The Physiotherapy Lead - Sharks is responsible for leading, coordinating, and delivering physiotherapy services to the Australian men's national water polo programs. This role functions as a central member of the high performance team, collaborating in a cohesive interdisciplinary approach to the year-round management of athletes - including those participating in overseas competitions and the Australian Water Polo League.

The Physiotherapy Lead - Sharks proactively prevents injury, assesses and manages injuries, manages rehabilitation, and contributes to performance enhancement by leading and delivering physiotherapy services across all training environments, camps, and tours. The role serves as the primary case manager for all return to play (RTP) pathways, coordinating multidisciplinary input and applying validated, evidence-based progressions to guide athletes safely back to full competition availability.

Liaising with the Sharks performance support team, the role delivers adapted individualised programs to improve performance, prevent injury, and support rehabilitation. The Physiotherapy Lead - Sharks also provides and interprets longitudinal injury and availability reporting to inform ongoing squad health strategy, and takes responsibility for establishing and maintaining the systems, records, and processes that underpin consistent, high-quality physiotherapy service delivery across the program.

This role is offered at 0.6FTE and involves significant domestic and international travel (approx 100 days a year). Water Polo Australia is open to splitting the role into two positions: the 0.6FTE and the other is a 0.4FTE (lead role plus travel) and a 0.2FTE (travel only). Please indicate in your application which option you're interested in.

System Design and Service Infrastructure

• Implement the physiotherapy service delivery framework for the national program, including clinical protocols, athlete onboarding processes, screening tools, and return-to-play criteria.
• Maintain a streamlined injury management workflow that ensures consistent, high-quality service delivery across centralised and decentralised program environments.
• Implement injury prevention programs tailored to the specific demands of competitive water polo.
• Establish clear referral pathways and build a national network of trusted external physiotherapists to support athlete care outside of the Sydney training hub.
• Maintain documentation standards to ensure system integrity and continuity.

Daily Performance Environment

• Lead, collaborate, monitor, and deliver physiotherapy services to national program athletes to proactively prevent and manage injuries during training, camps, and tours.
• Conduct initial health screenings for all athletes entering the national program in collaboration with other performance support team members.
• Take primary responsibility (alongside the CMO) for early diagnosis and management through all phases of rehabilitation, maintaining a close working relationship with Strength and Conditioning to support athlete fitness and return to training.
• Provide timely athlete health and availability updates to coaches and the performance support team, including at Performance Support Team (PST) meetings and training sessions.
• Provide timely handover of athlete health information to medical and performance staff when indicated.

Touring and Competition Coverage

• Travel domestically and internationally with national squads to provide physiotherapy services at training camps and competitions.
• Serve as the primary physiotherapy point of contact during tours, including coordination with local medical infrastructure and navigation of foreign health systems as required.

Athlete Management System and Records

• Upload accurate and timely consultation notes into the Athlete Management System (AMS).
• Maintain complete and up-to-date athlete health records, ensuring information is accessible to relevant stakeholders and meets WPA data governance requirements.
• Contribute relevant clinical information to individual athlete performance plans, reflecting each athlete's health and performance goals in collaboration with coaches and the PST.
• Conduct annual reviews of the AMS training completion and epidemiology/availability reports to understand the impact of injury and illness on athlete training and competition.

Performance Support Team Integration

• Participate actively in PST meetings, providing athlete health status updates and contributing to proactive performance planning.
• Collaborate with the PST to develop integrated athlete programmes and performance plans.
• Provide advice to the Head Coach in relation to athlete injury risk and return-to-competition readiness.
• Develop and deliver domain-specific education sessions for athletes, coaches, and support staff as requested.

Governance, Professional Standards, and Development

• Maintain current AHPRA registration as a Physiotherapist throughout the term of the appointment.
• Work within all relevant WPA, national sporting organisation, and Sport Integrity Australia policies, guidelines, and position statements.
• Meet regularly with the relevant WPA medical and performance leadership to review complex cases, discuss system improvements, and review individual performance plans.
• Maintain current First Aid and CPR accreditation.
• Complete Sport Integrity Australia education modules and any WPA integrity and safeguarding training as required.
• Demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development and evidence-based practice, maintaining currency with contemporary sports physiotherapy literature and emerging practice standards such as concussion protocols.