Head of First Team Physiotherapy

Organisation: Huddersfield Town AFC
Salary: c. £70,000 - £75,000 per annum
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 20 August 2026
Interview date: 27 August 2026
Job Description: Job Description

Post Title
Head of First Team Physiotherapy.

Department/Location
Medical and Performance Department, Canalside Training Centre.

Reports To
Head of Medical and Performance.

Responsible For
First Team Physiotherapists and Sports Therapists.

Purpose of the Role
As Head of First Team Physiotherapy you will lead on the physiotherapy provision for the Club’s First Team. You will be responsible for the delivery, management, and continuous development of evidence-based physiotherapy services, ensuring players receive world-class injury prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation support.

Working closely with the Head of Medical and Performance, and the wider Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), the post holder will play a key role in maximising player availability, enhancing performance, reducing injury risk, and supporting safe and effective return to play processes.

The role requires an exceptional practitioner who can combine outstanding clinical expertise with strong leadership, communication, and organisational skills within an elite football environment.

Functional Links
Internal:
Sporting Director.
Head of Medical and Performance.
First Team Head Coach and Coaching Staff.
Sports Science and Performance Staff.
Chief Medical Officer / Club Doctors.
Medical Staff.
Staff and managers throughout the organisation.

External:
Specialist Consultants and Surgeons.
Premier League, EFL, and FA Medical Departments.
External Healthcare Providers.
Opposition Clubs’ Medical Staff.
Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).
League Managers’ Association (LMA).

Key Performance Indicators

• Maximise player availability throughout the season.

• Reduce preventable injury incidence and recurrence rates.

• Deliver effective and efficient rehabilitation programmes.

• Ensure evidence-based return to play decisions.

• Maintain high standards of clinical governance and record-keeping.

• Develop and support Physiotherapy staff across the department.

• Enhance medical service provision through innovation and continuous improvement.

Role Specific Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

The post holder is required to:

• Lead and manage all First Team Physiotherapy services.

• Provide expert musculoskeletal assessments, diagnoses, and treatment.

• Oversee the management of all player injuries and illnesses in consultation with the Head of Medical and Performance and MDT.

• Deliver and supervise high-quality rehabilitation programmes tailored to individual players.

• Develop and implement clinical pathways and rehabilitation frameworks.

• Lead service development initiatives and continuously evaluate best practice.

• Contribute to departmental strategic planning and performance objectives.

Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement

The post holder is required to:

• Develop and implement injury prevention strategies.

• Support physical profiling and pre-participation assessments.

• Collaborate with Sports Science staff to monitor player loading and recovery.

• Utilise objective markers and testing procedures to support rehabilitation progression and return to play decisions.

• Contribute to optimising player performance and long-term physical development.

Match Day and Training Operations

The post holder is required to:

• Provide physiotherapy cover for all First Team training sessions and fixtures.

• Deliver immediate pitch-side assessments and emergency care.

• Maintain current Advanced Trauma Medical Management in Football (ATMMiF) or equivalent qualification.

• Work closely with opposition medical teams and emergency services when required.

• Ensure Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) are implemented and communicated effectively.

• Travel with the First Team as required for domestic and international fixtures.

Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

The post holder is required to:

• Work collaboratively with coaching, medical, and performance staff.

• Communicate injury status, rehabilitation progress, and availability updates to relevant stakeholders.

• Attend regular MDT meetings and contribute to integrated player management discussions.

• Liaise with external specialists, imaging providers, and consultants.

• Support players throughout consultations, investigations, and surgical procedures where appropriate.

Leadership and Staff Development

The post holder is required to:

• Provide leadership and mentorship to Physiotherapy and medical staff, and interns/student placements.

• Support the recruitment, onboarding, and development of medical personnel.

• Foster a culture of continuous professional development and reflective practice.

• Promote the Company’s values, and high-performance behaviours and standards across the department.

• Assist the Head of Medical and Performance with annual Performance Development Plans (PDPs) as required.

• Contribute to education sessions for players and staff.

Governance, Administration, and Compliance

The post holder is required to:

• Maintain accurate, confidential, and contemporaneous medical records.

• Ensure compliance with HCPC, CSP, FA, EFL, Premier League and other healthcare standards and professional codes of conduct/practice.

