Senior Soft Tissue Therapist

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 among football’s European elite, but this time we will 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, Motor Racing, 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 and to ensuring that Wolves is free from discrimination and harassment.

Job purpose

• To play a key role in the Performance department for Wolves, delivering optimal soft tissue/ manual therapy interventions to facilitate injury prevention and injury management strategies.
• To oversee and support other Soft Tissue Therapists
• To ensure that all kit and equipment is appropriately maintained and stocked, correctly packed and sent to all matches/training camps.

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.

Key responsibilities

MANAGEMENT OF INJURIES

• In collaboration with the First Team Physiotherapists, deliver optimal therapy services to Wolves First Team players to facilitate the rehabilitation process.
• In collaboration with the Physiotherapists, monitor key objective and subjective markers on a daily basis in order to help rehab prescription.
• Work collaboratively with the Medicine and Science team to strive for best-practice in all aspects of player injury management.
• Demonstrate exceptional communication with all multi-disciplinary team members in order to ensure clarity of injured player management.
• To work collaboratively with the Science team throughout the rehabilitation process, respecting appropriate roles and responsibilities.
• Feedback requested/relevant information to physiotherapy staff when supporting the rehabilitation of injured players.
• Be comfortable accepting direction and feedback from Physiotherapy staff, whilst simultaneously being able to offer constructive feedback and suggestions to enhance injury management and prevention.
• To work in a manner that supports the philosophy of Shared Decision Making in injury management.
• To be prepared to cross cover Academy Physiotherapy roles for all professional age groups as required for the smooth running of the department
• To accurately and comprehensively complete medical notes within 24 hours of any treatment in the medical records system.

INJURY REDUCTION

• To communicate effectively each morning with the wider MDT and senior performance managers, providing information to inform individual player availability and readiness to train.
• Work with players on a daily basis prior to training, implementing corrective strategies as directed by the Physiotherapy team.
• To contribute to player screening where appropriate as requested by the Head of First Team Physiotherapy.
• Work collaboratively with the Performance team to analyse injury patterns and adjust preventative programmes accordingly in order to mitigate the risk of injury.
• Collect and provide information as requested by the First Team Head Physiotherapist and Head of Performance, for the completion of ongoing Injury Audits.
• To deliver recovery protocols/ maintenance treatments on training days.
• To deliver recovery protocols on match days, and match day +1/+2 training days as the training programme requires.

MEDICAL PROVISION AT MATCHES/ TOURS

• To assist with match day therapy delivery for the First Team at both home and away games as required by the Head Physiotherapist and Head of Performance in order to effectively manage workloads. This may require staying overnight the day before Match days at both Home and Away games.
• To assist with Player extrication procedures as directed by the Lead Match day Doctor, and according to pre agreed match day EAP processes.
• When not attending Match days, to provide treatment cover for injured players who are training at the Training Ground on Match Days.
• To assist with forward planning of overseas trips, and be part of an ‘advanced party’ to travel early to camps in order to set up and prepare facilities if required.

EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

• To be responsible for the management of consumables, ensuring correct levels of stock are ordered and present in the Physiotherapy facilities at both Compton and Molineux, and all stock is correctly logged.
• To be responsible for the daily upkeep and maintenance of physiotherapy equipment eg. Compex, Game Ready, Laser, ensuring that they are safe and operational at all times, and correctly stored/ logged.
• To be responsible for the arrangement and packing of all physiotherapy and medical kit and equipment for home and away games, and overseas travel.
• To be responsible for the monitoring, operation and maintenance of all hydrotherapy facilities at Compton and Molineux.
• Maintain relevant Hydrotherapy maintenance training.
• To take a lead role in co-ordinating the safe and appropriate use of our Cyrotherapy chamber and to be responsible for liaising with the 3rd party suppliers in relation to maintenance and nitrogen delivery.

CONTINUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Work towards designated SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed) targets for personal development and departmental progression in collaboration with Head of Medical Services.
• Keep a Personal Development Plan (PDP) which highlights areas for development and allows us to afford you the time and resources to work towards these objectives wherever possible.
• To meet with Head of Medical Services on 3 monthly basis to discuss and review SMART Targets.
• To maintain the relevant level of trauma training on an annual basis.
• Take responsibility for your own continued professional development, ensuring that you attend regular courses/conferences and keeping an up to date portfolio of achievements. Appropriate funding will be available for courses/ conferences – this is to be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be linked to your Personal Development Plan/ SMART Targets.
• Be involved in organising CPD for staff- arranging; emergency aid training, in-house speakers, Journal Club, socials etc on a bi-monthly basis.

ANY OTHER DUTIES

•  To assist with pitch-side trauma cover during training sessions when requested by Head of First Team Physiotherapy.
• You may at time be required to carry out additional tasks/ reasonable duties not outlined in this job description.

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 vulnerable adults in a Regulated Activity (or in closed proximity to children and/or vulnerable adults). 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

• Head of First Team Physiotherapy
• Head of High Performance

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

• Experience of treating elite athletes as part of a Multi-disciplinary team.
• Knowledge of injury management in elite sports.
• Exceptional manual therapy/ soft tissue therapy skills.

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
• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills whilst working in pressurised situations
• Highly motivated individual that demonstrates a pro-active attitude towards service development and demonstrates a passion for working as part of an MDT in professional sport
• Personal integrity and the ability to invoke trust and respect from others
• Open minded individual with a view of adopting new practices
• Advanced personal commitment to continuous professional development
• Excellent time keeping and organisational skills

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

Essential

• Ability to prioritise own workload
• A positive attitude to information technology
• Understanding of how to work safely with children and / or vulnerable adults 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
• Exceptional communication skills using various mediums.
• An ability to work collaboratively with other disciplines.
• An ability to respect roles and responsibilities of other practitioners.
• To have a problem solving attitude that is open to change and innovation.

Desirable

• Additional European languages.

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

Essential

• Significant experience in the provision of soft tissue therapy to elite athletes
• Evidence of using soft tissue therapy skills in the prevention and management of sports injuries
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team in a professional sporting environment
• An understanding of working in the football environment with previous experience of working as a soft tissue therapist in an elite sport setting
• Experience of developing and implementing innovative ideas and putting them into practice
• Experience of implementing profiling and screening methods for elite athletes

Desirable

• Working with children and/or vulnerable adults

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

Essential

• Relevant soft tissue therapy qualification
• Full UK driving license and car
• Post-holder will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level and cleared by the Wolves Safeguarding Manager

Desirable

• FA ATMMiF trained
• BSc in Therapy or Rehabilitation Discipline
• MSc level degree

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-02-16042025) 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.

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