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VFL High Performance Manager
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League, the sport's top professional competition.
Job Posted- 23 Sep 2026
Status- Full Time
Location- Australia
Closing date- 4 Oct 2026
About the Role
Reporting to the AFL Head of High Performance, the VFL High Performance Manager plays a critical role in driving the physical preparation, performance, health and long-term development of Carlton's VFL playing list.
Working as an integrated member of the Club's High Performance Department, this position is responsible for the design and delivery of best-practice strength and conditioning programs, ensuring alignment and consistency of standards, methodologies and player development pathways across the football program. The role works closely with VFL coaches, physiotherapists and High Performance staff to optimise player availability, performance and progression across both pre-season and in-season periods.
This is a part-time consultant opportunity, requiring a flexible and proactive approach to meet the demands of the football calendar, including evening training sessions, weekend match days and occasional travel.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and deliver strength, conditioning and physical preparation programs for the VFL playing group, aligned to the Club's AFL program and player development framework.
- Oversee athlete monitoring, load management and performance reporting processes, utilising performance technology and data to inform training prescription and injury mitigation strategies.
- Provide timely insights and recommendations to coaches, medical staff and the Head of High Performance to support player management and decision-making.
- Work collaboratively with coaches, physiotherapists and medical staff to support player development, rehabilitation and return-to-play outcomes.
- Contribute to individual player plans and support the pathway between the VFL and AFL programs.
- Lead physical preparation and recovery practices across VFL training sessions and match days, including in-game management and post-match recovery protocols.
- Foster a positive, professional and high-performance team environment.
Experience, Skills and Attributes
- Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, Strength and Conditioning, Allied Health or a related discipline.
- Experience in strength and conditioning, athlete monitoring and physical preparation within an elite or semi-professional sporting environment.
- Strong understanding of performance technologies, data analysis and training load management.
- Knowledge of rehabilitation and return-to-play principles.
- ASCA accreditation (or working towards) desirable.
- Previous experience within Australian Rules Football or a comparable team-sport environment desirable.
- Excellent organisational, planning and communication skills.
- Collaborative, adaptable and team-oriented, with strong relationship-building skills and high levels of professionalism and initiative.
- Genuine passion for athlete development and high-performance sport.
- Availability for evening training sessions, weekend match days and travel as required.
- Valid Victorian Working with Children Check and National Police Check
Benefits and Culture
Carlton's values underpin how the Club operates, describing how our people work together, interact and behave. The Club is passionate about its culture, focused on cultivating a unique sense of belonging and connection. This role offers a genuine opportunity to contribute to a high-performance environment and play a meaningful part in the development of the next generation of Carlton footballers.
The Carlton Football Club is an equal opportunity employer and a place who welcomes all. We encourage people with diverse experiences and backgrounds to apply. We are committed to fostering a workplace environment which is inclusive, safe and flexible. All applicants will be considered based on the relevance of their abilities to the role and their alignment with our Club Values.
The Carlton Football Club is committed to providing a welcoming environment where the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our programs, services, activities, events, and the broader community, will always be our first priority. All staff must hold (or be willing to obtain) a current Victorian Working with Children Check and valid Police Check as part of their engagement with the Club.
Essential Requirements
- Human Movement / Coaching / Exercise / Sports Science Degree
Desirable Criteria
- Qualified Strength & Conditioning Coach
How to Apply
Please click “Apply Now” to begin your application.