First Team Physiotherapist

Job title

First Team Physiotherapist

Location

Portsmouth FC Training Ground at Pompey Health and Fitness, 442 Copnor Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth PO3 5EW with travel where required

Hours of work

Full time

A minimum of 37.5 hours per week, exact hours and days to be agreed. Due to the nature of the role flexibility is essential. Attendance required at consultant appointments/special events/Off site appointments/Match Day home/away travel.

Reports to

Head of Medical

Remuneration

Competitive; based on experience

Join Our Team – Be Part of Pompey’s Future

Portsmouth Football Club is looking to appoint an experienced and highly motivated First Team Physiotherapist to join our Men's First Team Medical Department.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in working closely with the Medical, Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning and Coaching teams, and first team players to deliver exceptional physiotherapy, rehabilitation and performance support that keeps our squad ready for every challenge.

Role summary

The First Team Physiotherapist will play a key role in the delivery of medical care, performance physiotherapy and player readiness within the Portsmouth FC Men’s First Team. Working closely with the Head of Medical and Rehabilitation Lead, the role will support the health, availability and performance of players through high-quality assessment, treatment, injury management and rehabilitation, contributing directly to the success of the team on the pitch.

The role requires a proactive, player-centred approach to the assessment and management of injuries, alongside the delivery of performance physiotherapy interventions, including manual therapy, passive treatments and individualised strategies to support physical readiness, recovery and preparation for training and competition.

Working collaboratively across Medical, Rehabilitation, Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition and Coaching, the role will ensure player management is integrated, individualised and aligned to the demands of elite football. Strong communication and close integration across the Performance Department will be essential to ensure continuity of care, effective decision-making and optimal player readiness.

A key component of the role is the ability to build trusted relationships with players, establishing credibility through clinical expertise, communication and an understanding of the demands of elite performance. The role will contribute to the Pompey Performance WAY, helping establish the standards, behaviours and collaborative practices required to maximise player availability, support performance readiness and deliver excellence in first-team medical provision.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Injury Management & Clinical Provision

• Deliver high-quality physiotherapy services to all Men’s First Team players, supporting optimal health, availability and performance.
• Assess, diagnose and manage player injuries and physical complaints using evidence-based practice, sound clinical reasoning and appropriate clinical assessment techniques.
• Work closely with the Head of Medical and Rehabilitation Lead to develop and deliver appropriate injury management and rehabilitation plans, ensuring players progress through clearly defined clinical and functional markers.
• Provide individualised daily treatment and rehabilitation plans for players under care, adapting interventions according to presentation, progress and training demands.
• Deliver a range of performance physiotherapy interventions, including manual therapy, passive treatments and other appropriate treatment modalities to support player recovery, readiness and performance.
• Communicate clearly and consistently with the multidisciplinary Performance Department regarding the status, management and progression of injured players.
• Provide clear updates to the Head of Medical regarding diagnosis, management plans, progress and anticipated timeframes for injured players.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive medical records, ensuring all treatment and clinical information is documented within the required timeframe.

Performance Readiness & Player Availability

• Work proactively with the Performance Department to assess and influence individual player readiness and availability for training and competition.
• Contribute to daily player availability discussions, providing clear clinical insight to support collaborative decision-making.
• Develop a strong understanding of each player’s individual needs, physical profile and performance demands to ensure physiotherapy provision is aligned with their role and training requirements.
• Deliver appropriate pre-training, pre-match, recovery and performance physiotherapy interventions to optimise player readiness.
• Work closely with Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning and Coaching staff to ensure medical and performance strategies are integrated into the daily training environment.

Injury Prevention & Player Robustness

• Contribute to the development and delivery of individualised injury prevention strategies based on screening, injury history, clinical findings and identified risk factors.
• Work alongside the Performance team to influence player pre-activation, preparation and injury prevention routines.
• Identify opportunities through daily clinical practice to improve player robustness, physical capacity and long-term availability.
• Contribute to the analysis of injury trends and patterns, using relevant information to inform preventative strategies and improve the effectiveness of the wider Performance programme.
• Support the Lead Rehabilitation and wider Performance Department in ensuring the transition from rehabilitation into full training is appropriately managed and players are prepared to perform.

Multidisciplinary Integration & Collaboration

• Develop strong working relationships across the Performance Department, including the Head of Medical, Rehabilitation Lead, fellow physiotherapists/therapists, Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition and Coaching.
• Ensure effective communication and information sharing across disciplines to provide a coordinated and player-centred approach to performance and medical management.
• Contribute clinical expertise to multidisciplinary player management and performance planning.
• Build trusted relationships with players through excellent communication, clinical expertise and a clear understanding of how performance physiotherapy contributes to success on the pitch.
• Promote a collaborative, high-performance culture and contribute to the development and implementation of the Pompey Performance WAY.

