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Job Title: Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
Department: Strength & Conditioning
Reports to: Director, Player Performance & Health
Manages: Associate Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
Position Summary: The Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers ensures that each player has an individually designed strength and conditioning plan to promote and support his maximum performance and health maintenance. This role implements, monitors and adjusts player workouts year-round as needed. In addition, the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach is responsible for motivating players and holding them accountable for their work in the weight room. Must be able to work well in a team, work irregular hours, and travel overnight for extensive periods of time.
Essential Functions (Duties & Responsibilities)
- Design, develop, and deliver evidence-based, comprehensive, periodized strength, speed, agility, and conditioning programs for each player during the NBA preseason, regular season, playoffs, and offseason; measure and monitor progress, and modify programs as needed
- Determine and execute key performance indicators which include body composition, anthropometric, and performance-based testing during preseason and regularly throughout the season to make informed decisions in programming modifications
- Provide appropriate instruction and demonstration while enforcing proper techniques, movement patterns, functional execution, and safety for all lifts and movement drills, with an emphasis on injury reduction
- Oversee player activation and warm-up sessions during shootaround, practices and games
- Implement and oversee the distribution of supplementation and recovery/refueling in collaboration with the team’s sports performance nutritionist/dietician
- Document in the team’s electronic medical record player status, programmatic progress and trends, and compliance with weightlifting programs and performance goals, as related to the weight room and conditioning
- Maintain a clean, organized, and safe weight room and work environment
- Effectively motivate athletes to achieve maximum potential in all areas of performance
- Collaboratively communicate and work strategically in partnership with the strength & conditioning team, performance team, coaching staff, and front office, to guide players through injury prevention, return to play programs, and other reconditioning and season-long performance training
- Apply sports performance technology and athlete monitoring tools; analyze information to modify player’s strength and conditioning programs and performance in collaboration with performance, coaching and/or analytics staff
- Coordinate and cooperate with medical and performance staff to conduct and evaluate NBA prospects
- Attend training camp, all practices, all home and away preseason, regular season and playoff games
- Adhere to all team and League rules and reporting, including the NBA Coaches and Athletic Trainers Anti-Drug Program
- Complete administrative and other duties as assigned
Education (Required/Preferred)
- Bachelor’s degree required in Exercise Science, Sports Medicine, Sports Science, Kinesiology or other related field; master’s degree preferred
Certifications
- Certifications related to the position are required: Currently certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) in good standing. May include: Certified Athletic Trainer and/or Licensed Physical Therapist
- Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) preferred
- Certified Performance & Sport Scientist (CPSS) preferred
- Current certification in CPR/AED and First Aid required
Previous Experience
- At least eight (8) years of professional experience in strength and conditioning experience required
- At least three (3) years of professional experience working directly with basketball players required, collegiate or professional level preferred
- At least three (3) years of managing staff in a strength and conditioning work environment required
- Experience in late-stage rehabilitation and performance progression required
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
- Must have uncompromised ability to protect confidentiality/privacy of others and company documents and records
- Possess strong command of reasoned, measured decision-making and attention to detail
- Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build and cultivate professional relationships, effectively lead and promote a positive team culture, and manage different personalities and skillsets from a staff and player perspective
- Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, including ability to communicate effectively with different audiences
- Experience in the use of athlete monitoring and testing, and performance tracking technology including but not limited to the VALD platform, KangaTech, and Kinexon.
- Competent computer skills including use of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. Experience in athlete training and training programs such as BridgeAthletic.
- Highly organized, detail oriented, and motivated
- Demonstrated ability to act with the utmost discretion and professionalism; must have ability to maintain professional appearance
- Reliable and flexible team player, both within own department and the company as a whole
Physical Demands: Ability to lift 100 pounds or more; able to properly demonstrate and perform executed exercises
Location: El Segundo (offices M-F), downtown Los Angeles (Crypto.com Arena for Lakers home games), away games, and other occasional off-site events
Travel: Travel with team to all preseason, regular season, and playoff games, as well as California Classic and NBA 2K Summer League; occasional other travel required
Hours: Ability to work flexible schedule; available to work evenings, weekends and holidays; overtime may be required
The pay range for this role is $200,000 to $250,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
