Lead First Team Rehabilitation Physio in Salford

Full-time position based in Salford, Manchester. We are recruiting for a high-performing and experienced Lead First Team Rehabilitation Physio to work within an elite professional sporting environment at Salford City. This role is being recruited in partnership with 292 Performance on behalf of Salford City. The successful candidate will be employed and managed directly by the Club, while working closely alongside 292 Performance and the wider interdisciplinary performance team.

The Lead 1st Team Rehab Physio will play a critical role in delivering world-class rehabilitation, return-to-performance, and athlete management processes for first team players. This individual will lead the planning and delivery of rehabilitation programmes, ensuring players return to performance safely, efficiently, and robustly. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced elite environments, is collaborative by nature, highly organized, and capable of integrating medical, physical performance, coaching, and performance science perspectives into rehabilitation decision-making.

• Rehabilitation Leadership
  • Lead the design, delivery, and progression of individualised rehabilitation programmes for injured first team players.
  • Oversee players throughout all stages of rehabilitation, from acute injury management through to return-to-training and return-to-competition.
  • Ensure rehabilitation plans are objective, progressive, and aligned to the physical and tactical demands of the sport.
  • Coordinate and deliver gym, pitch, and return-to-performance sessions.
• Return-to-Performance Processes
  • Lead return-to-play (RTP) decision-making processes alongside medical, coaching, and performance staff.
  • Develop objective RTP criteria and ensure appropriate monitoring throughout the rehabilitation journey.
  • Use performance data, GPS metrics, strength diagnostics, and clinical reasoning to support decision-making.
  • Collaborate with coaches to ensure smooth reintegration into training and competition environments.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration
  • Work closely with medical staff, strength and conditioning coaches, performance scientists, coaches and external specialists when required.
  • Contribute actively to daily performance and medical meetings.
  • Maintain clear and proactive communication regarding player status, progression, and risk management.
• Athlete Care & Experience
  • Build strong, trusted relationships with players and staff.
  • Create an environment that promotes accountability, engagement, and high standards throughout rehabilitation.
  • Deliver exceptional athlete care and communication throughout the recovery process.
• Operational & Administrative Duties
  • Maintain accurate and timely medical and rehabilitation records.
  • Contribute to departmental SOPs, processes, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Support audit, reporting, and governance requirements where necessary.
  • Assist with injury trend analysis and preventative strategies.

• Chartered Physiotherapist with relevant professional registration.
• Significant experience working within elite or professional sport.
• Proven experience leading rehabilitation processes in high-performance environments.
• Strong understanding of Return-to-play frameworks, Load management, Strength & conditioning principles, Performance diagnostics, Elite athlete management.
• Excellent communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.
• Ability to work calmly and decisively under pressure.
• High attention to detail and organisational ability.
• Experience working within elite football or comparable high-performance team sport.
• Experience contributing to departmental strategy and systems development.
• Experience integrating GPS and performance monitoring data into rehabilitation planning.
• Additional qualifications in strength & conditioning or sports rehabilitation.

We are looking for someone who:

• Builds trust quickly with athletes and staff.
• Takes ownership and accountability.
• Is proactive, adaptable and solutions focused.
• Communicates clearly and confidently.
• Thrives in collaborative high performance environments.