Director, Health and Innovation

The Director, Health and Innovation for the National Football League (NFL) is responsible for advancing strategies that decrease player injuries and enhance the game's safety. 

The Director is joining the NFL at a critically important time when the organization has made unprecedented investments into medical research, biomechanical engineering, epidemiology, and data analytics. These investments are designed to accelerate science, identify new technologies and means of preventing and treating injuries, and improve overall safety. 

Responsibilities: 

• Lead high-priority player health and safety research projects, participate in developing methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for projects that contribute to strategic workstream goals. 
• Manage injury reduction task forces and multidisciplinary workstream working groups, and assist in developing goals. Lead execution of the strategies, convene the participants, analyze the results, and make recommendations to improve the health and safety of the game. 
• Lead various innovation initiatives, including contributing to strategic goal setting, leading operational execution, and contributing to budget planning and prioritization. 
• Work collaboratively across the player health and safety department and with internal company partners in finance, marketing, sponsorship, legal, football operations, and management council to execute health and safety programs and initiatives. 
• Collaborate with vendors and external sources for software, equipment, and services related to player health and safety. 
• Liaison between League Office and Club Personnel, including Sports Science, Athletic Training, Physicians, Strength and Conditioning, and Equipment and Field Managers at the NFL Clubs. 
• Support managers at each Club to ensure League initiatives are executed. Ensure all education of League-wide protective equipment research and findings is reported to the League and disseminated.
• Triage feedback from Clubs and vendors; provide vendor and internal support to ensure timely response to critical issues. 

Required Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree (or greater) 
• Minimum 10 years experience in a professional work environment 
• Minimum 5 years industry relevant experience   
• Minimum 8 years of Program and/or Project Management  
• Demonstrated excellence in collaborating with others to achieve desired health and safety outcomes   
• Communication skills (written and verbal) which are equally effective with large and small audiences and on a one-to-one level 
• A style that is open to change and innovation, with an ability to delegate yet control, set high standards and work collaboratively to implement change 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Previous experience in professional or collegiate sports 
• Working knowledge of American Football (enhanced knowledge a plus) 

Other Key Attributes / Characteristics: 

• Lives the mission, vision, culture and values of the NFL. 
• Unquestionable integrity, with an ability to command respect both within and outside of the organization. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to persuade and negotiate effectively and be politically savvy. Recognized as a great listener, learner and strategic contributor. 
• Ability to identify innovation opportunities and incorporate them in ongoing work. 
• Leadership style that builds and maintains a climate of caring, respect and trust and inspires commitment from others to achieve organizational goals. 
• A strong sense of urgency and a bias for action in making sound decisions based on a combination of analysis, experience, judgment and personal/business maturity. 

Physical Demands: 

• None 

Travel: