Performance Coach

Gotham FC Performance Coach

Gotham FC is seeking an experienced, highly skilled, and player-centered Performance Coach to support first team physical performance and individualized athlete development. This is a hands-on role focused on exceptional gym- and field-based coaching, close collaboration within the Department of Human Performance and with technical staff, and the continued development of the club's physical-performance approach. The position requires flexible hours, including matchdays and weekends, and travel of up to 100% of the team schedule.

Key Responsibilities:

• First-Team Physical Performance
• Lead and deliver first-team gym- and field-based strength, speed, power, movement, activation, mobility, and conditioning sessions.
• Coach exercise technique, movement quality, training intent, and player-specific modifications.
• Collaborate on the design, delivery, and ongoing improvement of team and individual physical-development programs within the Director of Human Performance's plan.
• Lead or support assigned innovation projects at the player and organizational levels, including projects that improve programming, coaching practices, player development, and performance workflows.
• Build trusted relationships with players through consistent coaching, clear communication, and practical education.
• Individual and Supplemental Work
• Build coordinated individual and supplemental work plans with the physical therapy group and the Performance Fitness Coach, covering exercise selection, physical-development priorities, and progression within each player's care plan.
• Own the planning and delivery of approved supplemental programming for low-minute, non-rostered, non traveling, and selected development players.
• Deliver individualized strength, speed, power, movement, and conditioning work for assigned players.
• Align programming with the Department of Human Performance and with technical staff so physical work matches player status and team demands.
• Deliver assigned offseason, remote, travel, hotel-based, and transition-period programs.
• Return-to-Performance
• Collaborate on, support, and deliver assigned gym- and field-based physical reconditioning for players progressing from rehabilitation into performance training, as assigned case by case by the Director of Human Performance.
• Implement approved conditioning plans, physical-exposure targets, and soccer-specific progressions.
• Document completed work, player response, and coaching observations, and share them through the department's daily handoff process.
• Escalate new symptoms, unexpected training intolerance, or uncertainty about a player's plan the same day through established departmental processes.
• Applied Performance Science
• Use GPS, wearable, testing, and physical-profile information from the Performance Scientist's workflow to inform coaching and individual programming.
• Co-deliver scheduled gym testing and assessments with the Performance Scientist.
• Maintain accurate records of assigned sessions, modifications, and completed supplemental work.
• Operations
• Keep gym and field-training environments clean, organized, safe, and player-ready.
• Own assigned equipment setup, inventory, maintenance reporting, supply requests, and travel logistics.
• Attend assigned performance and interdisciplinary meetings.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, Strength and Conditioning, Sport Science, or a closely related field.
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
• Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification.
• Minimum of four years of progressive experience in strength and conditioning, physical performance, or athlete development within professional soccer, elite academy soccer, NCAA Division I, or a comparable high-performance field-based team-sport environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading team and individual strength, speed, power, conditioning, movement, and physical-development sessions.
• Experience designing and delivering individualized player programming in collaboration with rehabilitation and other performance practitioners.
• Experience supporting players with low match exposure, modified training participation, or return-to performance needs.
• Strong technical coaching ability, including movement analysis, exercise instruction, and appropriate real time coaching adjustments.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust with players and collaborate across disciplines.
• Familiarity with GPS/LPS, athlete-monitoring systems, physical testing, and training-management platforms.
• Ability to work flexible hours, weekends, matchdays, and travel of up to 100% of the team schedule.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in NWSL, MLS, USL, international professional soccer, or a comparable elite team-sport environment.
• Experience supporting elite women's soccer and individualized female-athlete performance.
• Experience with field-based reconditioning and soccer-specific conditioning.
• NSCA Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS), UKSCA, ASCA, or comparable advanced credential.
• U.S. Soccer, UEFA, or equivalent coaching qualification.
• Experience mentoring interns or junior practitioners and contributing to performance-system improvement projects.

Location:

This position is fully in-person, based at Gotham FC's soccer operations office and practice facility, located in Whippany, New Jersey. Ability to attend all home games and any mandatory events as well as away games, as necessary. A willingness to travel for other business-related needs, as they arise. Ability to work at the team's business operations office in Jersey City, New Jersey, as needed. Gotham FC requires its associates to live in its market, that is, within reasonable commuting distance of Gotham FC's offices, practice facility and Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Job type: Full-Time, Exempt

Salary range: $100-$120k annually

Benefits: Medical, Dental & Vision benefit plans available for Employee and Family, Employee funded 401(k) option