Sport Medicine Lead / Therapist (SML)

Title: Sport Medicine Lead / Therapist (SML)

Classification: Full-time position, with responsibilities allocated approximately three days per week to the Sport Medicine Lead role and two days per week to clinical practice.

Location: Primarily based at an Athletics Canada High Performance Hub. The preferred location is Toronto, though candidates based in Victoria or Montréal may be considered. The role requires periodic travel in support of national team camps, competitions, and program delivery, with time away from the primary base varying based on discipline and program needs.

Reports to: High Performance Operations Director (HPOD)

Direct Reports:  AC Chief Medical Officer (CMO), AC Mental Health Lead

OVERVIEW

Athletics Canada (AC) is the national sport organization for track and field, cross country, road, mountain, ultra and trail running. Our purpose is to support High Performance (HP) athletics excellence at the world level, engage participation and provide leadership in developmental athletics. AC is a not-for-profit, charitable organization operating under a Board of Directors elected by provincial/territorial members.

AC has a High Performance Plan (HPP) which is refreshed every Olympiad. The purpose of the HPP is to systematically guide and support Canadian athletes along a sustainable pathway to Olympic and Paralympic medals. The HPP targets athletes selected to the Canadian Athlete Performance Pathway (CAPP) and supports all athletes selected to represent Canada in international competitions.

The Sport Medicine Lead (SML) operates within AC’s High Performance Integrated Support Team (IST) system. The primary purpose of this role is to lead and integrate AC’s national sport medicine and athlete health system to optimize athlete availability, resilience, and performance readiness across Olympic and Paralympic programs.

In addition to system leadership responsibilities, the SM Lead functions as a treating practitioner, providing direct clinical services to identified athletes and supporting return-to-train and return-to-competition processes in collaboration with the IST, Hub and coaching staff.  Primary CAPP Daily Training Environments (DTEs) are the AC HP Hubs in Victoria, Toronto and  Montreal.

The SML will work collaboratively with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, particularly emphasis on AC HP Leadership and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sports Institute Network (COPSIN).

The successful candidate will be an experienced sport medicine practitioner with exceptional leadership, organizational and communication skills, with a strong understanding of high performance sport environments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

High Performance Sport Medicine Leadership and Governance

• Acting as an exemplar of AC’s HP Culture and


• In consultation with the HP Leadership, continuously review and update strategies, policies, processes and workflows as they relate to sport medicine services.


• Oversee the HP Department’s core SM staff, whether permanent, part-time or voluntary and whether contracted directly by AC or employed via a partner such as a COPSIN member and allocated full- or part-time to AC (approximately 30 personnel).


• Contribute as a core member of the High Performance Senior Management Team (HP SMT), which includes the Olympic Head Coach, Paralympic Head Coach, HPOD, SML, Hub Leads, and Senior Manager National Teams.


• Ensure compliance with applicable internal and national workplace, safe sport, medical confidentiality, anti-doping and welfare

Workforce Planning, Resourcing, and Budget Management

• In collaboration with Hub Leads, identifying and/or recruiting new staff as and when required.


• The day-to-day line management of most SM staff will be the purview of the respective Hub Lead (or Hub Coordinator in the case of the Quebec Hub).


• Maintain responsibility for the prioritization and allocation of SM resources across Hub, CAPP, and national team activities, including training camps and international competitions.


• Lead and support the professional development of sport medicine practitioners.


• Lead coordination across key disciplines including:
  
  
  
  • Sport Medicine Physicians
  
  
  • Physiotherapists
  
  
  • Chiropractors
  
  
  • Massage Therapists
  
  
  • Mental Performance
  
  
  • Mental Health
  
  
  
  


• In conjunction with NTU Senior Manager, Hub Leads and Finance Department, manage the SM budget (approx. $1M p/a). Responsibilities include budget construction, monitoring, coding, approving, reporting and leading the drive for improved value for

Athlete Health, Injury Management, and Performance Readiness

• In collaboration with the CAPP Athlete Performance Advisors (APAs), coordinate and or advise on tailored SM services for all CAPP athletes, in both Hub and non-Hub DTEs. This may include helping find suitable SM providers in athletes’ local area as required.


• Lead weekly medical meetings and approx. monthly meeting for the other SM disciplines – to review all CAPP athlete’s health status and optimize SM service delivery.


• Promote proactive, evidence informed approaches to injury prevention, rehabilitation and long-term athlete health.

