Director of Player Health and Performance

Overview

FC Dallas of Major League Soccer (MLS) are driven by their vision "To be the most exciting team in major league soccer". As an original member of the league from its inception in 1996, FC Dallas (then the Dallas Burn) have been at the center of the growth and evolution of MLS in the United States.

FC Dallas have created a development pathway that provides a roadmap to professional soccer in North America. Grounded in Dallas' premier youth soccer academy, the FC Dallas academy program guides players vertically towards professional soccer through their developmental second team, Noth Texas Soccer Club (MLS Next Pro) and their First Team (MLS) programs.

Winners of the Supporters Shield in 2016 and the US Open Cup in 1997 and 2016, FC Dallas are driven by their mission to inspire generations to the game of soccer through outstanding experiences.

The Role

The Player Health and Performance (PHP) Department is seeking a Director of Player Health and Performance to help drive a new culture through elite leadership, team building, and the application of elite high-performance processes.

They will be an integral part of developing the culture within the Player Health and Performance Department and managing that culture daily.

The Director of Player Health and Performance will lead all aspects of medical and sport science for the first team while creating a playbook for the vertical integration of high-performance processes to the MLS Next Pro and MLS Next Academy teams.

The Director of Player Health and Performance will create a way of working that will dictate how technical and PHP departments collaborate club wide to create elite tactical periodization models.

The Director of Player Health and Performance will manage a team of diverse and highly skilled practitioners addressing the daily medical, physical performance, sport science, dietary, and mental health needs of the players.

Key Relationships

• Reporting to - Sporting Director
• Essential Relationships
• First Team Head Coach
• Player Health and Performance Team - (First Team to Academy)
• Technical Director
• Chief Medical Officer
• Academy Director
• MLS Next Pro General Manager
• MLS Next Pro Head Coach
• Academy Staff
• Medical Partners - Children's Health

Key Responsibilities

• Create a high-performance, player-first culture to support an elite player health and performance identity
• Establish a collaborative culture that defines the way the player health and performance department integrates with the technical team
• Lead, develop and mentor player health and performance practitioners from the first team to the academy
• Build a collaborative player health and performance department that delivers elite player health and performance services
• Create clear roles and responsibilities for all player heath and performance team members and provide the support they need to be excellent
• Manage the short, medium, and long term training plan for the first team (load management) while creating playbooks that can be used to guide the MLS Next Pro and MLS Next programs
• Oversee the collaborative process for major medical decisions ensuring appropriate diagnosis, rehabilitation, and return to play planning for first team player medical needs
• Create the playbook for the medical management of players at the MLS Next Pro and MLS Next levels and oversee its implementation
• Oversee the development of a centralized data management process that takes advantage of relevant data streams and produces analyses and reports that guide high level decision making for the PHP Department
• Oversee the development of a player specific diet and nutrition program
• Oversee the development of holistic mental health and performance platform
• Provide clear, consistent, and accurate communication with all relevant stakeholders regarding the health and performance status of the first team
• Create a communication playbook to be implemented at the MLS Next Pro and MLS Next levels
• Ensure compliance with all team and league mandates

Requirements

• Master's degree or higher in a related sports medicine, sport science or sports performance field
• Ten (10) years of experience in an elite first team sporting environment within a player health and performance department
• Three (3) years (5 years desired) of experience leading a player health and performance department within an elite sporting environment (within MLS desired)
• A strong appreciation and understanding of human performance disciplines outside of your own discipline of study
• Work experience must demonstrate a history of being naturally player-centric and having the confidence to challenge the team when behavior threatens culture. Highly inclusive and collaborative, the ideal candidate must be able to recognize and maximize the diverse skill sets around them.
• Multi-lingual abilities high recommended (Spanish in particular, highly recommended)
• History of being a great communicator who can create alignment around a department philosophy.
• Accountable to the group, and willing to take ownership, they must be willing to be on the giving and receiving end of difficult conversations.
• Must be someone who can message the departments Vision, Mission and Values through their actions and their words.
• History of understanding and thriving under the tempo of an elite high-performance environment (elite sport preferred, soccer preferred, MLS preferred but not required).
• A strong understanding of the key characteristics of high-performing teams

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

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