Head of Strength & Conditioning

NSW Institute of Sport; Sydney; On-site; AUD 142,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) is seeking an experienced Head of Strength & Conditioning to shape the strategic direction of athlete development and performance across high-performance sport in Australia.

You will lead the S&C team, integrate cutting-edge practice with coaches and support staff, and drive innovation, research and technology adoption to maximise outcomes for national and international competitors.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in high-performance sport environments.
• Proven ability to diagnose performance challenges and develop evidence-informed solutions.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary performance teams and services.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction of Strength & Conditioning for NSWIS.
• Recruit, develop and manage a high-performing S&C team.
• Drive adoption of emerging technologies, research, and evidence-informed approaches.
• Collaborate with coaches and performance support practitioners to optimise athlete performance.
• Oversee operation and utilization of S&C facilities, technologies and equipment.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Strength & conditioning

Evidence-informed practice

Performance monitoring

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Exercise Science or related discipline

ASCA Level 2 Professional Coach Accreditation

Working with Children Check

Job description

Join the NSW Institute of Sport – Where exceptional people create exceptional performance

About the role

Lead the strategic direction of Strength & Conditioning at NSWIS and play a key role in driving athlete performance, resilience and long-term development across Australia's high performance sporting landscape. As Head of Strength & Conditioning, you will provide expert leadership for the NSWIS Strength & Conditioning Team, ensuring the delivery of innovative, evidence-based services that maximise athlete performance and support sustainable success. You will champion best practice, maintain contemporary professional standards, and lead the recruitment, development and performance of a high-performing team of practitioners. You will also drive the adoption of emerging technologies, research and evidence-informed approaches, ensuring NSWIS remains at the forefront of high performance sport. Reporting to the Director, Performance Support, this is a unique opportunity to influence the future of high performance sport and make a lasting impact on athlete success at state, national and international levels.

This is a full time position, attracting a salary range of $141,777 - $155,069 plus superannuation.

The contract period for this role is up to 31 December 2028 in line with the Olympic cycle.

This position requires a Working with Children Check.

For further information about the role and the key accountabilities please see the job description.

About you

• Demonstrated experience leading and developing teams within complex, multidisciplinary high performance sport environments.
• Proven ability to diagnose complex performance challenges and develop integrated, evidence-informed solutions in collaboration with coaches and performance support practitioners.
• Demonstrated success providing leadership and coordination to achieve athlete, team and organisational performance outcomes.
• Experience providing high-quality technical advice, insights and recommendations to senior leaders, coaches and key stakeholders to support informed decision-making.
• Advanced knowledge and practical expertise in strength and conditioning, including athlete physical preparation, performance monitoring, long-term athlete development and contemporary training methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence within multidisciplinary performance teams, integrating strength and conditioning expertise into athlete performance planning, preparation and competition outcomes.
• Proven experience developing, implementing and evaluating strength and conditioning strategies and programs based on athlete, coach and sport needs, and adapting approaches in response to performance data and evolving requirements.
• Experience overseeing the operation, maintenance and effective utilisation of strength and conditioning facilities, technologies and equipment to support high-quality service delivery.
• Strong understanding of the Australian high performance sport system and the role of strength and conditioning in supporting athlete performance and long-term development.

Essential Requirements

• Extensive experience delivering strength and conditioning services within high performance sport environments, including supporting athletes competing at national and international level.
• Demonstrated success leading strength and conditioning programs, practitioners and service delivery within complex performance environments.
• Tertiary qualification in Exercise Science, Sport Science, Human Movement, Exercise and Sport Science, or a related discipline.
• ASCA Level 2 Professional Coach Accreditation (or equivalent recognised strength and conditioning accreditation).
• Working with Children Check or be willing to obtain this prior to working with us.

If you would like to enquire about the role contact Alex Natera at [e-mail].

Working at NSWIS

The NSW Institute of Sport [NSWIS] is a high performance sporting organisation that supports exceptional athletes and inspires NSW communities. We reach all regions of NSW with an Olympic and Paralympic training facility based at Sydney Olympic Park and high performance hubs across NSW that provide world leading daily training environments. Our experts work in collaboration with national sporting system partners to deliver high performance support services and environments to prepare athletes and coaches for international competition.

NSWIS plays an integral part in Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy – Win Well. We are committed to building an inclusive and sustainable sporting system that is athlete focused, exceptionally led and purposefully collaborative. We ensure athlete safeguarding is prioritised and that the integrity of sport is embedded in our organisation.

This recruitment may be used to create a Talent Pool for similar future roles that may arise over the next 18 months.

For more information about the NSW Institute of Sport please visit www.nswis.com.au.

NSWIS is committed child safeguarding. We require all applicants that will work with Children to undergo an extensive screening process prior to appointment.

Commitment to Diversity

The NSW Institute of Sport is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce which reflects our community, sport partners and athletes. We encourage applications from suitable candidates including; of all ages, genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, veterans, refugees, LGBTIQ+ community and people with disability. The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) recognises everyone is unique, and that you may require some adjustments to ensure you have the best opportunity to apply. If we can make some adjustments to the NSWIS recruitment/interview process, then please email [e-mail] let us know.