Camps, Competitions, and Major Event Medical Services

• In collaboration with the Head Coaches, identify and manage SM services to support Canadian teams at international competitions (approx. 10 – 15 p/a) and CAPP training camps (approx. 6 – 10 p/a).


• Attend selected camps and competitions as required with an anticipated annual commitment of approximately 6 – 10 weeks p/a, depending on discipline and program needs.


• Support integrated medical preparation, in-competition care and post-event debriefs.


• Ensure coordinated sport medicine delivery in high pressure environments.

Hub-Based Clinical Practice and Direct Athlete Care

• Provide musculoskeletal assessment and treatments to identified athletes.


• If required, observe track and weightlifting sessions to integrate treatment with coaches and S&C.


• Lead or support in return to train and return to competition protocols with the integrated IST team.


• Provide Hub musculoskeletal intake screen for athletes to access therapy and strength and conditioning

Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

• Develop and maintain effective operational relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to support high performance sport medicine delivery.


• Manage the effective communication of SM related polices, process, updates and announcements through the AC website, HP Newsletter and any other appropriate medium or channel.


• Maintain a large Canadian SM network of individuals across Canada to contract as staff for key AC events (camps/competitions)


• Contribute to national coach education initiatives, sport medicine forums and webinars as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

College or university degree, in a relevant subject, is required.

Specialized and/or Technical Skills

The following experiences and skills are essential to this role:

• Demonstrated leadership in guiding, aligning, and supporting diverse teams toward shared objectives within a high performance sport environment, including setting clear expectations, facilitating decision making, and managing competing priorities.


• Successfully working in a complex collaborative environment with multiple internal and external stakeholders.


• Successfully working in, or with, multi-disciplinary SSSM teams in a high performance sport environment.


• Experience managing


• Evidence of an eye for detail and a process oriented, solution based


• Exceptional verbal and written communication


• Highly skilled in the use of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word and

The following experiences and skills are not required but will be an advantage:

• Knowledge of the sporting systems of Canada including Sport Canada (SC), Own the Podium (OTP), the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees (COC & CPC), Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC), the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sports Institute Network (COPSIN).


• Working in a High Performance sporting


• Experience of High Performance track and field


• Designing and implementing written policies, processes and


• Extensive use of third party software packages and

Other Qualifications

Ability to communicate effectively in French and English will be considered an asset.

Working Conditions

This position requires working outside regular hours. There will be occasional weekend work and the possibility of both domestic and international travel.

Compensation

Compensation will be determined by successful candidates’ skills and experience.

To Apply

The application deadline is Monday, March 9th, 2026.  We thank all candidates who apply.  However, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Athletics Canada is an equal opportunity employer.

Athletics Canada (AC) Standard Sport Science (SS) & Sports Medicine (SM) Minimum Practitioner Guidelines

Athletics Canada requires the following minimum sports medicine practitioner standards/guidelines (outlined below) to provide any services to an athlete.  Furthermore, they are required for a Service Provider partnership both at the Hubs, on National teams and when individual athletes seek out Integrated Support Team Services.  

Athletic Therapist

• Must be a certified member in good standing of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA)


• It is strongly preferred that the practitioner has completed a continuing education course in orthopedics manual therapy.


• Must have Sports First Responder First Aid. It is strongly preferred that the practitioner has national/international team experience.


• Must have valid liability insurance personally or through their institute to treat Canadian athletes

Chiropractor

• Must be a registered and a member in good standing of the College of the representative Province and be actively practicing.


• Must be a member in good standing of a representative Province or Association (e.g. Ontario or British Columbia Chiropractic Association)


• It is strongly preferred that the practitioner must have obtained a Fellowship with the College of Chiropractic in Sport Sciences Canada (FCCSS)


• It is strongly preferred that the practitioner should have experience working with high performance athletes.


• Must have Sports First Responder First Aid (or equivalent from local province)


• Must have valid liability coverage by Canadian Chiropractor Protective Association (CCPA) or equivalency personally or through their institute to cover work with Canadian athletes.

Physiotherapist

• Must be a member in good standing of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA)


• It is strongly preferred to have obtained a minimum Certificate in Sport Physiotherapy from the Sport Physiotherapy Council (SPC)


• It is strongly preferred that the practitioner has completed a continuing education course in orthopedics manual therapy.


• Must have Sports First Responder First Aid (or equivalent from local province/country) It is strongly preferred that the practitioner has national/international team experience.


• Must have valid liability insurance personally or through their institute to treat Canadian athletes