Head of Academy Athletic Performance Coach

Responsible for leading & delivering the club’s physical development strategy for all Transition / Senior Academy players, ensuring they progress safely and effectively towards the demands of senior elite rugby. This role oversees the design, implementation and monitoring of age appropriate, evidence-based strength and conditioning programmes that support long-term athletic development, enhance performance and minimise injury risk across the whole academy pathway (Including Junior Academy). The role requires a cohesive, integrated approach to player development from under 16s through to the Senior Academy with programming involvement within the senior set up.

A key component of the position involves working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary performance team – academy coaches, medical staff and wider athletic performance staff (including head of athletic performance, sports scientists, nutritionists, senior medical, return to play etc). The Head of Academy Athletic Performance plays a key strategic role in shaping the physical identity, behaviours, professionalism and performance culture of the club’s emerging players.

Key Responsibilities and Skills

• Lead the design, delivery and coordination of all individual senior academy athletic performance programmes through effective periodised plans specific to individual needs.
• Deliver effective training programmes across all physical capacities; Hypertrophy, strength, power, max velocity, acceleration, agility, fitness & conditioning to optimise on-field performance.
• Manage gym and on-field training load through catapult GPS and valid systems, daily monitoring processes as directed by the senior programme and communicate any issues relating to player development to relevant staff.
• Ensure the junior and senior athletic performance programmes are aligned and coordinate with the senior programme.
• Coordinate the annual strength and conditioning testing / profiling blocks across the whole pathway according to Welsh Rugby Union national standards and testing schedules.
• Collect, store and manage all athletic performance testing and monitoring data and ensure that it is reviewed frequently to inform the athletic development programmes.
• Liaise regularly with the junior academy strength and conditioning coach, as well as the head of athletic performance to ensure proper alignment and prescription to the needs of academy and senior programmes, in particular the transition from Regional Age Grade U16s to Regional Age Grade U18s; U18s to Senior Academy; Senior Academy to transition and transition to senior player.
• Has the capacity to be responsible for the design and delivery of specific aspects of the senior athletic performance programme.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary high-performance team, maintaining strong relationships with coaching, medical and rehabilitation staff.
• Assist in the delivery of coach, intern and player CPD programmes.

Key Relationships

• Academy staff members
• Senior and Academy Athletic performance departments
• Senior and Academy medical departments
• Academy / pathways players
• Senior rugby and support staff
• Senior rugby players

Qualifications and Essential Criteria

• A degree in sports science / strength & conditioning / long-term athletic development related field.
• Recognised professional accreditation in strength and conditioning (UKSCA, NSCA, ASCA etc).
• Minimum of more than two years experience working within an elite sporting pathway / environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team (e.g. rugby coaches, physiotherapists, sports massage therapists, analysts interns etc.) to design and deliver integrated performance strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Requires strong organisational and time management abilities.