Performance Support Lead (Psychologist)

Paddle UK; Holme Pierrepont; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Dress for your day

Free onsite parking

Bike storage

Company pension

Bike to Work program

Health and Wellbeing platform

Job summary

Paddle UK is recruiting a Performance Support Lead and Senior Sport & Exercise Psychologist to sit on the Flatwater Leadership Team. You will balance strategic leadership of the Performance Support Team (0.6 FTE) with applied psychology service delivery (0.4 FTE) across World Class and pathway programmes.

Based at the National Water Sports Centre, you will work with over 20 elite athletes, drive inter-disciplinary alignment, and champion athlete wellbeing with governance and data-informed

Qualifications

• Degree in Psychology with HCPC registration and postgraduate sport/clinical psychology study.
• Experience delivering sports psychology to elite athletes with crisis management.
• Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary practitioner teams and governance knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead and line-manage a multi-disciplinary Performance Support Team (including analysis, S&C, physio, medical, psychology).
• Deliver specialist psychological assessments and return-to-performance interventions.
• Ensure medical governance standards with Chief Medical Officer and partners.
• Oversee integrated performance planning and data-driven decision making.
• Collaborate with coaches and external networks for holistic athlete support.
• Safeguard athlete welfare and ensure HCPC/BPS ethical standards compliance.

Skills

Sports psychology

Leadership

Data-driven

Governance

Travel

Education

Degree in Psychology

HCPC registration

Masters/Doctorate in Sport/Clinical Psychology

Job description

Performance Support Lead and Senior Sport & Exercise Psychologist

Location: National Water Sports Centre, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham (with domestic and international travel to camps and competitions)

Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week; requires working outside normal hours, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays as required by the competition calendar)

Salary/Band: £58,000 - £62,000

Closing date: Friday 16th October 2026

Shape world-class performance support, deliver expert psychological interventions, and power British athletes toward podium success at LA 2028 and beyond.

Paddle UK is seeking an exceptional practitioner and leader to join our Paracanoe and Canoe Sprint programme. In this pivotal role, you will sit on the Flatwater Leadership Team (FLT), balancing strategic leadership of the Performance Support Team (0.6 FTE) with applied psychology service delivery (0.4 FTE) across both World Class and pathway programmes. You will serve as the driving force behind multi-disciplinary alignment, medical governance, and athlete wellbeing.

Operating out of the National Water Sports Centre and national hubs, you will support over 20 elite athletes. You will champion a culture that safely challenges boundaries, balances physical and psychological preparation, and protects athlete health to deliver sustainable, world-leading performances.

Key Responsibilities

• PST Leadership & Alignment: Lead, line-manage, and develop a multi-disciplinary Performance Support Team (including analysis, S&C, physio, medical, and psychology) whilst aligning workflows across multi-year Olympic/Paralympic cycles.
• Psychology Service Delivery: Provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations, and 'return-to-performance' interventions to enhance athlete mental resilience and wellbeing.
• Medical Governance: Assure medical governance standards alongside the Chief Medical Officer and UKSI partners to safeguard athlete physical and mental health.
• Performance Planning: Oversee integrated performance planning across programmes, ensuring data-driven monitoring tools inform decision-making.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with coaches, support staff, and external UKSI networks to maintain a holistic, athlete-centred support system.
• Safeguarding & Welfare: Act as a senior guardian for athlete welfare, ensuring compliance with HCPC/BPS ethical standards, safeguarding policies, and mental health crisis protocols.

Why Join Us?

• Strategic Impact: The opportunity to shape the performance culture, support systems, and pathway structure heading into LA 2028.
• Collaborative Leadership: A seat on the Flatwater Leadership Team, working directly with the Performance Director, UKSI consultants, and elite coaches.
• Holistic Excellence: A supportive environment where athlete health, psychological safety, and world-class ambition go hand-in-hand.

About You

• Psychology Qualifications: Degree in Psychology, HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist, and a Master's or Doctorate in Sport/Clinical Psychology (or equivalent BPS Chartered / BASES Accredited status).
• Applied Expertise: Substantial clinical/applied experience delivering sports psychology services to elite athletes, including return-to-performance and crisis management protocols.
• Leadership Track Record: Proven experience line-managing multi-disciplinary practitioner teams, setting clear objectives, and aligning sports science services.
• Governance & Data Knowledge: Strong background in medical governance standards and using evidence/data monitoring tools to guide clinical decisions.
• Flexibility & Travel: Readiness to travel nationally and internationally and work flexible hours across training camps and major championships.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Dress for your day
• Free onsite parking and bike storage
• Company pension scheme
• Employee benefits platform (including Bike to Work, Health and Wellbeing)