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VACANCY: HEAD PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Newcastle Red Bulls are recruiting for the role of head physiotherapist. Please see below for a job description and details of how to apply.
Job Vacancy: Head Physiotherapist, Newcastle Red Bulls
Salary: Competitive (dependent on experience)
Hours: Full-time (including evenings and weekends)
Reporting to: Head of Medical Services
Based at: Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE13 8AF
About us:
We are Newcastle Red Bulls, the only Premiership rugby team in the true North of England. Our vision is to be one of the leading rugby organisations in the UK and Europe. We are writing a new chapter for professional sport in the region and are seeking an experienced sports physiotherapist who shares our ambition and energy, to lead our physiotherapy team.
Purpose of the role:
The Head Physiotherapist will deliver elite-level clinical management to first-team players at training and fixtures. Reporting to the Head of Medical Services as part of an inter-disciplinary team, you will ensure consistently high standards of medical provision through comprehensive therapy support, the adoption of pro-active injury prevention strategies and the provision of best-in-class injury rehabilitation services to optimise player availability. Naturally collaborative, you need to be calm, credible and resilient under pressure whilst working in a fast-paced environment.
Key responsibilities:
• Provide clear clinical and performance leadership across the physiotherapy team, ensuring all decisions and processes align with the club’s rehabilitation philosophy, performance and medical governance standards.
• Lead, manage and mentor all physiotherapy staff, ensuring clear expectations and regular performance review, deputising for the Head of Medical Services as required.
• Work alongside other medical experts in the department to meet agreed objectives and KPIs. Drive performance standards to be best-in-class, working collaboratively within the inter-disciplinary team.
• Make accurate injury assessments and clinical diagnoses based on sound medical and ethical judgement and with good governance understanding to support the health, fitness and well-being of players.
• Under the direction of the Head of Medical Services, develop and deliver an innovative, evidence-based rehabilitation philosophy – establishing elite standards, driving clinical excellence and ensuring rehab pathways are aligned, consistent and evidence led.
• Plan, deliver and review comprehensive injury prevention and rehabilitation programmes for players that are aligned with their individual needs, based on objective markers and have accurate return-to-play time frames.
• Provide pitch-side medical cover for players at fixtures and through the week at training sessions, making critical decisions regarding player fitness and availability and providing accurate triage assessments.
• Adopt a pro-active approach to player welfare, including reducing injury risks by considering risk factors such as injury history, physiological markers and performance tests to inform decision making.
• Report to the Head of Medical Services daily to provide updates on injured players, to consult on any new injuries that may require further investigation and to refine plans for long-term injured players.
• Work closely with athletic performance staff and coaches to transition injured players safely back into training, modifying activity where appropriate, handing over programmes and directing any ongoing modifications.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date medical notes on the central database for each player, communicate these to relevant staff in a timely manner and deputise for the Head of Medical Services when required.
• Contribute and engage with in-service training to ensure adherence to minimum standards and high levels of performance through a culture that values innovation, collaboration and continual improvement.
• Uphold and adhere to all PRL, RFU and World Rugby regulations, standards and ethical practices to represent the club professionally and credibly in the wider rugby eco-system, including any industry-specific regulations.
• In addition to these duties which this job normally entails the employee may from time to time be required to undertake reasonable additional or other duties or participate in research and development projects.
Key Performance Indicators:
• Improvements towards reducing the number of training days missed through injury
• RFU and PRL Medical Audit feedback, including quality of medical notes on Kit Man Labs
• Development of sustainable high-performance practices across the medical department
• Feedback from players and stakeholders on the quality of service provided
Essential Requirements:
• BSc (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy or equivalent
• Must be registered with relevant professional body (i.e. HCPC / CSP)
• Minimum 5 years of experience working in elite level sport
• Ability to work unsociable hours, including evenings and weekends
• Full UK Driving License and access to own car
• Eligible to work in the UK
• Enhanced DBS Clearance
Desirable Requirements:
• RFU Level 3 PHICIS qualification
• Currently working within a full-time professional sporting environment
• Previous experience working in an elite-level rugby environment
• Previous experience in a leadership role
Safeguarding:
Newcastle Red Bulls take safeguarding very seriously and are committed to ensuring that all children and adults at risk are safeguarded at all times when engaging in club activities or services. The club has safeguarding policies and best practice guidelines to support this and expect all employees to adopt such policies and practices at all times. The club adheres to strict guidelines, policies and procedures when recruiting staff who work with children and/or adults at risk and is committed to ensuring staff receive appropriate safeguarding training suitable to their role(s). Successful applicants are expected to share the club’s approach to safeguarding at all times.
Equal Opportunities:
Newcastle Red Bulls are an equal opportunities employer and all applicants for employment will be given equal opportunities irrespective of sex, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin. The post holder’s duties must be carried out in compliance with the club’s Equal Opportunities Policy, with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and subsequent Health and Safety Legislation. These duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exclusive nor exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities within Newcastle Red Bulls, commensurate with the post without changing the character of the post. This post requires an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS). This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). Information on all convictions including spent convictions must be declared, in line with the new Government Filtering System.
If you wish to see our Candidate Privacy Notice click HERE.
Employment is subject to satisfactory professional references, the provision of proof of eligibility to work in the UK as well as a successfully cleared enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check and clearance of RFU safer recruitment procedure.
How to Apply:
If you are passionate about physiotherapy and player welfare and have a proven track record of providing comprehensive levels of management, care and support to athletes, we would like to hear from you. Please send a CV and cover letter outlining your relevant experience to:
Dominica O’Neil (Director of HR) at dominica.oneil@newcastleredbulls.com .
The closing date for applications is Friday 19 December 2025, however this is subject to change and may be adjusted in line with application volumes.
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