• Contribute to departmental audits and quality assurance processes.

• Assist and manage the medical and physiotherapy budget.

• Oversee medical equipment procurement and inventory management.

• Develop, review, and update departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

• Ensure all activities comply with GDPR and data protection legislation.

Club-Wide Responsibilities

The post holder is required to:

• Promote and uphold the values, culture, and ‘Everything Together’ ethos of the Company.

• Adhere to all safeguarding policies and procedures.

• Support and champion equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives.

• Complete all mandatory training requirements.

• Maintain the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive, and the post holder is required to undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required by the Head of Medical and Performance, and/or any other Senior Leader within the Club.
How to apply: Huddersfield Town AFC Head of First Team Physiotherapy c. £70,000 - £75,000 per annum. Full-time (35+ hours per week, including both home and away match days). Permanent. We are currently recruiting for a qualified Physiotherapist and experienced leader to join our First Team Medical and Performance department and lead on our Physiotherapy provision. You will be responsible for the delivery, management, and continuous development of evidence-based physiotherapy services, ensuring players receive world-class injury prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation support. Working closely with the Head of Medical and Performance, and the wider Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), the post holder will play a key role in maximising player availability, enhancing performance, reducing injury risk, and supporting safe and effective return to play processes. The role requires an exceptional practitioner who can combine outstanding clinical expertise with strong leadership, communication, and organisational skills within an elite football environment. Candidates must have relevant previous experience and be a HCPC registered Physiotherapist with an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) or higher in Physiotherapy, or other relevant discipline. A Live FA Level 5 Advanced Trauma Medical Management in Football (ATMMiF) Certificate is also essential. As this is a leadership role, candidates must be able to demonstrate proven experience as a physiotherapy practitioner along with the ability to guide and develop other team members. You will be working closely with senior staff in a First Team environment, therefore the ability to develop effective relationships is a key aspect of the role, along with experience and skill in managing complex injuries and return to play processes. This role requires flexibility and a willingness to work non-standard hours in accordance with the needs of the Club and our annual fixture schedules. We receive a high volume of applications for our vacancies and as such we encourage you to ensure that your application details how you feel you meet our requirements. The volume of applications received prevents us from being able to provide feedback at short-listing stage. To apply, please create an account in our online application portal and ensure you complete the associated questions in full. Please also highlight any factors that you would like us to consider, for example, if you have a disability or health condition that may require us to make reasonable adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. Safeguarding We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff and other stakeholders to share this commitment. Applicants must disclose all previous convictions including spent convictions in accordance with the associated legislation; this can be done via a private letter/disclosure to the Head of Human Resources and EDI. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot consider them. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed is available on the Ministry of Justice website. Equality and Inclusion Huddersfield Town AFC strives to promote a diverse and inclusive community – a place where everyone can be themselves and in which everyone feels valued, included, and supported to achieve their full potential. We offer a range of family-friendly and inclusive employment arrangements, and we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. We have comprehensive employment benefits including a Flexible Working Policy and enhanced provisions in relation to maternity, paternity, and adoption leave and pay. We are well known as a leader within the football industry for our inclusive practices. We hold the Advanced Award for the Premier League Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Standard (PLEDIS) and the Gold Award for the EFL Equality Code of Practice. We are also a Disability Confident Leader, a Mindful Employer, and the first organisation to be accredited as both a Menopause Friendly and Menstruation Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, and we are particularly seeking to diversify our workforce in relation to gender, ethnicity, and disability. We are committed to the redress of any inequalities by taking positive action where appropriate. As a Club, we describe our vision as ‘Everything Together’ and our associated values relate to the word ‘Everything.’ If your values align with ours, we would love to hear from you. Further information about the Company and working with us is available from the Careers section of our website: https://careers.htafc.com/ To apply, please complete the application form in our portal. If you need any assistance and/or would prefer to apply in an alternative format, please contact us by email to jobs@htafc.com Completed applications must be submitted by 9:00am on Thursday 20th August 2026. Interviews are likely to take place in late August/early September 2026.

We use cookies to track and analyse visitors to our website

Head of First Team Physiotherapy