Head of Medical (NFL Academy)

Full-time and open-ended, subject to external funding (currently confirmed until 31st July 2027).

Loughborough University is the Times and Sunday Times Sports University of the Year 2024 and has a global reputation for sporting excellence, ranked QS world number one for sport and related subjects. We are proudly a unique and leading higher education sporting ecosystem, the only ever winners of the British Universities and Colleges Sport competition, with 43 successive victories.

A UK Sport–accredited Elite Training Centre and home to over 15 national sporting governing bodies, our ecosystem is closely connected with a world-leading network of performance partners.

We are now recruiting a key leader to support the performance partnership between the National Football League (NFL) and Loughborough College, forming the NFL’s only global Academy.

The NFL Academy is a major international initiative driven by the NFL, providing young people aged 16–19 from around the world with the opportunity to combine their education with life-skills development and high-performance training in American football, supported by full-time professional coaches and performance staff.

As part of Loughborough University’s elite performance sport environment, you will join a team with a proven track record of developing hundreds of elite and world-class athletes, including Olympic and Paralympic champions. You will play an essential role in supporting the health, welfare, and performance readiness of NFL Academy athletes, contributing to the growth and professionalisation of American Football in the UK and internationally.

The successful candidate will work with the Head of Performance to lead and manage a medical team to deliver Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) stipulated by the NFL. You will bring exceptional clinical expertise, strategic leadership and experience in high-performance medical provision, ensuring best-practice injury prevention, world-class rehabilitation pathways, clinical governance and maximised athlete availability. The role requires strong critical thinking skills, a passion for solving complex medical and performance challenges and an ability to integrate medical strategy within an interdisciplinary performance model.

This position will require flexible working patterns, including some evening and weekend work, as well as attendance at fixtures.

Please note that appointment to this role will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service statement.

For more information on the role please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.

Contact for informal enquiries: Darren Mustin, Head of Performance Services / Lead S&C Coach (NFL Academy), on W.Mustin@lboro.ac.uk.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 1st February 2026
Interview date: week commencing 23rd February 2026

Loughborough University is committed to achieving equity and valuing diversity in all aspects of employment and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. As one of the country's leading universities we understand the importance of investing in our staff and their professional development. Click here to find out more.

Our Benefits
At Loughborough, our benefits are designed to support your life inside and outside of work, helping you to thrive and feel valued as part of our community. Examples of our benefits include:

Time off - generous holiday allowance, including 14 university closure days and bank holidays, with the option to buy extra through our holiday purchase scheme.

Where you work – access to a range of fantastic facilities with plenty of green space across our 523-acre East Midlands campus, plus an exciting community at our London campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Financial wellbeing – competitive pay, two excellent pension schemes, and everyday savings opportunities.

Support for you and those close to you - through our range of life event leave policies as well as access to an on-site nursery at our East Midlands campus, flexible and hybrid working options.

Health and wellbeing – discounted gym memberships and access to world-class sporting facilities, including physiotherapy, plus healthcare offers such as eyesight testing and wellbeing support.

Travel and sustainability - access to our electric vehicle and cycle-to-work schemes, as well as a variety of travel offers to support sustainable commuting.

Discover more about the full range of rewards and benefits at Loughborough University.