Title: Academy Lead Sport Scientist - U18    

Reports to: Academy Head of Sport Science & Medicine 

Location: Various (Canford Park Arena & new training ground)

Core Hours: Full-time/Permanent

Salary: Dependant on experience

About AFC Bournemouth

Entering an exciting new chapter in its long and storied history, AFC Bournemouth is proud to retain its focus on family and community. Delivering that engagement with our loyal supporters is a passionate and integrated backroom staff, working closely together to provide a positive and lasting experience for all at Vitality Stadium.

Since its takeover by chairman Bill Foley, in a partnership including Hollywood actor Michael B. Jordan, the club has seen significant investment committed towards sustaining AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League, highlighted by the construction of a state-of-the-art training facility and the arrival of promising young talent from top clubs around Europe.

In the academy, there is a continued focus to become a category two academy, and this appointment will play a supporting role in that. This is a really exciting time to join the academy, as we move on to the next stage and continue to support the first team.

Academy Values:

• Players First: holding individual player development as the main intention behind decisions made as a coach and wider professional.
• Togetherness: working in a prosocial manner as part of a wider team – willing to contribute beyond own interests.
• Integrity: carrying out academy and club values in an open and honest manner.
• Accountability: willing to take responsibility for actions in a manner which allows learning, growth and reflection.

Main Duties

The post holder will strive to develop gold standard practice within the academy sport science department at AFC Bournemouth, delivering the day-to-day physical development programme to our U18 squad. This will be achieved through the understanding and implementation of best practice strength and conditioning, and appropriate level of scientific support.

Departmental Requirements

• To work and liaise effectively within the department and integrate into the club’s pursuit of increasing the category rating set by the EPPP.
• Willing to further their knowledge through continuous professional development and implement relevant knowledge into practice, of which the club will support.
• Willingness to work across a range of age groups spanning from the U9s to the U21s.
• Build and maintain good working relationships with the first team sports science dept to ensure communication between the academy, development squad and first team is consistently happening in which best practice and knowledge can be shared.

Strength and Conditioning Responsibilities

• Deliver best practice strength and conditioning coaching in line with the department philosophies day-to-day to the U18 squad.
• Produce and deliver gym and field based conditioning programmes tailored for differing needs of each player within the squad.
• Produce and lead end stage rehabilitation sessions with injured U18 players.
• Develop and assist in all physical assessment procedures with all academy squads, and ensure all data is recorded and interpreted, with future programmes tailored to individual needs.
• Maintain a chronological database of all conditioning conducted with the players and be able to intervene and readjust programmes.
• Collaborate with the medical team ensuring best practice injury prevention methods are conducted.
• Adhere to the club movement syllabus that can be applied across different age groups highlighting key movements that players should be able to attain during certain stages of development with clear progressions as key motor skills are learnt.

Sport Science Responsibilities

• Ensure that all playing staff are offered high quality scientific support on a day-to-day basis.
• To keep abreast with sport science research development and advances and maintain an open and flexible stance regarding best sport science practice.
• Lead and monitor individual readiness and recovery strategies and implement subsequent interventions daily.
• Monitor and interpret individual and team training data whilst providing knowledgeable feedback to medical department and coaches.
• Use training data to try to offer advice on subsequent team training periodisation.
• Produce individual and team phase reports including readiness, recovery, training, and conditioning data. Provide high level of interpretation, recommendation and feedback to coaches and medical department.
• Demonstrate a willingness to further personal knowledge into all disciplines of sport science including nutrition, physiology, psychology, and biomechanics, by attending relevant educational courses to positively enhance future sport science practice.
• Partake and contribute to department in service sessions on a regular basis, aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the department and ensuring best practice.
• Contribution to 12 weekly player reports providing individual feedback in conjunction with the medical team on players athletic profile and development.

General

• As a member of staff to ensure in all matters you follow and actively promote the club’s mental health policies and practices to ensure an open, non-judgmental and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.
• As a member of staff to ensure that you to adhere to the club’s safeguarding policies and procedures and are committed to our safeguarding values, creating a safe and positive environment for all those who interact with the club.
• Obligation to adhere to the club’s health and safety policy and procedures.
• As a member of staff to ensure in all matters you follow and actively promote the club’s equality policies and practices to ensure a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.

Key competencies

Required

• BSc Sport & Exercise Science (or similar).
• UKSCA or NSCA accreditation.
• Experience using GPS systems.
• Experience of working in a Football academy setting.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel.
• Recent & in-date DBS & FA Safeguarding Children Certificates.
• Emergency First Aid in Football (EFAiF).

Desired

• MSc in Sport Science, S&C or related discipline.

Staff benefits

In return for your hard work and commitment to us, you will receive a competitive reward package which will include, but is not limited to:

• Free onsite parking.
• Season ticket and allocation of complimentary/purchased tickets.
• Subsidised lunches and complimentary healthy snacks throughout the day.
• Discounts at the club Superstore.
• Contribution towards eye tests and glasses.
• Discounts and benefits from partners and local businesses.
• Club pension & Life Assurance Scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) by Health Assured.
• Paid parental leave (bank of five days per year).
• Club events or other social events throughout the year run by our club social team.
• Paid volunteer opportunities (2 days per year).
• Paid day’s leave on your birthday.

Person specification

The club’s values are at the core of its staff behaviour and how they approach everything they do, therefore we are looking for someone is honest, inclusive, kind, hardworking, loyal and respectful.

How to Apply

Please email CV & Covering Letter to [email protected] by Friday 9th June 2023.

AFC Bournemouth is an equal opportunities employer and ensures that staff and volunteers are able to achieve their full potential. AFC Bournemouth values the diversity of its workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community (Equality Act 2010).

We actively encourage applications from women, and individuals from ethnically diverse communities.

For further information on accessibility within the stadium please click here.

AFC Bournemouth is committed to protecting all children, young persons, and adults at risk in its care or attending its premises and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. 

For all positions where a DBS check is required, an offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory disclosure at the appropriate level.

Any and all potential agreements, relationships or commitments that could be considered a conflict of interest should be disclosed upon application to this vacancy by emailing [email protected]. You will also be asked whether you have any conflicts to disclose upon receipt of your application.

Satisfactory references will be required for all positions, your eligibility to work with the club will be subject to receiving appropriate referencing.

We strive to create a positive and safe environment and ensure all who interact with the club feel safe, protected, and heard. 

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