PDP Reconditioning Coach

Founded in 1882, Tottenham Hotspur is an iconic English football club, playing in the Premier League and Women’s Super League. From North London to the world, our fanbase spans continents, cultures, and generations. Spurs is a club that’s always dared to push boundaries, breaking new ground and rewriting history.

We are at our brightest when we’re all together. Our club, our teams, our community. We are entering a new era at Tottenham with a new club strategy, new leadership, and a focus on putting our fans at the heart of everything we do as we continue to strengthen our connection with our DNA, our home, and each other.

We’re at our brightest when we’re all together. Our Club, our teams, our community.

The Role

To assist and support the Head of Academy Sport Science in meeting the objectives and vision of the Sport Science Department and Academy Management.

This role will be responsible for leading and delivering all rehabilitation training for injured players within the Professional Development Phase of the Academy, including gym-based and pitch-based programming, as well as leading the reintegration of players into full team training and the playing squad. The post holder will work closely with coaches and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure a seamless transition from rehabilitation through to full performance.

The role will have clear responsibility for the physical reconditioning and return-to-performance pathway for PDP players, ensuring that individual rehabilitation programmes progressively restore the physical, physiological and football-specific qualities required for each player's position, playing style and level of competition.

The person will be capable of working effectively within a multidisciplinary team of doctors, physiotherapists, S&C, performance and technical coaches to deliver an industry-leading rehabilitation and reconditioning programme. The candidate will be expected to have strong skills in technological systems essential for planning, monitoring and evaluating training outcomes and adaptations, and be able to translate objective data into meaningful programme progressions and player recommendations.

A large input into the processes of player sustainability will be a key feature of this role, ensuring that players' return to performance is sustained during the weeks following reintegration into full training and competition.

The role will also include other performance support work with the PDP playing squads where required.

The working hours will be 35 hours per week, with some flexibility expected across Monday–Sunday on a rota basis. This will involve some unsocial working hours due to fixtures, which may be across bank holidays or seasonal holiday periods.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver the individualised progression of players through the rehabilitation pathway from gym-based rehabilitation, through pitch-based reconditioning, to full team training and competitive performance in the PDP.
• Work collaboratively with the rehabilitation physiotherapist to ensure the progression from plinth to gym, gym to pitch and pitch to team training is seamless, progressive and appropriately challenging
• Lead and deliver individualised pitch rehabilitation sessions, ensuring consideration is given to the player's position, playing style, individual development plan and specific physical requirements
• Demonstrate strong physiological and biomechanical knowledge to ensure rehabilitation and reconditioning progressions are delivered to the highest standard
• Progress appropriate physical qualities throughout rehabilitation, including acceleration, deceleration, high-speed running, sprinting, change of direction and repeated high-intensity activity
• Accelerate appropriate aspects of players' physical development during rehabilitation where appropriate
• Integrate football-specific technical and positional demands into rehabilitation and reconditioning programmes

Return to Training & Return to Performance

• Lead the physical reintegration of players into modified and full team training following rehabilitation
• Communicate clearly with relevant coaching and multidisciplinary staff regarding player progression, physical readiness and appropriate training and match exposure
• Monitor player response to training and competition following reintegration and use this information to inform ongoing programme decisions

Physical Testing & Monitoring

• Oversee all rehabilitation gym-based testing and programming
• Ensure testing and monitoring data is collected to the highest standard and utilised in a rational and objective manner
• Demonstrate strong experience of technological systems and how these systems link to the physiology of football, including playing styles, positional demands and individual player requirements
• Utilise GPS and internal-load data to inform individualised rehabilitation and reconditioning programmes

Multidisciplinary Working

• Work collaboratively with doctors, physiotherapists, S&C coaches, sport scientists, performance staff and technical coaches to deliver effective rehabilitation and return-to-performance programmes
• Communicate and disseminate relevant information regarding rehabilitation progressions and player status within a high-performance environment
• Contribute to multidisciplinary discussions and decision-making regarding player progression and reintegration
• Build strong working relationships with Academy coaching and playing staff

Professional Standards

• Execute duties in a professional and conscientious manner and contribute positively to the culture and standards of the Academy
• Maintain the highest standards of personal and professional integrity
• Ensure all relevant player information, data and documentation are maintained accurately and confidentially
• Maintain appropriate standards of rehabilitation and training areas, equipment and facilities
• Be aware of emergency procedures and the Health and Safety at Work Act relating to the various sites
• Ensure a strict code of confidentiality in respect of any information linked to Tottenham Hotspur
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the position and grade as required by the department

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people
• Act in accordance with the organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures at all times
• Be alert to signs of abuse, neglect, or safeguarding concerns and report these appropriately
• Maintain professional boundaries and act as a positive role model when working with or around children
• Attend safeguarding training as required and keep knowledge up to date

Person Specification

Personal Attributes

• Proactive in nature and able to generate innovative ideas
• Values & respects others, builds relationships, collaborates
• Gets things done, delivers to highest of standards, takes responsibility and is able to be flexible
• Exceptionally high degree of personal and professional integrity
• A strong team ethos with demonstrable abilities in building and maintaining productive relationships with both coaching and playing staff within a high-performance environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with clear and adaptable communication skills that foster productive working relationships at all levels

Essential Qualifications

• Degree in Sport Science, Rehabilitation, Strength and Conditioning or a related discipline
• UKSCA Accreditation or equivalent
• Demonstrable experience in elite sport delivering high-performance rehabilitation and reconditioning training
• Strong understanding of the physiological, biomechanical and physical demands of elite football
• Experience using objective testing and monitoring to inform rehabilitation and programme progression
• Experience working effectively within a multidisciplinary high-performance environment

Preferred Experience

• Experienced working within Category 1 Academy Football, preferably within the Professional Development Phase
• BASES Accreditation or equivalent
• Experience leading the transition from rehabilitation into full team training and competitive match play
• Experience translating physical and football-specific data into individualised training interventions
• Postgraduate Degree in Sport Science, Rehabilitation, Strength and Conditioning or a related discipline
• Extensive experience of blending academic knowledge into applied football delivery

Safeguarding & Recruitment Statement

Safeguarding is fundamental to success in all that we do. The Club follows a Safer Recruitment process for all roles. Successful candidates are to be reminded that they will be subject to proportionate background, DBS and reference checks as required.

We welcome applications from anyone regardless of age, disability, gender, race or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

#J-18808-Ljbffr