Organisation Fulham Football Club Salary Competitive Location Fulham Football Club Training Ground Contract type Closing date 26 August 2024 Job Description Our Values are simply the things that are most important to us and will be demonstrated through the way in which we behave in achieving our business objectives. Our people are at the centre of the delivery of our Club Values.
As Lead Academy Physiotherapist you will be responsible for co-ordinating and leading the physiotherapy services for the Academy. The successful applicant must ensure a safe, objective and evidence-based approach to the medical care of all Academy players. This is leadership position but does require you to have combined experience as an applied practitioner and in leading a team of medical staff to implement strategies that will enhance player athleticism, maximise availability and reduce injury risk. The position will support the HoP with the leadership and development of the Performance Department to support the physical development, robustness, health and wellbeing of individuals throughout the Academy pathway.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Department Management
• Assist HoP with production, implementation, and monitoring of the Performance Department Plan in line with the Academy Performance Plan and EPPP requirements.
• Develop and implement a clear medical department plan within the Academy that is integrated with Sports Science and Strength & Conditioning and aligned with Coaching and the wider MDT.
• Ensure all staff in the relevant discipline understand and can clearly convey the philosophy, plans and targets as directed by HoP.
• Support the development of a high-performance environment, attitudes and behaviors in players and staff.
• In collaboration with HoP, construct and manage as requested budget proposals for delivery of service.
• In collaboration with HoP, set, monitor, and review academy medical department targets, through 12-weekly status reports and annual end of season report.
• Facilitate 6-weekly injury audits for all three developmental phases.
• Facilitate regular Academy Sports Medicine meetings.
• Oversee phase lead management of loan group.
• Manage the assessment process and report on trialists to support recruitment decision making.
• Lead the implementation of research projects and investigations into improved medical practice and academy processes for the enhancement of academy players.
• Ensure policies and procedures relating to Safe to Operate, Duty of Care and League Rule Compliance are adhered to and maintained constantly.
• Assist HoP with Performance Department administrative duties.
• Ensure a tidy, safe, and effective training environment in the gym area.
Wider Club Management
• Build good relationships with senior management, heads of department and wider academy staff to help facilitate consolidated working practices across the academy.
• Drive improvements in inter-disciplinary working between the Sport Science and Medical department and all other academy department on a continuous basis.
• Collaborate within the SSM team as well as the wider multi-disciplinary team to continually seek evidence and good explanations to justify training practices.
• Continue to liaise with senior management regarding individual player management & contractual status.
• Ensure a medical attendee at all weekly inter-disciplinary phase meetings.
• Be responsible for liaising with first team medical staff and management (if required) on player availability/status/injury updates.
Professional Development
• Line-management of Physiotherapy staff (part and full-time) and placement students, including annual appraisals, monitoring of job descriptions and maintenance of up-to-date qualifications, with support of the HoP.
• Assist HoP with the recruitment process of new Academy Performance Department staff.
• Implement a CPD schedule for the Academy, and where appropriate lead CPD sessions.
• Undertake personal continued professional development to ensure all mandatory qualifications are up to date, as well as ensuring a clear understanding of industry best practice.
• Continue to drive best practice, professional development, and critical thinking within the department.
• Support where required at Academy events, including but not only, induction events, parent workshops, academy games.
Clinical Management
• Oversee all clinical management of players throughout all phases through communication with phase group lead medical staff.
• Continue to meet regularly with medical and coach phase leads to update and discuss players and management.
• Emergency care assessment, recommendation & referral to appropriate medical professional for injury / illness.
• External medical management of players requiring consultations/referral.
• Ensure all academy players are accompanied to external appointments (MRI’s, consultant, cardiac etc.) where necessary.
• Be the central contact for all academy parents for any long-term injury assessment or management.
• Review and coordinate the screening across the Academy designed to inform risk of injury.
• Ensure all medical notes and records are up to date, stored in line with GDPR rules and industry best practice, for all phases.
• Maintain professional patient clinician relationships.
• Deliver individual physiotherapy treatment plans for injured academy players.
• Manage fitness / end stage rehabilitation programme for players returning from injury.
• Return injured players back to full fitness including gym-based rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, on-field functional technical sessions and aerobic / anaerobic conditioning.
Programme Management
• Ensure all medical staff implement the Academy rules and Code of Expectations across all players.
• Build effective working relationships with players to support buy-in and a collaborative view of performance development.
• Fulfil appropriate requirements within age group or phase practitioner job description.
• Provide oversight of individual physiotherapy treatment and return to play plans for injured athletes, and if necessary, take the lead on prescribed treatment and programming.
• Provide insights to support the development of 6-weekly players targets and to inform processes of recruitment and succession planning.
• Inform the MDT to support decision making regarding programme scheduling such as to optimise performance, manage injury risk, and support ongoing training progression and player development.
• Support the development of an environment that cultivates challenges and fosters growth and progression.
SAFEGUARDING
Fulham Football Club acknowledges that everyone has a responsibility for the wellbeing and safety of children, young people
and adults at risk who are under the Club’s care or utilising the Club’s facilities.
As part of Fulham Football Club’s commitment to providing a safe environment for children and adults at risk the Club
requires all staff in child, young person and ‘adult at risk’ facing roles:
• To be clear about the clubs responsibilities when running activities for these groups;
• Will have read and understood the suite of safeguarding policies including safeguarding children policy, adults at risk
policy, anti-bullying policy, whistleblowing and equality policy;
• Understand and promote staff and players code of conduct;
• Will understand how to refer a concern;
• To be consistent role models;
• To complete the Fulham safer Working Practice Workshop as part of induction and the FA Safeguarding Children
workshop; and
• To monitor repeated incidents of poor behaviour and liaise with their DSO or Head of Safeguarding.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
We are committed to supporting an environment where all staff have a personal responsibility to uphold the Club’s Equal
Opportunities Policy by treating fellow employees, prospective employees, casual workers, prospective casual workers, players,
prospective players and customers fairly and impartially.