ROLE DESCRIPTION

About the job
San Diego FC (San Diego FC) is the newest member of the MLS family. As part of the unique Right to Dream model and the Sycuan Tribe’s deep roots, we are proud to be building a San Diego-centric soccer organization that honours our history and celebrates emerging excellence.


POSITON:

The Director of Human Performance will manage and oversee the entire performance department at San Diego FC 1st team and academy. The performance department at San Diego FC encompasses all areas of sports medicine, nutrition, psychology, sport science and conditioning. This role is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing comprehensive performance enhancement strategies to maximize athlete health, unlock and improve physical potential and impact team success. The Director of Human Performance will work closely and build collaborative relationships between the performance department staff and the coaching staff to ensure holistic athlete development and performance optimization.


RESPONSIBILITES:

Oversee, manage and lead all areas of SDFC performance department (Medical, performance, sport science, psychology and nutrition)
Oversee the recruitment, development and evaluation of all full-time, part-time and contractor SDFC performance department staff
Manage key external relationships with partners, specialist organizations and external expertise
Ensure collaboration and integration of all areas of the performance department within the club both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
Develop and integrate SDFC and RTD performance standards within the club, players and staff
Integrate and deliver the physical periodization of training in collaboration with the head coach and technical staff
Oversee the management of all physical development strategies within SDFC including individual training, strength and conditioning and fitness development
Oversee the club nutrition strategy to ensure there is a bespoke and specialized approach to nutrition and supplementation that is anti-doping compliant
In collaboration with the sports psychologist develop a club wide strategy for performance and clinical psychology support to all players and staff
In collaboration with the CMO and medical staff develop group and individualized injury prevention, recovery and activation strategies for all players
Under the guidance of the CMO and medical staff ensure athlete wellness, medical care and rehabilitation strategies are integrated into the club
Develop and influence all travel and away game performance optimization strategies
In collaboration with the head of data design and develop automated data visualization for real time performance feedback from training and games. These dashboards should include wellness, GPS, testing and injury surveillance.
Ensure all MLS health and medical rules are applied and followed by all staff and players
within SDFC
Other duties as assigned by sporting director and global director of human
performance


QUALIFICATIONS:

Candidates can meet the requirements with a combination of experience in the following areas:


Master’s degree or higher in Exercise Science, Sports Medicine or similarly related field.
Professional certification from a recognized body (CSCS, NSCA, ASCA)
5+ years managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff in elite sport.
5+ years working within the medical or performance sector delivering directly to athletes in elite sport.
Experience building and formalizing department process and procedures.
Experience with managing different travel schedules (time zones) and climate conditions (heat, cold, altitude)
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Knowledge and experience utilizing and integrating medical and performance technologies
Experience of overseeing data management systems to ensure the secure and efficient collection, storage and front-end utilization.
Strong scientific and medical knowledge and its application to soccer
Strong organizational and personnel management skills
Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) or multi-lingual skills

ABOUT SAN DIEGO FC:

We value community, diversity, and acting with purpose. We are looking for leaders at all levels to co-create the culture of a new organization that is built on the premise that you can discover, understand, and re-define excellence by nurturing talent and creating opportunity anywhere – specifically though soccer.


Globally, Right to Dream partners with talented young people to give them a nurturing environment to flourish and thrive. We do this through a holistic model of athletic development, where young people grow as human beings and great footballers. RTD’s promise is set out in their Manifesto: a set of 8 commitments which will be central to the San Diego FC ethos from the front office to the field, when games start at Snapdragon Stadium in 2025.

This is an opportunity to be a part of a great team building something meaningful for San Diego. We offer excellent benefits including health coverages with generous company contributions, over 40 days of paid time off, and a 4% company match on your 401(k). Soccer is humanity and together, we can make a meaningful impact both on and off the field, fostering a culture that embraces excellence and equal opportunities. SDFC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We encourage all individuals who share our commitment to community and soccer to apply at JointheTeam@SanDiegoFC.com. Please reference the Director, Human Performance in your email. Soccer is humanity and together, we can make a meaningful impact both on and off the field, fostering a culture that embraces excellence and equal opportunities. SDFC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.