Role Description:
AFC Wimbledon is a professional football club based in Wimbledon, London, with an astonishing history, having been reformed in 2002 to continue 135 years of Wimbledon sporting representation.
In 2020 the club returned home to Plough Lane, Wimbledon - to the brand-new Cherry Red Records Stadium - a purpose-built long-awaited modern stadium with 9,000 capacity and excellent corporate and event facilities, funded by the dedicated contributions of its fans.
The original Wimbledon FC played just yards away for 70 years and achieved worldwide fame by going from non-league to the Premiership, and beating Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final.
Owned by its fans through membership of The Dons Trust, AFC Wimbledon exemplifies community spirit and fan engagement - with award-winning community schemes and charitable endeavours alongside its sporting achievements.
Our men's team play in League One, our women’s team also play in the third tier, and our Academy consistently develops young players who go on to become professionals in our first team or elsewhere, with our youth teams regularly beating those of Premier League and Championship sides.
AFC Wimbledon is looking to recruit a Head of Sports Science who will lead and manage the club’s sports science provision across all performance departments, driving a high-performance culture that optimises player availability, physical output, and long-term athletic development. The role will integrate data-led decision-making with practical on-pitch application to support first-team success and player pathway development.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build strong relationships with all key stakeholders (management | coaches | players | staff) to facilitate performance in line with club objectives
- Deliver sports science support & feedback to key stakeholders across:
- Data analysis (workload | GPS | heart rate monitoring)
- Physiological & fitness assessments, including anthropometrics across the season
- Design & implement a comprehensive performance strategy in line with club coaching philosophy across the senior teams, with emphasis on periodisation & athletic development models
- Manage & deliver individual & squad-wide strength & conditioning strategies to optimise performance & minimise injury risk
- Conduct appropriate recovery & injury prevention strategies across the season
- Manage & implement dietary & nutritional strategies adopted across training & matchdays
- Perform matchday sports science provisions to optimise physical performance
- Collaborate with the medical department across player status & rehabilitation
- Design & perform return to train & return to play protocols for injured players in conjunction with the medical department
- Liaise in a professional manner with clubs concerning incoming / outgoing loan agreements to ensure player needs are delivered
- Support academy sports science operations, including the smooth transition of players from youth to senior football
- Review & critique current department strategy & adapt as appropriate
- Coordinate an effective CPD programme for departmental staff
- Carry out any other reasonable management requests
- Flexibility to work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends & travel with the team as required