Newcastle Red Bulls – which describes itself as the only Premiership rugby team ‘in the true North of England’ – is seeking applications from physiotherapists with at least five years’ experience of working in elite sports.
The deadline for applications to become the club’s new head physiotherapist, who will be based at Kingston Park Stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, expires on 19 December – though the date could be brought forward depending on applications received before then.
Formerly known as Newcastle Falcons, the club sets out its key aim is the job advertisement: ‘Our vision is to be one of the leading rugby organisations in the UK and Europe.’
It adds: ‘We are writing a new chapter for professional sport in the region and are seeking an experienced sports physiotherapist who shares our ambition and energy, to lead our physiotherapy team.’
Purpose of the role
The successful candidate will deliver elite-level clinical management to first-team players at training and fixtures, reporting to the head of medical services as part of an inter-disciplinary team.
They will ‘ensure consistently high standards of medical provision through comprehensive therapy support, the adoption of pro-active injury prevention strategies and the provision of best-in-class injury rehabilitation services to optimise player availability’.
As well as being ‘naturally collaborative’, the candidate will ‘need to be calm, credible and resilient under pressure whilst working in a fast-paced environment’.
Key responsibilities include
• Providing clear clinical and performance leadership across the physiotherapy team, ensuring all decisions and processes align with the club’s rehabilitation philosophy, performance and medical governance standards
• Leading, managing and mentoring all physiotherapy staff, ensuring clear expectations and regular performance review, deputising for the head of medical services as required
• Working alongside other medical experts in the department to meet agreed objectives and KPIs [key performance indicators]. Driving performance standards to be best-in-class, working collaboratively within the inter-disciplinary team
• Making accurate injury assessments and clinical diagnoses based on sound medical and ethical judgement and with good governance understanding to support the health, fitness and wellbeing of players
• Under the direction of the head of medical services, developing and delivering an innovative, evidence-based rehabilitation philosophy – establishing elite standards, driving clinical excellence and ensuring rehab pathways are aligned, consistent and evidence led
• Planning, delivering and reviewing comprehensive injury prevention and rehabilitation programmes for players that are aligned with their individual needs, based on objective markers and have accurate return-to-play time frames
‘If you are passionate about physiotherapy and player welfare and have a proven track record of providing comprehensive levels of management, care and support to athletes, we would like to hear from you’
Further responsibilities
• Providing pitch-side medical cover for players at fixtures and through the week at training sessions, making critical decisions regarding player fitness and availability and providing accurate triage assessments
• Adopting a pro-active approach to player welfare, including reducing injury risks by considering risk factors such as injury history, physiological markers and performance tests to inform decision making
• Reporting to the head of medical services daily to provide updates on injured players, to consult on any new injuries that may require further investigation and to refine plans for long-term injured players
• Working closely with athletic performance staff and coaches to transition injured players safely back into training, modifying activity where appropriate, handing over programmes and directing any ongoing modifications
• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date medical notes on the central database for each player, communicate these to relevant staff in a timely manner and deputise for the head of medical services when required
• Contributing and engaging with in-service training to ensure adherence to minimum standards and high levels of performance through a culture that values innovation, collaboration and continual improvement
• Upholding and adhering to all PRL, RFU and World Rugby regulations, standards and ethical practices to represent the club professionally and credibly in the wider rugby eco-system, including any industry-specific regulations
• In addition to these duties which this job normally entails the employee may from time to time be required to undertake reasonable additional or other duties or participate in research and development projects
‘We are writing a new chapter for professional sport in the region and are seeking an experienced sports physiotherapist who shares our ambition and energy, to lead our physiotherapy team’
Desirable requirements
• RFU Level 3 PHICIS [Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sport] qualification
• Currently working within a full-time professional sporting environment
• Previous experience of working in an elite-level rugby environment
• Previous experience in a leadership role
How to apply
The club wants to hear from candidates who are ‘passionate about physiotherapy and player welfare and have a proven track record of providing comprehensive levels of management, care and support to athletes’. Send a CV and cover letter outlining your relevant experience to Dominica O’Neil (director of HR). Email: dominica.oneil@newcastleredbulls.com
Image: Shutterstock
