Jobs
Lead Academy Physiotherapist

Wolves

Lead Academy Physiotherapist

Salary

Competitive

Location

Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, Compton Park

Closing date

May 21st
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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 to 2021, three seasons at Molineux saw Wolves clinch the Sky Bet Championship trophy with 99 points, followed by a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which included memorable wins over Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal. The next season saw the team complete a memorable double over the reigning champions, equal the previous season’s seventh place finish and reach the quarter finals of the Europa League all as part of the ‘longest season’ in league history, either starting before or finishing after all other teams.

But this post is about what we will do next, not what we have done.

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 and to ensuring that Wolves is free from discrimination and harassment.

Job purpose

As the ‘Lead Academy Physiotherapist’ you will be responsible for the physiotherapy provision across our 9s-21s program. This role will also involve work with the transition/loan squad and first team as required by the needs of the Club, particularly at high intensity workload periods. As a result, this role will contribute to the success and achievement of the Academy programme.

A key component of this role is the ability strive for excellence to ensure that the optimal service is provided for all academy players and the Performance Services Department. The role will have a key leadership focus and strategic insight into how we continue to develop and progress our applied physiotherapy practices within the Academy.

Key responsibilities

Management of injuries

  • Lead the provision of physiotherapy services to all players across our 9s-21s boys academy program.
  • Support and take an applied lead in certain PDP/Transition players rehabilitation including players who return from Loan clubs.
  • Support Physiotherapists/ Sports Therapists across the academy with the management of injuries
  • Chair Rehabilitation meetings weekly across the academy program
  • Implement evidence-based practice and utilise advanced clinical reasoning skills during the rehabilitation process.
  • Provide weekly detailed information to key stakeholders on the injury status across the Academy
  • Demonstrate effective communication with all Academy MDT staff members at all times, providing information regarding player injury status and rehabilitation progress where appropriate.
  • Ensure the management of injuries effectively meets its commitments to the players, coaches and senior management through clinical audit and accurate documentation.

Injury prevention

  • Liaise with all MDT members on a daily basis in order to effectively communicate individual player availability and readiness to train.
  • Work alongside the Academy Sport Scientists and Athletic Development Coaches in order to develop and implement effective injury prevention and pre-habilitation strategies across the academy.
  • Support with and deliver daily injury prevention strategies for all PDP/ Transition players.
  • Lead the planning and implementation of the evidence based musculoskeletal screening/profiling of all players on a regular basis throughout the season.
  • Ensure all PDP squad players have an individualised injury prevention programmes that are focused on addressing relevant injury risk factors.
  • Ensure the delivery of injury prevention strategies effectively meets its commitment to the players, coaches and senior management through clinical appraisal and an evidence-based approach.

Medical provision at matches/ tours

  • Working with the U21 MDT to ensure appropriate physiotherapy match day cover and advanced medical care for all U21 squad fixtures and support other academy games when required.
  • Ensure adequate support is present at all U21 Squad fixtures and training sessions to maintain standards set out in MEAP.
  • Ensure all medical equipment and MEAP procedures are regularly reviewed and maintained at the training ground in line with EPPP criteria.
  • Support with medical provision for all PDP squad training camps.
  • Work closely with the Lead Academy Doctor to ensure our club wide EAPs are up to date and practised across the academy staff.

Pre-signing medicals/ medical consultations

  • Play an active role within the pre-signing medical of academy players liaising closely with the Head of Academy Performance Services + Academy Doctors.
  • When necessary, accompany players to medical consultations at short notice (either in this country or abroad), ensuring the player receives optimal care and advice at all times.

Department responsibilities

  • Take a Lead role in providing mentorship to PDP, YDP,  FDP and part-time staff.
  • Ensure that the Academy Performance Plan is regularly reviewed and updated to maintain EPPP Category One status.
  • Take a Lead role in implementing First Team/Academy Medical Department CPD sessions.
  • Ensure all key administrative tasks are completed and appropriately managed.
  • Review the EPPP document three times a year and review/update KPI targets.
  • Support with the Lead Academy Doctor on all cardiac screening requirements
  • Review and update relevant Academy EAPs along with the Head of Academy Performance Services and Academy Doctor – annually.
  • Ensure our policy of inputting all medical notes onto the Kitman Labs system within 24 hours of completion is upheld across the medical Academy staffing.
  • Complete 6 weekly development targets focused on service development and continued professional development for all academy Physiotherapists/ Sports Therapists
  • Take an active role in the development of the medical aspect of the Kitman Labs system.
  • Lead on the responsibility for the academy FA Wherabouts daily system, with full responsibility for its accurate completion.

