Academy Nutritionist

Who We Are 

Founded in 1882, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is an iconic English football club, playing in the Premier League and Women’s Super League. From North London to the world, our fanbase spans continents, cultures, and generations. Spurs is a club that’s always dared to push boundaries, breaking new ground and rewriting history. 

We offer world-class facilities. In 2019, we opened our state-of-the-art Stadium, a £1 billion landmark that’s the beating heart of North Tottenham’s transformation. More than just a football ground, it’s an engine of change creating 4,000 jobs and injecting £300 million into the local economy every year. 

We’re at our brightest when we’re all together. Our Club, our teams, our community. 

There is only one Hotspur. Tottenham Hotspur. 

Job Purpose 

To assist and support the Head of Academy Sport Science and Head of Nutrition to meet the objectives and vison of the Sport Science Department and Academy Management.

The Academy Nutritionist will be responsible for leading the nutritional support programme for the emerging talents within the academy. The primary focus will be to educate players, parents, and host families in the programme around the importance of nutrition for development and performance, as well as overseeing the delivery of all nutritional strategies and content provided to the whole Academy system.

A food-first philosophy should be encouraged with the aim of maximizing player development, preventing injury and illness and optimizing preparation for, and recovery from, training and competition. The role will require exceptional communication skills that enable the successful candidate to engage with a player’s support team to help them understand and implement good nutritional habits.

The role requires an engaging individual with an established professional background who can utilise their expertise in performance nutrition to aid and impact player performance, body composition, availability. Most importantly they must demonstrate improvements in academy player nutrition habits that mirror professional player behaviours.

The position will involve working some matches for the U18 playing group, both home and away. The position requires cooperation with existing coaching, performance, and catering staff to determine appropriate methods of implementing the overall Academy Performance Nutrition Strategy. As such, strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. The candidate will be required to develop innovative nutrition strategies while managing an allocated budget of spending.

This is a Full-time permanent position. Flexibility is required working across a Monday-Sunday rota and over bank holidays, weekends etc. to ensure that all responsibilities are met throughout the season.

Key Responsibilities 

• Work with the Head of Academy Sport Science and Head of Nutrition to develop a successful Academy Nutrition philosophy and education programme that reflects the nutrition expectations of the team 1st team
• Work within the Sport Science performance support team, medical team, and relevant performance/coaching staff to deliver and successfully implement team and individual player plans for the Academy
• Deliver workshops (theoretical and practical) to players, parents, and host families
• Ensure ongoing adherence to the nutritional programme by utilising several methods, including player friendly content and resources, educational programmes, workshops and 1-1 communication
• Provide further reinforcement of the nutritional framework, conducted by individual consultations with players and their support networks, encouraging a 24hr professional mentality surrounding whole food choices. This will involve cooking lessons, education sessions and liaison with parents and host families whilst working within the rules of professional confidentiality, codes of conduct, standards, and guidelines
• Be present at key mealtimes to reinforce messages
• Ensure any supplement use is in accordance with anti-doping regulations. and maintain an up-to-date record of use
• Help to conduct continual objective monitoring of any nutritional interventions (supplement or whole food) imposed upon the Academy players
• Distribute regular reports amongst the multidisciplinary team to demonstrate any objective assessments
• Provide reflective reports to the Nutrition Department and work collectively to improve the standard of performance nutrition in the club
• Actively seek CPD opportunities that develop both the individual and the Nutrition Team
• Conduct regular body composition assessment with the U18 cohort

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people
• Act in accordance with the organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures at all times
• Be alert to signs of abuse, neglect, or safeguarding concerns and report these appropriately
• Maintain professional boundaries and act as a positive role model when working with or around children
• Attend safeguarding training as required and keep knowledge up to date

Person Specification

Personal Attributes

• Proactive in nature and able to generate innovative ideas
• Values & respects others, builds relationships, collaborates
• Gets things done, delivers to highest of standards, takes responsibility and is able to be flexible
• Exceptionally high degree of personal and professional integrity
• A strong team ethos with demonstrable abilities in building and maintaining productive relationships with both coaching and playing staff within a high-performance environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with clear and adaptable communication skills that foster productive working relationships at all levels

Skills & Experience

• Degree level or equivalent in appropriate subject (e.g., Nutrition, Sports Science, Dietetics). (Essential)
• ISAK Level 1 Accreditation (Essential)
• Experience in high performance sport, preferably football and/or youth sport, providing nutritional support to athletes and coaches to improve performance. (Essential)
• Graduate or High-Performance registrant on the Sport and Exercise Nutrition register (SENr). (Essential)
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area (e.g., MSc, IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition). (Desirable)
• Experience of managing supplement use in sport, with practical knowledge and understanding of the use of nutritional supplements and ergogenic aids.
• A dynamic ability to translate food science into practical advice for footballers and use excellent, engaging communication skills to motivate behavioural change in those individuals that require it
• Experience of implementing effective strategies for individuals with body composition issues within a sports performance environment
• An understanding of the various sports science/sports medicine disciplines, how they integrate with sports nutrition and a verifiable record of working within a high performance multi-disciplinary team to deliver an effective programme
• An interest in football, with the importance of promoting and supporting equality, safeguarding and anti-doping in sport
• Experience in analysing sport specific demands to develop, implement and evaluate the nutritional programme put in place
• Current Safeguarding Children certificate and First Aid (desirable)
• Excellent IT skills

Safeguarding & Recruitment Statement

Safeguarding is fundamental to the success in all that we do. The Club follows a Safer Recruitment process for all roles. Successful candidates are to be reminded they would be subject to proportionate background, DBS and reference checks as required for this role.

We welcome applications from anyone regardless of age, disability, gender, race, or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.