This is an exciting opportunity for a forward-thinking and innovative sports physiotherapist, with prior experience working in elite sport, to work as part of the Performance and Medical Department at the London City Lionesses. A fundamental part of this leadership role is to work in an integrated manner and as part of the wider clinical, and non-clinical multidisciplinary team. The successful candidate will work closely with the Club (Sports) Therapist and Head of Performance – to deliver football-specific injury prevention and management strategies. The Lead Physiotherapist will be expected to facilitate effective inter-departmental communication, as well as communication between the club and National teams, to optimise player availability and health-related outcomes. It is expected that the Lead Physiotherapist maintains high standards of professional integrity, prioritising the delivery of quality care and safeguarding player safety whilst supporting them in their performance goals. This role will also require collaboration with the Club Doctor (Head of Clinical Governance), to ensure that the requisite standards of medical care are delivered throughout the season.
The Lead Physiotherapist will:
- Lead on the management, planning and delivery of the day-to-day physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
- Collaborate with the Performance and Technical Staff to ensure a clear philosophy and pathway for player availability and development
- Oversee provision of medical services across Club and collaborate with the Club Doctor to ensure compliance with league standards of Clinical Governance.
- Oversee and support other Physiotherapists and Sport Therapists in their provision of medical care to all those in the Club.
- In consultation with performance and technical staff, design and implement primary, secondary and tertiary injury prevention strategies for all players.
- Communicate effectively with the performance and technical staff, daily, to keep them informed of player availability for matches and training.
- In collaboration with the medical and performance team, design and implement pre- and in- season screening and profiling processes to identify injury and illness risk factors for individual players.
- To develop and implement monitoring systems to detect changes in player risk profiles for all players.
- To work in collaboration with the Performance team to deliver optimal recovery and injury prevention strategies to all players.
- In collaboration with the medical and performance team, design and develop clear Return to Play plans for all players with medical attention injury.
- Lead on the the production and maintenance of emergency action plans and department procedure documents.
- Produce an injury audit on a yearly basis for the senior squad.
- Attend all first team training sessions, camps, and matches played by the Club, throughout the season and during pre-season.
- In keeping with good clinical governance, and in collaboration with the medical team, ensure all equipment, kit, protocols and procedures are regularly reviewed and maintained at the training ground.
- Attend and assist with player and staff educational workshops; in-service meetings; professional development courses/workshops and other development opportunities.
The above provides an outline for the role required and should not be regarded as a conclusive list.
The ideal candidate will have:
- A BSc (Hons) Physiotherapist degree or equivalent
- Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapist (CSP) for a minimum of three years.
- Active registration with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Appropriate medical indemnity to treat/advise BWSL and BWC players
- Postgraduate qualification in Manual Therapy, Sport & Exercise Medicine, Sports Physiotherapy, Sports Rehabilitation, at Diploma level or equivalent (or at least working towards)
- Member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapist in Sports Medicine, working towards the Bronze level or above
- Accredited acupuncturist with the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP), with evidence of regular, safe practice
- Up to date full Advanced Emergency Aid qualification (FA ATMMiF Level 5)
- Be a UKAD Clean Sport Advisor
- Valid and accepted enhanced FA DBS or be willing to undertake this check if successful
- Experience working within a professional sporting environment, preferably with female athletes, with an understanding of female physiology
- Experienced in the provision of Physiotherapy within an elite sporting environment
- Ability to build and maintain professional relationships with clinical and non-clinical staff members
If you have the aspiration, drive, and qualifications to join our professional Club, please apply with your CV and cover letter through the Teamworks link by Friday 24th May.
Interviews will be held at a date to be confirmed and only those invited to interview will receive return notification from London City Lionesses.
About Us: The London City Lionesses are setting a vision and building an infrastructure in which all the players and staff can thrive. The newly formed Performance, Medical and Innovation Department will be a key part of that process. The strategic vision of the Department is to ‘Empower, educate and develop women by providing bespoke high performance and medical support, creating a unique and inspiring World Class environment.’ Led by our owner Michele Kang, our vision is to:
1. Become the most preeminent sports organisation in the world;
2. Have a high-performance culture of winning on and off the pitch;
3. Train women as women; and
4. Motivate and inspire the next generation of girls and women.
London City Lionesses is committed to a policy of treating individuals fairly and recruiting, selecting, training, and promoting based on merit, experience, and other work-related criteria. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, race, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
