Mental Performance Coach

Bay FC•San Jose, CA

13d•$115,000 - $115,000

About The Position

The Mental Performance Coach is responsible for enhancing the psychological readiness, resilience, and overall mental well-being of individual players, coaches, and staff within a professional football organization. This role integrates performance psychology, leadership development, and culture-building strategies to help the entire organization perform at its highest level on and off the field. The Mental Performance Coach will be fully embedded in the team environment - attending training sessions, matches, and travel – and works collaboratively across departments (medical, nutritionist, coaches, player care, etc.) to foster a high-performance environment grounded in communication, composure, accountability, and continuous growth.

Requirements

Master's or doctoral degree in Sport Science, Sport Psychology, Neuroscience, or related field.
Certification of mental performance (e.g., Certified Mental Performance Consultant – CMPC).
Minimum 3 years’ experience working with elite athletes either individually or in a team sport setting (collegiate, professional, Olympic, or similar standard in another domain).
Experience with individual coaching and group facilitation.
Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and travel with the team.

Nice To Haves

Licensed Mental Health Provider or advanced degree in a related field.
Master’s or Doctorate in Sport Psychology or Clinical Psychology.

Responsibilities

Conduct individual and group sessions focusing on confidence building, focus, decision-making under pressure, emotional regulation, and mental resilience.
As part of the IDPs develop personalized mental performance plans aligned with each player’s goals, role, and team expectations.
Support players in navigating challenges such as injury recovery, performance 'dips’, transitions, and career stressors.
Use evidence-based techniques, design and deliver mental skills training in areas such as visualization, mindfulness, game-day preparation, and recovery routines.
Work closely with medical, performance, and coaching staff to ensure mental strategies are integrated into holistic player development plans.
Coordinate with licensed mental health professionals to provide referrals and ensure continuity of care.
Maintains player records in a way that is treated as confidential and protected health records. Any information that is confidential and protected is communicated to others only with Player’s written permission, or to appropriate medical staff if the CMPC believes that the Player is in danger of harming themselves and others.
Collaborate with the Head Coach and performance team to define and sustain the team’s culture, values, and behavioral standards.
Facilitate team workshops on communication, trust-building, accountability, conflict resolution, and team cohesion.
Support leadership development within the player group (captains, veteran leaders, rookies) to strengthen the team’s internal leadership structure.
Analyze team dynamics and provide actionable insights to enhance on-field decision-making and collaboration.
Assist in managing team-wide ‘stress levels’, especially during high-pressure periods such as playoffs, losing streaks, or media scrutiny.
Provide coaching, mentorship, and resources to other team staff on effective communication, leadership, and performance psychology principles.
Train staff in mental skills strategies that can be incorporated into their own work with players.
In close collaboration with HR support staff well-being, burnout prevention, and personal growth to maintain a high-functioning environment across the organization.
Facilitate interdepartmental collaboration and alignment to ensure consistent messaging and support across the team (staff and players).
Attend team training sessions, matches, and travel as an embedded member of the high-performance team.
Communicate regularly with the coaching and performance staff to align mental skills programming with team tactical and physical performance goals (IDPs).
Contribute psychological insights into player recruitment, drafting, onboarding, and transition processes.
Help design mental performance aspects of the IDPs.
Maintain confidential records, monitor progress, and provide regular reports to leadership (while upholding ethical boundaries and confidentiality).
Stay current with research and best practices in sport psychology, elite performance, and team culture building.
Serve as an ambassador for mental performance within the organization, promoting a supportive and stigma-free environment.
Lead and mentor the team Chaplain operations staff, fostering a culture of efficiency, accountability, world class delivery and continuous improvement.
Lead, mentor and support the Team Chaplain with their delivery.
Research, Innovation, & Program Development
Stay current with sport psychology and mental performance research to inform program design and delivery.
Develop assessment tools and metrics to evaluate the impact of mental performance interventions.
Identify innovative methods to enhance focus, motivation, and mental resilience across the team.
Other duties
Other duties as assigned.
Acts with humility and puts the team first, prioritizing tasks and decisions based on team and organizational needs.
Collaborates across departments to improve workflows, engaging in healthy conflict resolution and supporting teammates through challenges or mistakes.
Seeks feedback and takes initiative, completing projects independently and asking for help when needed.
Lives out The Bay Way consistently, demonstrating alignment in day-to-day situations and identifying new opportunities that support the club’s needs.