Head of Physical Performance

The club

We are Wolves. Progressive, determined, bright, unified and humble. A pack that is hungry for
success. Wolves is one of the fastest growing professional football clubs in the UK, and also boasts one of the richest histories in the beautiful game.

Formed in 1877, Wolves was a founder member of the Football League, and was one of the
country’s most successful sides in the fifties and sixties. During a two decade spell the Black
Country’s most decorated side won three First Division titles and one of its four FA Cups.

Fast forward 70 years and Wolves are back amongst football’s elite, in the Premier League for an eighth successive season; but now we compete as a sports and entertainment business across
multiple brand verticals. As a challenger club, Wolves dare to be different, which is why creating world class propositions in esports, fashion and music are all part of our ambitious plans.

At Wolves, we don’t simply look to the future, we seize it.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and
adults at risk. We expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. This means that the post-holder is required to apply all relevant policies and uphold the Club’s commitment to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk.

Job purpose

We are seeking an exceptional individual to lead our physical performance delivery across the club.

This role will develop and oversee the sport science framework across the club in all aspects of physical performance. The post-holder will support the Head Coach and 1st team coaching staff in session planning and delivery and will lead the 1st team sport scientists on a daily basis to ensure optimal physical preparation for all of our first team players.

• Department: Performance
• Reports to: Head of High Performance
• Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week (flexibility will be required due to the nature of this role)

Key responsibilities

• To communicate clearly and effectively with the Head Coach to provide comprehensive
  detail in relation to the physical status of all 1st team players.
• To have excellent working relationships and communication pathways with the medical staff to ensure absolute clarity in relation to each player’s status in order to be able to provide the required detail to the Head Coach.
• Work alongside the Director of Performance to develop the club-wide philosophy from a
  field-based loading and gym based strength and conditioning perspective.
• Work alongside the rest of the MDT to ensure the players are optimally prepared for the
  demands of Premier League Football from a physical standpoint.
• On a daily basis, to plan and lead athletic development sessions that include a speed, agility or plyometric element in line with the coaching theme of the day in both a team and individual setting.
• Oversee the implementation of systematic physiological (laboratory and field-based) and
  anthropometric testing protocols and analyse the data and provide feedback to the multi-disciplinary team members and individual player.
• Travel to all First Team matches, tours, tournaments etc.
• Plan and implement player-specific conditioning programs.
• Assist in the formulation and delivery of injury prevention programmes.
• Provide regular verbal and written reports at appropriate meetings associated with the physical status of players (athlete programme design, athlete attendance and adherence, test and monitoring reports, programme overview, review and updates).
• Initiate and contribute to special projects that are part of the wider development of the medical and exercise science department at the football club.
• To complete multi-disciplinary reviews for each player, providing short, medium- and long-term action points throughout the season when necessary.
• Oversee and provide mentorship to the strength and conditioning coaches and data analysts.
• Develop a comprehensive, periodised training plan in line with the philosophy of the Head Coach.

General responsibilities

• Compliance with Club policies.
• Compliance with the Club’s health and safety procedures.
• Compliance with the Club’s safeguarding policies.
• To promote the Club’s values.
• To work consistently to embed equality & diversity into the Club.
• To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected.
• To maintain professional conduct at all times.

Safeguarding

This role involves working with children and/or adults at risk in a Regulated Activity (or in
close proximity to children and/or adults at risk). This means that the post-holder is required
to apply all relevant policies and uphold the Club’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable
people.

Key relationships

• Director of Performance.
• Head Coach.
• Head of Medical.
• The 1st Team MDT.
• Head of Academy Sport Science and Medicine.
• Football Administration Department.

Person specification

Knowledge: the level and breadth of knowledge to do the job e.g. understanding of a defined system, method or procedure, legal or regulatory frameworks etc

Essential:

• A basic understanding of the Governing body (the Premier league & FA) their doping policy, and basic pathological requirements and how this relates to nutrition support modification
• Operate within the rules of professional confidentiality to liaise with athletes, medical staff, sports sciences staff, coaches and other support staff as appropriate
• An understanding of individual responsibility in complying with Health and Safety policies

Technical/work-based skills: skills specific to the job e.g. language competence, typing skills, coaching skills etc

Essential:

• Experience delivering warm-up, cool-down, flexibility, core strength and stability, speed, agility, quickness training.
• Designing and delivering strength and conditioning programmes to the highest standard.
• Experience of how to modify and develop conditioning programmes according to test results or specific individual needs.
• Evidence of a proven track record in designing multi-facet periodised training programmes specific to elite football.
• Ability to modify coaching style when delivering practical sessions to different populations.

Desirable:

• Working knowledge and prescription of inertia based training
• Understanding and ability to work with Tableau

General skills and attributes: more general characteristics e.g. flexibility, communication skills, team working etc

Essential:

• Experience of actively engaging with players and technical coaches to create a culture which enhances attitudes towards Strength and Conditioning practices.
• Excellent anatomical knowledge and an ability to apply this specifically when communicating with coaches and physiotherapists.
• Ability to communicate complex data in terms that are easily understood by a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to work irregular and unsociable hours as required involving work outside normal office hours, evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.

Experience: proven record of experience in a particular field, profession or specialism.

Essential:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience of working in an ELITE environment supporting athletes in a Fitness coaching capacity

Desirable:

• Having worked in a 1st Team environment at an elite level.

Qualifications: the level of educational, professional and/or occupational training required

Essential:

• An undergraduate degree in a sport science related field (2:1 minimum)
• Master’s degree in a sports science related field
• UKSCA Accreditation/ Bases
• BASES Accreditation
• Attended and completed BASES CPD workshops and documentation to become a Supervisor and Reviewer for future BASES applicants
• Post-holder must hold or obtain at the earliest opportunity the relevant safeguarding training (i.e. FA Safeguarding Children Workshop)
• This position is subject to a satisfactory DBS check. The successful candidate must have a clear and appropriate DBS certificate in place prior to commencing employment, in line with our safeguarding obligations.

Desirable:

• EFAIF medical certificate
• NSCA Accreditation

How to apply 

Please complete our Application Form and Diversity Monitoring Form, then email them to jobs@wolves.co.uk 

Please include the job reference code (Ref: PH-00-14112025) and the job title in the subject line.

Please note, we reserve the right to close any advertised vacancy before the stated closing date. We recommend applying to our vacancies early, to avoid any disappointment.

For safeguarding reasons, we are unable to progress candidates who have not applied with our application form.

Thank you.

#onepack