Manager of Performance Medicine
Aspetar · QA
Role Purpose:
The Manager of Performance Medicine will spearhead the development and delivery of world-class, integrated medical and performance therapy services, encompassing disciplines across track and field. This pivotal role is tasked with enabling athletes to achieve peak performance through a holistic, evidence-based approach focused on athlete health, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization.
Serving as a key leader, this position will foster innovation, collaboration, and excellence within interdisciplinary teams — including sports physicians, physiotherapists, strength & conditioning coaches, sports scientists, and coaches — to build a sustainable, high-performance environment.
The role requires strategic oversight of medical care tailored to elite athletes’ unique needs, leadership in clinical governance, and the implementation of cutting-edge methodologies to maximize physical and competitive outcomes.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES & ACTIVITIES:
Strategic Leadership & Vision:
- Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for performance medicine emphasizing sustainable athlete health and peak performance.
- Serve as the authoritative medical and performance lead for the athletics team, shaping medical policies and protocols that reflect best practices and innovation.
- Lead initiatives to integrate emerging research and technologies into performance medicine to maintain Qatar’s competitive edge in athletics.
- Drive long-term capacity building of the sports medicine program, including talent development, team expansion, and resource allocation.
Clinical and Performance Oversight:
- Manage comprehensive athlete health programs, including injury surveillance, prevention, diagnostics, rehabilitation, and return-to-play processes tailored to athletics disciplines.
- Oversee pre-participation medical screening, continuous health monitoring, and customized care planning.
- Lead clinical management of complex medical cases, coordinating with specialists and external providers to optimize athlete recovery and longevity.
- Utilize data-driven approaches to monitor training load, recovery, and injury risk in partnership with coaches and sports scientists.
- Implement and advance evidence-based protocols for performance testing, biomechanical analysis, and movement screenings.
- Provide pitch-side and training-ground medical coverage as required.
- Oversee and coordinate return-to-play protocols in close collaboration with coaches, physiotherapists and strength & conditioning specialists.
- Ensure early detection and management of conditions that may affect performance, including overtraining, fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies.
- Apply physiological, metabolic, and recovery principles to support peak performance.
- Lead initiatives on athlete health optimization, such as sleep hygiene, hydration, and immune support programs.
- Participate in inter multidisciplinary case reviews to align medical, physical, and psychological strategies for each athlete.
- Adhere to and actively promote the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) principles and regulations with regard to the use of drugs in sport. Abide by the spirit and letter of the WADA Code, and the ASPETAR/NSMP Anti-Doping Position Statement.
Performance Optimization:
- Drive the use of integrated medical and performance data to enhance athlete development and peak performance and practices to support success at major competitions.
- Collaborate closely with coaches and sport scientists on training load monitoring, recovery strategies, assessments, and injury prevention initiatives.
- Lead the implementation of evidence-based performance testing and movement screening protocols.
Team and Program Management:
- Establish and assist in recruiting a multidisciplinary team of appropriately experienced and well qualified practitioners that will support to drive ‘World Best’ technical standards and performance direction.
- Provide leadership and expertise supporting sports medical practitioners in their development. Actively driving the department to be better every day.
- Ensure appropriate engagement with and maintenance of medical records, documentation and the secure athlete management system across the entire team.
- Establish medical policies that encompass best practice operational processes.
- Lead patient safety initiatives, ensuring annual completion of organizational competencies and compliance with Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital protocols.
- Assume or accept any other responsibilities as assigned by the direct supervisor within the position role and responsibility.
- Patient Safety: -Attend and successfully complete competencies which focus on patient safety initiatives implemented within Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital. Patient Safety Training is an annual requirement, to include all organizational leaders, staff, service, and contracted providers.
Governance and Collaboration:
- Develop and implement medical governance frameworks to ensure a safe environment for athletes during training and competition, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, in partnership with the Lead Doctor.
- Lead education, support, and adherence to anti-doping policies and regulations.
- Manage staff, external contractors, and quality assurance processes related to service provision.
- Work alongside the Head Coach and Head of Performance Support to foster an interdisciplinary high-performance environment focused on sustainable athlete success.
Necessary knowledge and Experience to be able to do the job:
- Minimum of 12 to 15 years of professional related experience, including 4 to 7 years in a similar role or responsibility, preferably within the same industry.
- Desirable:
- Additional certifications in Strength & Conditioning, Sports Science, or Performance Analysis.
- Experience working with national teams, Olympic programs, or professional sports organizations.
- Familiarity with electronic medical records (EMR) and performance management systems
- Experience with national or international sporting federations or major games (e.g., Olympics, Asian Games).
- Must meet and fulfil the eligibility criteria for medical licensing in Qatar.
Knowledge Requirements:
- Create an engaging and supportive learning environment by encouraging ongoing professional growth through training and mentorship. Support and contribute to research in sports medicine and performance science relevant to Athletics. Provide educational sessions and resources for athletes and coaches to enhance knowledge on health, recovery, and injury prevention
- Extensive experience in elite sport medical roles aligned with high-performance environments.
- Demonstrated leadership in managing large multidisciplinary medical teams and relevant staff.
- Skilled in managing and communicating with diverse stakeholder groups within complex organizational systems.
- Proficient in understanding individual personal styles and employing influence strategies to motivate team members towards shared goals.
- Comprehensive knowledge of Track and Field Athletics’ structure, sports medicine, and anti-doping systems.
- Insight into athlete development pathways and performance drivers across various Athletics disciplines.
- In-depth knowledge of sports medicine, injury prevention, treatment protocols, and performance optimization.
- Proven track record in knowledge transfer and development of people and systems to enhance organizational capacity.
- Experienced in developing strategic visions and communicating them to inspire engagement and drive higher performance levels.
- Committed to building a high-performance culture that prioritizes athlete wellbeing as a foundation for sustained success in high-performance sport.
Education and Certification requirements:
- Preferrable Licensed Medical Doctor (MD) specialized in Sports Medicine.
- Professional with a degree in a related medical field and demonstrated experience in sports and athletic performance “Track and field”
- Strong knowledge of exercise science, sports nutrition, and athletic performance optimization, with proven experience working specifically in Athletics to enhance performance, prevent injuries, and support rehabilitation and recovery.
- Deep expertise in performance medicine, specific to Athletics (track & field).
- Proven experience managing multidisciplinary medical teams.
Job specific technical Skills:
- Strategic and operational leadership with the ability to oversee medical and medical-related teams, driving collaboration across coaches, athletes, performance staff, and sector-wide stakeholders to achieve complex system outcomes.
- High-level communication skills, including the ability to hold open and honest conversations, deliver balanced feedback, and convey critical messages while maintaining strong professional relationships.
- Strong analytical and decision-making capabilities, especially in high-pressure environments such as managing medical emergencies and coordinating swift, effective responses.
- Passionate about athlete development and holistic health, integrating innovative thinking in sports medicine and performance care.
- Advanced expertise in contemporary performance medicine and therapeutic interventions, ensuring comprehensive health and high-performance support.
- Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable performance insights.
Working Environment
- A working knowledge of Arabic language and culture would be beneficial as would a desire to learn in this area.
- Collaboration with multiple stakeholders and as such flexibility of approach and an appreciation of a variety of approaches are important skills.
- A respect for, and interest in, areas outside of the postholder’s direct responsibility is expected of all staff, expected to work in a highly collaborative manner.
- Flexibility: May require evening/weekend hours to support competition and training schedules.
- Travel may be required for training camps and competitions.
- Office and field-based environment or as per business needs from time to time.