Maribyrnong College provides a broad education for students in Years 7 - 12. It is also home to Victoria's only state-funded Sports Specialism, the Maribyrnong Sports Academy (MSA) with a sports enrolment comprising nearly 40% of the school population.

The Head of Strength & Conditioning manages a team of 6 Strength & Conditioning Coaches and 3 Rehabilitation Coordinators and is responsible for the management and delivery of the physical development component of MSA's High Performance Preparation (HPP) program for its 575 student-athletes.

Attendance is required for 38 hours per week throughout the school terms and on some school holiday periods.

BEGIN DATE: 06 October 2025
END DATE: 19 January 2029
HOURS: 38 hours per week

RESPONSIBILITIES

LEADERSHIP

• As part of the MSA Management Team contribute to the overall strategic direction of the organisation.
• Lead the ongoing development and refinement of the MSA Strength & Conditioning Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) strategy which is supported by research & contemporary knowledge of appropriate governing bodies (NSCA, ASCA & UKSCA).
• Develop and implement an annual plan for the Strength & Conditioning team which integrates into the overall MSA Operational Plan as well as manage the Rehabilitation program in key areas pertaining to the field.
• Develop and manage the implementation of a Strength & Conditioning curriculum as part of MSA's HPP.
• Develop and monitor performance indicators for individual student-athletes, year levels and the program overall.
• Lead and implement physical testing across year levels.
• Manage the Strength & Conditioning annual budget.
• Maintenance of gym equipment and high level of safety standards/protocols.

TECHNOLOGY & RESEARCH

• Manage the implementation of current technology used within HPP including products such as Teambuildr, Gym Aware, Smartabase and VALD Performance and stay abreast of new technology that can potentially improve practise within HPP.
• Identify and contribute to collaborative research projects for MSA with Victoria University / other Universities as applicable.

STAFF

• Support & mentor the Strength & Conditioning staff (full time, part time and casuals) to ensure consistency of programming, adherence to overarching plan, accurate and timely reporting and building rapport and relationships with HPP Teaching staff.
• Manage Strength & Conditioning staff including recruitment, performance appraisals, performance plans and professional development needs.

RELATIONSHIPS

• Develop and maintain partnerships with Universities regarding Strength & Conditioning student internships and placements.
• Work as a part of a multidisciplinary team (coaches, rehabilitation staff, athlete services staff, etc.)
• Communicate with external coaches and organisations, as applicable for high level athletes regarding workloads, programming etc.

VALUES

• Model and promote MSA core values of Community, Honesty, Determination, Leadership and Respect under the banner of Pride in Performance.

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Demonstrated problem solving ability, ie. ability to think strategically and develop long term plans and solutions.
2. Previous demonstrated successful management of an athlete Strength & Conditioning program, with a minimum of 5 years experience (experience managing emerging adolescent athletes well regarded).
3. Strong sports science background, with the ability to incorporate key concepts and current research into training programs.
4. General administration skills (eg. word processing, spreadsheets) desirable, and high-level proficiency in specialist software such as Visual Coaching Pro, Smartabase, or equivalent.
5. Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to manage staff, liaise and negotiate with a wide range of people (eg. student-athletes, coaches, parents, College management).