Head of Sports Science

The Head of Sports Science will support the Head Coach in the creation of high-performance culture, driven by a player-centric approach and a focus on individual and team development. Under the supervision of the Director of Medical & Performance, this role is responsible for implementing and delivering best-practice sports science provisions for Angel City FC players. This individual will lead, deliver and enhance the club’s sports science approach to ultimately prevent injury and enhance individual and collective athletic performance. 

Serving within a multi-disciplinary medical & performance team, this role will manage and lead athletic development training and systematic load management in accordance with medical and technical needs and requirements. The individual will be expected to effectively communicate daily with technical staff and functional leaders regarding the status and physical preparation required to reduce risk of injury occurrence and maintain high performance and athletic development of Angel City players (i.e. monitoring and intervention). This role reports to the Director of Medical & Performance.

Responsibilities:

• Support the General Manager, Head Coach and Director of Medical & Performance in the design and delivery of a clear, transparent and collaborative culture and soccer operations model for the franchise.
• Deliver sport science support in the areas of data analysis (i.e. workload, GPS and heart rate monitoring), biomechanical assessments, anthropometric assessments, physiological and fitness assessments, medical and physical screening, and predictive testing.
• Oversee the delivery of monitoring, profiling and evaluation of all first-team players to ensure strength and conditioning programs are in place for all and that each player’s physical development requirements are tailored to their specific needs and priorities.
• Effectively lead the Sports Performance Coach and oversee their delivery of individual and group strength and conditioning programs, including indoor and pitch-based strategies.
• Ensure that appropriate recovery and injury prevention strategies are adopted after training and matches.
• Liaise daily with the medical department on player status, wellness and rehabilitation.
• Design and/or enhance existing evidence-based protocols for return to train and return to play processes, and collaborate on the transition process in conjunction with the medical department.
• Ensure the latest clinical, scientific and technical innovations for applied practice are implemented while maintaining the highest level of care.
• Develop and deliver enhanced analysis and reporting on Sports Science performance and outcomes to ensure the club’s approach is insights led.
• In collaboration with the Medical and Performance staff, create and monitor off-season training programs.
• Educate and support players, as well as produce appropriate visuals, on all performance and recovery related sport science themes.
• Collaborate with the Director of Medical & Performance and the Sports Performance Coach to ensure all players receive individual physical programs, monitoring and management to track long-term player development.
• Establish a healthy working relationship inclusive of open and frequent communication, collaboration, and trust with colleagues across technical and operations staff. Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to deliver excellent outcomes in an elite performance environment.
• Actively support where possible the wider community, commercial and revenue generating projects undertaken by the Franchise.
• Enforce team rules and league rules applicable to players and coaching staff.

Requirements:

• Extensive understanding of sport science and related disciplines, including their impact on athletic performance.
• Experience as an applied practitioner in sports science at the elite level, women’s elite soccer is a plus.
• Experience in conducting scientifically underpinned assessment, monitoring and evaluation procedures.
• Experience of using data management systems to ensure the secure and efficient storage of monitoring and evaluation of data.
• Confidence in making decisions.
• Experience in utilizing sports science technologies such as: STATSports, Polar, Vald, and Athlete Management Systems.
• Strong in software including Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Google Drive as well as visualization tools.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with players and staff at all levels, with absolute direction.
• Tech savvy with the ability to use analytical software to a high standard.
• Leadership experience within the women’s game, head Coaching experience is a plus.
• Collaborative management style and advocacy of team concepts.
• Positive influencer, comfortable with leading dynamic change.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Consistently displays empathy with players with an ability to inspire.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build meaningful, strong and strategic relationships with club staff.
• Understanding of learning, development and high performance with a proven ability to create optimum learning environments for players.
• Track record of consistent high performance in a professional environment.
• Strong commitment to personal development and training.

Qualifications

• BSc/BA in Exercise/Sports Science (or a related discipline)
• MSc in Sports Science (or a related discipline)
• CSCS, UKSCA or equivalent
• Applied elite soccer experience, work within the elite female soccer space preferred