Role description
Company BackgroundThe Houston Dynamo Football Club (HDFC) is a multi-faceted organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting soccer participation and growth in Houston, TX and beyond. The Club’s brands include men's and women's professional teams - the Houston Dynamo (MLS) and Houston Dash (NWSL), a development academy, Houston Dynamo Dash Charities, as well as Shell Energy Stadium and Houston Sports Park. The Club has a rich history, including MLS Cup titles (2006, 2007) and in-season tournament championships for both the Dynamo (2018) and Dash (2020) and is focused on building toward the next championships, inspiring and uniting the city of Houston through the sport of soccer and community outreach, and creating the most inclusive sporting experience and diverse fan base in the city and state. Purpose of the Job This role will be responsible for creating and executing a high-performance strategy that elevates the performance experience and environment for the Houston Dash by leading, integrating, and providing all requirements for player injury prevention, strengthening, and conditioning programs, and collaborating with the medical team and sports scientist. Duties and Responsibilities Creates high-performance strategy and leads programming on strength and conditioning, injury prevention, and recovery. Plans and delivers scientifically based programming on recovery, activation, player movement, and monitoring. Designs individual programming for athletes and implements off-season training programs. Collaborates with General Manager, Head Coach, and Medical Staff to support and maximize athletic potential of athletes in addition to Dietician and Sports Psychologist. Oversees development of recommendations for specific performance issues in relation to sleep, altitude, time zone adjustments. Oversees regular physiological and biomechanical assessments. Builds detailed strength and conditioning programs as well as injury prevention requirements driven by player data and observation. Develops and executes processes including monitoring workloads, recovery, corrective rehabilitation, and return to play programs through solutions based on data analysis and tailored programming. Analyzes and interprets information to share with Technical Staff and communicate to players. Other duties as assigned. Qualification RequirementsMinimum of 3 years’ experience in managing high performance & conditioning soccer programs at a top-tier collegiate, professional club, or international level - required. Masters in Exercise/Sport Physiology, Sport Science, Exercise Science or Strength, Conditioning, PHD - preferred. Possess an NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (SCSC) certification or European Equivalent such as UKSCA (United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association) or BASES (British Association of Sport and Exercise Science) Accreditation - required.First Aid and CPR certification - required. Experience contributing to applied sports performance research and development initiatives - preferred. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other AttributesAble to work non-traditional hours including evenings and weekends, and travel to all away matches. Familiarity with medical equipment, sport science platforms and technology, and performance reporting within soccer. Excellent time management skills, dependability, professionalism, and attention to detail. Strong communication skills and the ability to work independently. Ability to work in a collaborative team environment. Maintains Organizational Core Competencies. Organizational Core CompetenciesAccountable – Holds themselves (and when appropriate others) accountable for achieving goals and objectives.Collaborative – Works collaboratively with others to achieve organizational outcomes.Progressive – Open minded, accepting, creative, and innovative in approach.Values Driven – Being ethical in decision making and operating with professional integrity.Agile – Achieves personal and organizational success within a changing, dynamic and complex environment. Ability to handle ambiguity. Additional Competencies for LeadershipStrategic – Leads opportunity and is committed to continuous improvement aligned with the organizational vision and direction.Resilient – Demonstrates personal resilience within a demanding environment of high expectations.Enabling – Drives excellence through valuing and developing others.Business Acumen – Superior ability to understand and effectively navigate area of responsibility and various business scenarios.Good Judgment – Strong critical thinking skills and ability to exercise discretion and good judgement. Other Information Diverse candidates of all backgrounds are welcome, and the Club seeks individuals passionate about sport, inspiring the city and devoted to the organization's growth. While duties and responsibilities vary across positions, we are seeking individuals who are accountable, collaborative, progressive, agile and ethical/values driven. We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.