Matchday & First Team Medical Provision

• Provide physiotherapy and medical support during matchday preparation, including pre-match treatments and interventions as required.
• Attend all home fixtures and provide appropriate physiotherapy support throughout the pre-match period and matchday environment.
• Travel with the First Team as required, providing physiotherapy provision and treatment before, during and following fixtures.
• Provide appropriate post-match assessment, treatment and recovery interventions to support player availability for subsequent training and competition.
• Be available, where required, at short notice following matches to assess and manage player presentations.

Player Medicals & External Consultations

• Play an active role in pre-signing medical assessments as required, contributing appropriate physiotherapy and clinical insight to recruitment decisions.
• Accompany players to external medical consultations, specialist appointments and investigations as required.
• Maintain effective communication with external medical providers and ensure relevant information is appropriately communicated back to the club’s multidisciplinary team.

Professional Standards, Governance & Development

• Maintain high standards of clinical governance, professional practice, confidentiality and safeguarding across all aspects of the role.
• Manage FA Daily Whereabouts requirements as required, ensuring the Club remains compliant with relevant regulations.
• Complete all mandatory training and qualifications required by the Club, League and governing bodies, including ATMMiF where applicable.
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge through appropriate Continuing Professional Development, ensuring current evidence and best practice are translated into the Portsmouth FC environment.
• Contribute to the development of physiotherapy processes, policies and Standard Operating Procedures within the Performance Department.
• Support the ongoing development of the Pompey Performance WAY, contributing to a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Your Skills and Experience – Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

BSc in Physiotherapy or Sports Therapy/Rehabilitation

x

MSc (Completed or working towards)

x

FA ATMMiF Pitch Side 1st Aid Qualification

x

Full Driving Licence and Car

x

EXPERIENCES

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the elite sports setting

x

Evidence of developing, implementing and evaluating physiotherapy programmes for elite football players

x

An understanding of working within a professional football environment

x

Experience of developing and implementing innovative ideas and putting them into practice

x

Experience of clinically assessing, diagnosing and rehabilitating a wide range of neuromuscular and orthopaedic conditions in elite athletes

x

Experience of developing evidence-based protocols for areas of medical treatments.

x

Can do ‘attitude’, collaborative and driven to improve

x

Bring energy and high professional challenge with an awareness of high empathy/support

x

Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills whilst working in a pressurised situations

x

Excellent time keeping and organisational skills

x

Personal integrity and the ability to invoke trust and respect from others

x

Ready to Lead the Way?

The Club will not consider applications via third parties.

To apply send your CV and cover letter to Lina Small hr@pompeyfc.co.uk no later than 5pm on Monday, 9th  November 2026.

If you don’t hear from us within 7 days of the closing date, please consider that your application was unsuccessful.

Given the hours of work in this role, the successful candidate should live within close travel proximity to Portsmouth or be willing to relocate to within close proximity to the city.

At Portsmouth Football Club we are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and we aim to build an accurate picture of the make-up for our talent pools. Therefore, we ask that you submit the information on the below link to ensure we are always attracting a broad and diverse range of exceptional talent from all areas of society. Responses are anonymous and the data gathered will be used to inform our future initiatives but filling in this form is voluntary

https://forms.gle/H7NmjG95fgLSaWPD7

General information

We promote an equal, diverse, and inclusive workplace and we are committed to providing the best experience for our colleagues. As a business we aim to be as representative of as many sections of society as possible, and for each colleague to feel respected and able to give of their best every day. We ensure that we treat people the right way, promote respect and believe that making the most of our differences is the key to the success of our business.  

We take a robust approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and our organisation is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our corporate activities, and to ensuring that our supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.

Safeguarding
Portsmouth Football Club is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are committed to ensuring that any club related activity will be in a safe environment where children, young people and adults at risk are protected from harm or abuse whilst under our care.

We acknowledge that every child, young person, or adult at risk who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse. Portsmouth Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

We must always respect the dignity and spirit of all people, including children, young people and adults at risk. Treat everyone fairly, encourage a supportive and positive environment to promote healthy competition, skill development, fun and achievement. Avoid contact or conduct that may be interpreted or defined as inappropriate.

Health and Safety

Portsmouth Football Club is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all employees, contractors, visitors, and others who may be affected by our operations.

As part of this commitment, you are expected to take reasonable care for your own health and safety, as well as that of others. You must comply with the company’s health and safety policies, procedures, and any legal requirements relevant to your role. Together, we aim to maintain a safe and supportive environment that promotes the welfare and security of everyone involved in our activities.

Data Protection

The Club process all personal data collected during the recruitment process in accordance with complies with Data Protection Act (2018) and GDPR. Data collected as part of the recruitment process is held securely and accessed by, and disclosed to, individuals only for the purposes of managing the recruitment exercise effectively. All data that is deemed unnecessary will be disposed off at the end of recruitment process in line with our GDPR procedure.