Sale Sharks Womens Team Doctor

Organisation: Sale Sharks Rugby Club
Salary: Competitive
Location: Sale Sharks Training Ground, Carrington, Manchester
Contract type
Closing date: 10 April 2026
Interview date: 20 April 2026
Job Description: Location: Carrington Training Centre & Matchday Venues
Contract: Part-time; 8 hours per week (including 1 evening clinic at Carrington) / Consultancy (hours flexible around clinic & match schedule)
Department: Women’s Science & Medicine

Sale Sharks Women are seeking an experienced and motivated Team Doctor to join our high performing multidisciplinary team.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in supporting elite female athletes during a period of growth for the women’s game.

About the Role
As Team Doctor, you will provide high quality medical expertise to optimise player health, wellbeing, and performance. You will build trusted relationships with players and staff, offering a calm, senior presence that supports informed decision making around athlete welfare.
You will contribute to a robust system of clinical governance, help shape and enhance our medical provision, and work closely with internal and external partners to ensure players receive exceptional care.
This role is ideal for someone passionate about empowering female athletes, improving standards of care, and helping shape the future of women’s rugby. You will be supported by senior medical staff across the club.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical Duties
• Diagnose and manage acute and chronic illness, injury, and health concerns within an elite performance environment.
• Deliver a weekly face-to-face medical clinic at Carrington (Mondays or Tuesdays in season) and be available for remote consultations with players and medical staff.
• Provide match day medical cover as Team Doctor for senior women’s fixtures (home and away).
• Work closely with the Lead Physiotherapist and Head of Performance Services, to support clinical assessment, injury management, clinical decision-making.
• Coordinate referrals and maintain effective communication with GPs, consultants, and external healthcare providers where appropriate.
• Lead on concussion assessment, rehabilitation protocols and oversee return to play decisions in accordance with RFU and World Rugby guidelines and best practice.

Athlete Health & Welfare
• Conduct annual player pre-season medicals, including concussion baselines, cardiac screening, instrumented mouthguard assessments.
• Provide expertise and education that best support the health and welfare of female athletes.
• Support player mental health and wellbeing in collaboration with the Sport Psychologist and wellbeing team.
• Promote athlete welfare and safeguarding within all multidisciplinary discussions.

Governance & Compliance
• Annually review of emergency action plans for all home match day and training venues and maintain readiness of all medical equipment.
• Support anti-doping education and therapeutic use exemption (TUE) processes in accordance with UKAD and WADA.
• Ensure compliance with PWR MOS, World Rugby, and other relevant governing bodies.
• Collaborate with the Head of Performance services and contribute to clinical audit and service improvement initiatives within the Women’s Science & Medicine department.
• Maintain contemporaneous medical records in line with GMC standards and club policy.

Influence & Professional Standards
• Uphold the highest professional standards and ethics that support the health and welfare of all sale sharks women’s players.
• Be a calm, senior and reassuring influence within department and player group.
• Be a role model and positive influence on professional behaviours, standards and values of Sale Sharks Rugby Club.
• Perform any other duties reasonably requested by club.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• GMC registration with licence to practise as an independent practitioner.
• Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in Sport & Exercise Medicine or substantial equivalent experience in elite sport.
• Appropriate professional indemnity insurance for work in elite sport.
• Advanced pitch side emergency care qualification (e.g., ICIS or RFU recognised equivalent).
• Enhanced DBS check (role dependent).

Desirable
• Registered General Practitioner (Member of Royal College of General Practitioners) with specialist interest in SEM.
• SEM trainee/registrar (Member of Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine - FSEM)

SKILLS & EXPERIANCE
• Experience and ability to manage acute illness and female specific health issues.
• SEM experience in elite sport, preferably with female athletes.
• Ability to exercise sound clinical judgement under pressure, particularly in match-day environments.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary performance team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust with players and staff.
• Ability to navigate complexity with high level of professionalism, integrity, and ethics.
How to apply: To apply, please send your CV, a short covering letter outlining your suitability for the role, and your salary expectations to people@salesharks.com Further information: Closing date for applications: 10th April 2026 Potential interview schedule: W/c 20th April and w/c 27th April (15 min online and in person practical) Start: Ideal start is in line with preseason Monday 6th July 2026