator and through shadow sessions. 
  • Educate the staff on safety guidelines, company policies, key coaching points, and customer service best practices.
• Coaching Communications: 
  • Maintain regular and clear communication with coaches and site coordinators, addressing any concerns or inquiries promptly using our Connecteam app. 
  • Build strong work relationships with coaches and Site Coordinators to gain “buy-in” and increase retention. 
  • Address and respond to initial coaching complaints, needs, or feedback, escalating if necessary.
  • Refer or report serious or complex issues to the Director team.
• Leadership of Coaches & Site Coordinators Managing:
  • Direct supervision and management of approximately 12 Site Coordinators and approximately 50 coaches.
  • Developing and maintaining a strong on-site organizational culture among Coaches and SCs so everyone knows their roles and responsibilities and can work well together. “Teamwork makes the dream work”
  • Provide guidance and solutions for coaches and site coordinators facing challenges. Even if you don’t always have the answer, be willing to find it and follow up.
  • Appraise staff performance and provide feedback to improve productivity and customer satisfaction.
  • Set an example for your sites by displaying strong leadership qualities, always acting as an example of our standards, and doing whatever is necessary to make sure “the show goes on” in situations of short-handed staff or other minor crises. This may even include filling in for a coach or SC when necessary. This of yourself as their number one supporter you want to put them in a place to be able to successfully run classes at their locations. They should feel like they have the tools and training they need to do so and if not they can come to you and you’ll ensure they get what they need to be successful. 

GROWTH OF REGION/TARGETS DUTIES:

• Community Events/Customer Engagement
  • Actively seek out and attend community events to promote our brand and attract new families.
  • Achieving business goals and registration targets to grow their assigned locations and the company as a whole. (Bonus incentives with registration growth in the region)
  • Assist in planning and organizing company events such as free classes and scavenger hunts.
  • Continuously recruit new families through initiatives like flyering, word of mouth, event boards, and events set up in collaboration with the Marketing team.
  • Providing a positive representation of our organization to our customers. This means establishing showing your face, checking in with customers on-site, and developing positive professional relationships with our customers.
  • Making sure customers leave our programs with a smile on their faces and a sense of loyalty to our brand. To increase customer retention and referral stats in your region.
  • Going above and beyond to make sure customers are satisfied and have good things to say about our organization and our programs. To increase positive reviews in your region.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience in sports management, customer service, or related fields
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills in the areas of handling disputes and treating them with care
• Strong organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Proven leadership experience
• Ability to work independently and remotely
• Comfortable with common operating systems such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and related systems

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Sports Management, Business, Organization Leadership, Early Childhood Development, or related.) preferred
• Valid driver's license and access to reliable transportation
• English speaking
• Ability to work from home/reliable wifi source

Work Type:

• The role is remote-based, allowing you to work from home, but it also requires regular travel within your assigned region.
• Full-time/employee 

Compensation and Benefits: This position offers a competitive salary and is eligible for additional incentives, commissions, bonuses, or discretionary bonus programs. The total expected compensation for this position will range from $40k - $65k/year. BASE PAY: The base salary for this job will be $30k-45k/year based on your experience and potential value to our organization.  INCENTIVE PAY: In addition to the base salary, the compensation package will include incentive pay expected at $10k-20k/year (potentially more) for strong employee performance and ability to meet or exceed growth targets for your region.

Other Perks & Benefits

• Health Coverage Support: Employees are provided with a monthly healthcare stipend (in addition to salary) aimed at helping to cover health insurance costs that are usually covered by the group plan. (Currently no group plan enrollment but expected in the coming year or two)
• Flexible Schedule: Set a majority of your schedule within reason, so long as your responsibilities are fully attended to, locations are growing, and coworkers can rely on you when they need you. This means midday gym sessions, 3 p.m. after-school pick-up, etc. are all fair game.
• Paid Personal Days: We provide new employees with 14 paid personal days each year for any reason
• Employee Discounts: If you have kids your kids can participate in any of our programs completely free of charge.
• Healthy & Inclusive Work Environment: We care very deeply about the personal life, family life, general happiness, and overall well-being of our team and do everything we can to create an inclusive, caring, and healthy work environment that you look forward to every day (and where you don’t hate your managers or coworkers). Of course, we are a business with goals, vision, and mission we must accomplish. However we are also a business of values and our top workplace values are respect, kindness, and open-mindedness.
• Exciting Work: This is not a boring office job, and your day-to-day work is far from homogenous, which is something our employees value the most about their jobs. Opportunities to take on challenges and connect with a variety of people.

If you are passionate about youth sports, committed to inclusion and development, and thrive in a dynamic and growing environment, we would love to hear from you. Join us in shaping the future of toddler sports and making a positive impact on the lives of young athletes and their families!

To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter highlighting your relevant experience and why you are interested in this role.