Organization Summary
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, marketed as FIFA World Cup 26™, will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cites in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Kansas City is honored to be a host city for FIFA World Cup 26™.
Here’s your chance to be part of the next chapter in the Kansas City region’s long story of history-making contributions to sports – from the rules of basketball to the founding members of major sports leagues to our world-renowned sports architecture firms. Fueled by the momentum that has been building in our people, our economy, and our communities, KC2026 is the team responsible for uniting a region to host the FIFA World Cup 26 and we’re looking for high-achieving teammates to help create the experience that we know will be the heart of the FIFA World Cup.
This position will be devoted, full-time, to KC2026 activities. However, the individual will be employed by the Kansas City Sports Commission. This position generally operates in an office setting; however, there is some flexibility for hybrid work options.
Opportunity Summary
The Director of Finance will serve as a strategic financial business leader who will develop and implement and oversee the organization-wide financial strategies, fiscal integrity, compliance, accounting policies and procedures for KC2026.This position will collaborate closely with the CEO, Board of Directors and other leaders to guide financial decisions and manage risks while meeting the organizations legal and contractual obligations and the mission-driven goals.
Due to the nature of this role, we will identify the subject matter expert who will exceed the full responsibilities of this position.
Essential Functions & Competencies
- Develop and execute the organization’s financial strategy to ensure sufficient resources to deliver goals.
- Lead the development and management of financial models to support strategic funding requests and related stakeholder reporting.
- Collaborate with legal, regulatory and legislative affairs teams to ensure the organization adheres to funding and contractual obligations.
- Work closely with leadership to ensure accurate financial reporting, tracking and invoicing of restricted funds.
- Provide comprehensive financials by evaluating, analyzing, and reporting of financial statements (balance sheet and statements of income and cash flow) and financial analyses.
- Create budgetary process for annual budgets including quarterly comparisons between budget and actual results.
- Guide financial decisions by applying company policies and procedures to current economic landscape.
- Develop, implement, and maintain financial controls and guidelines of FIFA and relevant government entities.
- Serve as a key point of contact for external auditors, financial institutions and stakeholders.
- Present information to the CEO, Board of Directors and government agencies in a clear, actionable format.
- Oversee relationships with financial vendors, including banking institutions, auditors, and other financial service providers.
- Implement and maintain effective risk management strategies to safeguard the financial health of the event.
- Identify and address potential financial risks and develop mitigation plans.
- Support achievement of budgetary goals with proper scheduling, analysis, and corrective actions
- Help develop and support short- and long-term financial operational strategies.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in financial management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role, preferably in government-adjacent or publicly-funded entities.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Business Administration, Finance, Management Accounting, or other similar relevant background. CPA, CFA or MBA preferred.
- Experience management government funding, grants and compliance regulations such as the Uniform Guidelines.
- Robust knowledge of financial accounting principles and practices
- Strong understanding of financial management for large-scale events
- Effective communication and presentation skills.
- Experience with financial software and systems.
KC2026 is the 501(c)(4) non-profit entity that has been incorporated to lead the strategy for the planning and activation of the FIFA World Cup 26™ in Kansas City. KC2026 is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of elected/appointed officials, representatives from the local professional sports teams and key community leaders. The purpose of the entity is to maximize the positive momentum created by FIFA World Cup 26™ to unite, strengthen and elevate our region while propelling Kansas City to new heights in the nation and the world.
