Career Opportunities: Lead Performance Nutritionist (770)
LOCATION: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
CONTRACT TYPE: Full time, 2-year fixed term
ROLE AND PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:
- Manage the performance nutrition service delivery and ensure alignment between the Senior Men's team, Academy and National Talent Squad (NTS) programmes.
- Develop and deliver nutrition support services to the Connacht Rugby Senior Men's team, working as part of a High-Performance multidisciplinary team to integrate nutrition into players programmes to optimise health and maximise performance.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:
Operational: Head of Rugby Operations, Connacht Rugby and Head Coach, Connacht Rugby
Functional: Head of Nutrition, IRFU
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
(in conjunction with the IRFU Head of Nutrition and the Elite Player Pathway Nutrition Lead)
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
- Head of Nutrition, IRFU
- Head of Athletic Performance, Connacht Rugby
- Catering staff
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leadership and Management
- Promote an environment and culture within Connacht Rugby that supports nutrition as an integral component of high performance.
- Manage and develop nutrition programmes across Senior, Academy and NTS programmes, and deliver best practice service through direct work with Senior squad players.
- Provide nutrition service delivery to the Senior squad players at both training and match days.
- Provide professional leadership and mentorship to the Academy Performance Nutritionist at Connacht Rugby and meet regularly to manage relationships and ensure continuous professional development.
- Be professionally responsible for own practice and the oversight of all aspects of service delivery in Connacht Rugby.
- Lead the multidisciplinary team on integrated well-being projects with significance to nutrition.
- Adhere to IRFU policies in relation to best practice and ethical behaviour.
- Manage the Performance nutrition department budget and keep records for annual audits.
Service Delivery
- Maximise the performance impact of performance nutrition across Senior, Academy and NTS programmes by working closely with the Academy Nutritionist, the Athletic Performance and Medical departments and Coaching staff in Connacht Rugby to maximise the effectiveness of players' training and competitive programmes, through appropriate nutrition strategies.
- Adopt a 'food-first' approach when delivering nutrition education to all players and coaches.
- Implement strategies to support players' training and competitive programmes whilst demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the science that supports sports nutrition e.g. nutrition to support strength development, recovery, hydration, supplementation, use of ergogenic aids, recovery from surgery etc.
- Liaise with hotels and catering staff at away venues and the catering team at home venues to ensure appropriate nutrition is provided for players to support training and match days.
- Manage and monitor a sports supplement programme across Senior, Academy and NTS programmes that adheres to the IRFU Policy on Sports Food and Supplement use in conjunction with Connacht Rugby's supplement partners.
- Implement best practice for food hygiene and undertake food safety training if certification is not already held.
- Contribute to Connacht Rugby's Health and Well-being education programme
Communication
- Meet regularly with the IRFU Head of Nutrition on all aspects of nutrition service development and participate in developing nutrition service delivery, including attendance at review meetings.
- Build and maintain relationships with colleagues on all matters that impact on nutrition service provision in Connacht Rugby.
- Be responsible for maintaining relationships with existing nutrition partners and identifying potential new partners in conjunction with the Commercial Department.
Documentation and Reporting
- Maintain records of all nutrition interventions and supplements issued and track measurable outcomes.
- Maintain up-to-date documentation on online player management system (Kitman at present).
- Provide or present reports on nutrition service developments to the Senior Management Team in Connacht Rugby as requested.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Education and Audit
- Engage in continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to sports nutrition (including participation in IRFU in-service meetings) and be willing to participate in research if the opportunity arises.
- Carry out audits of service delivery to support improvements and change in service delivery where necessary.
- Annual KPIs on specific areas of work outlined in roles and responsibilities will be agreed and reviewed on an annual basis.
- Participate in a Performance Development Review on an annual basis with operational and functional line managers.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:
Applicants must, at the closing date for applications, be able to display and provide evidence of the following qualifications/training, experience, specialist knowledge, skills/abilities and behaviours outlined below:
Qualifications & Training
- An undergraduate degree in nutrition or dietetics with a recognised post-graduate qualification in a Sport and Exercise related subject e.g. sports nutrition, exercise physiology, sports science OR an undergraduate degree in a Sport and Exercise related subject with a recognised post-graduate qualification in nutrition or sports nutrition.
- Registration with the Sport & Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr) - A minimum of graduate registration or working towards full practitioner registration (Please specify if your SENr application is currently under review following submission).
Knowledge
- Detailed understanding of the nutritional issues (clinical and performance) relevant to high performance sport.
- Thorough understanding of the various sports science and sports medicine disciplines.
- An understanding of rehabilitation, recovery, regeneration and robustness practices.
Experience
- A minimum of 3 years' post graduate experience in the provision of nutritional support to athletes and coaches in an elite sporting environment.
- Demonstrable experience in all areas of planning, implementation, modification and monitoring of specific nutrition programmes to support high performance.
- A verifiable record of working within a multidisciplinary team in the delivery of performance nutrition support in elite sport.
Skills & Abilities
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Able to motivate behavioural change.
- Good IT (including dietary analysis) skills.
- Good organisational skills to include record keeping.
Behaviours
- Ability to problem-solve.
- Adaptable and flexible in working arrangements to support the needs of the organisation.
Circumstances
- Available to work irregular and unsocial hours as required involving work outside normal office hours, at evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.
- Full driving licence and access to a form of transport that will permit the successful candidate to meet the requirements of the post in full.
DESIRABLE CRITERIA:
Experience & Professional Membership
- Experience of working with elite rugby players or other collision sports
- Experience in academic and/or applied research in the field of performance nutrition
- Experience of staff management and/or mentoring
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Please apply via our job's portal with a cover letter and up to date CV. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 10th June 2025. Please note first round interviews shall be held on Thursday, 12th June 2025.
Connacht Rugby are equal opportunity employers.
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