Department strategy

  • Take an active role as the Academy Medical Department strives to be regarded as a high performing department
      • attendance at strategic planning meetings and contributing actively
      • formulating designated project plans and getting these approved
      • leading on designated projects, ensuring milestones are met, giving regular progress reports to stakeholders
      • supporting other team members with their projects
      • implementing outcomes of projects across the PDP/ YDP
      • Ensuring the live interaction and implementation of our policies and operational proceduresContribute to the Medical Department strategy through leading on our Player Health Pilar in conjunction with the Head of Performance Services:

Continual professional development

  • Take responsibility for continued professional development and keeping an up to date portfolio of achievements for all academy physiotherapists/sports therapists.
  • Strive to advance working practices both within the Medical Department, and in the wider sports physiotherapy setting by promoting and performing clinical research.

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
  • Be an ambassador of the W.O.L.V.E.S culture and philosophy.
 

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.
  • Ensure the well-being of Academy players at all times liaising with the Club’s Head of Safeguarding on all safeguarding related matters.

Key relationships

  • Head of Academy Performance Services
  • Head of Academy Coaching
  • Academy Manager
  • U18 Head Coach
  • U21 Head Coach
  • PDP Physiotherapists
  • Lead 9s-16s Therapist
  • Lead Academy Doctor
  • First Team Doctor
  • Head of High Performance
  • First Team Head Physiotherapist
  •  

Scope of job

  • Flexibility in this role is essential – ability to work irregular and unsocial hours as required.
  • Work may be subject to change with less than 24 hours’ notice on occasions.
  • Work will regularly be outside ‘normal’ working hours, in evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
  • Attendance at consultant appointments/ special events/ dinners/ tournaments.
  • All annual leave is to be taken during breaks in the footballing season.

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:

  • Evidence of developing, implementing and evaluating physiotherapy programmes for young elite footballers
  • An understanding of working in the football environment with previous experience of working (PT/FT) as a physiotherapist in an Academy setting or first team setting.
  • An understanding of the Elite Player Performance Plan including the audit process and categorisation of football Academies.

Desirable:

  • Experience of using the KitmanLabs system to input medical notes/ pre-habilitation sessions.

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

Essential:

  • Ability to communicate fluently (in English), demonstrating advanced communication skills in order to meet the requirements of an individual
  • A positive attitude to information technology
  • Experience of developing and implementing innovative ideas and putting them into practice

Desirable:

  • Experience of using the Kitman Labs system to input medical notes/ pre-habilitation sessions

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

Essential:

  • Understanding of how to work safely with children and/or adults at risk and uphold generally accepted practice when working with those participants.
  • Promote, adhere to and implement the Club’s Equality Policy and to work consistently to embed equality and diversity within Club.
  • Highly motivated individual that demonstrates a proactive attitude towards service development and demonstrates a passion for working as part of a MDT in professional sport
  • Excellent problem solving and decision making skills whilst working in a pressurised situations
  • Excellent time keeping and organisational skills
  • Personal integrity and the ability to invoke trust and respect from others
  • Open minded individual with a view of adopting new practices
  • Flexibility to travel in the UK and abroad is essential to meet requirements of the club.

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

Essential:

  • Leadership experience
  • An understanding of working in the football environment with previous experience of working (FT)as a physiotherapist in an academy setting
  • Experience in the provision of physiotherapy to young elite athletes
  • Experience of utilising injury prevention strategies in a professional sporting environment
  • Experience of developing and implementing innovative ideas and putting them into practice
  • Experience of clinically assessing, diagnosing and rehabilitating a wide range of neuromuscular andorthopaedic conditions in young elite athletes
  • Experience of modifying training and rehabilitation programmes in order to address an individual’s needs, demonstrating advanced clinical reasoning skills
  • An understanding of the Elite Player Performance Plan including the audit process andcategorisation of football academies
  • Experience of modifying training and rehabilitation programmes in order to address an individual’sneeds, demonstrating advanced clinical reasoning skills
  • Advanced personal commitment to continuous professional development
  • Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team in a professional sporting environment

Desirable:

  • Working with children and/ or adults at risk

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

Essential:

  • BSc Physiotherapy
  • MSc (completed or working towards)
  • Minimum of 7 years membership to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (MCSP) and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Post-holder will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level and cleared by the Wolves Head of Safeguarding
  • Full UK driving license and car
  • FA ATMMIF qualification

Desirable:

  • Leadership and strategic management qualification

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 (SG-00-07052025) 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