The AFLW Head of Strength and Conditioning (S&C) is a unique opportunity to work for Hawthorn Football Club. We have a proud and successful history and elite behaviours and professionalism on and off the field.

Working within our AFLW Program as the Head of S&C, you can reach your full potential with the best facilities, technology, and expertise available in Australian sport. We live and breathe our Club Values of One For All, Play to Win and Love Our Club. You will work and thrive in an environment that is committed to excellence, being inclusive and supported by a culture of wellbeing and balance.

Our Club’s vision is to deliver long term objectives to continually grow, innovate and achieve on-field success. This includes our commitment to growing both of our football programs (AFLW & AFL), along with the building of our new state of the art facility - The Kennedy Community Centre.

About the role

This part time opportunity (3 days per week) reporting to the AFLW High Performance Manager will manage all aspects of pre-season and in-season athlete preparation needs, from strength/power/speed, workload monitoring and rehabilitation/injury management programs, to advice on high performance methods (eg. sleep, recovery).

Key Responsibilities include:

• Design the conditioning program for players, including strength/power/speed, and rehab/injury management programs, for pre-season and during the AFLW season.
• Enhance programs through observation, to maximise benefit and minimise injury
• Provide statistical data to players that complements the program
• Build professional relationships to enhance the effectiveness of feedback
• Provide guidance within conditioning sessions around techniques/loads etc
• Plan for all conditioning and medical meetings and contribute relevant information to enhance player and team performance
• Liaise with all medical staff in relation to rehab/injury management
• Drive excellence in the S&C department, share knowledge of techniques and technologies

The successful candidate

The ideal candidate will be an engaging leader with a proven ability to utilise their strong technical knowledge to achieve high performance outcomes within an elite team environment. You will be able to establish and maintain professional working relationships with a diverse group of players and coaches, as well as within a multidisciplinary team.  As a crucial role model and driver of team and club culture you will have a genuine passion for and knowledge of the game.

You will have:

• a Masters Degree in Exercise Science (or equivalent)
• Minimum and currently active Level 1 ASCA qualification
• Level 2 ESSA Sports Science Accredited
• a minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a similar role/high performance sport with elite athletes.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully develop, implement and manage S&C programs
• Demonstrated ability to collect and analyse physical performance data
• Current Victorian Employee Working with Children Check

Our offer to you 

As a Hawthorn Football Club employee, you will work in a supportive, values driven and harmonious team. You will be challenged and provided with opportunities to learn new things, grow, and develop. 

The Hawthorn Football Club is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from suitably qualified and diverse candidates. We welcome applicants who reflect the diversity of the Australian community and encourages applicants from the following backgrounds to apply:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• Culturally and linguistically diverse
• LGBTIQ+
• People with a disability
• People who live in rural and regional locations 

We provide a welcoming, safe, and flexible approach to work and provide an environment that benefits from and enables the best from everyone.

As an organisation we are committed to protecting children and young people from harm. It is essential that anyone involved with the Hawthorn Football Club understands their responsibility in relation to child safety. Our organisation requires all applicants to obtain a ‘Working with Children Check’ prior to appointment.