Mental Skills Associate

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:
The mission of the Boston Red Sox Behavioral Health Program is to develop competitive advantages in performance and mental health arenas through quality programming, in-depth relationships with players and uniform staff based on trust and reliability; clear, effective, and integrated performance enhancement strategies for players; and seamless collaborations with player development, sports medicine, baseball operations and coaching staffs to serve the overall goal of maximizing player performance and winning championships. The program is committed to addressing the needs of the whole person - the demands players and staff face on and off the field - to fuel the needed resilience and balance required to attain our goals over the course of the season and year.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Boston Red Sox are seeking a Mental Skills Associate provide mental performance training and skills for our minor league players, coaches and staff. The Mental Skills Associate will work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary group of professionals that include coaches, athletic trainers, strength coaches, analysts, nutritionists, and mental health professionals. This person will build and utilize excellent system-building, process and people management, and interpersonal skills as well as a strong foundation in sport psychology to contribute to a best-in-class mental performance department that measurably improves player performance and contributes to wins on the field.

TIMELINE: This program begins in January 2026, depending on candidate availability, and runs through October 31st, 2026.

RESPONSIBILITIES: :
• Provide baseball specific performance enhancement and mental skills training for players.
• Practice disciplined system of communication with appropriate staff members related to individual work with players in order to foster consistency of message.
• Make group presentations at Spring Training on the topic of mental skills.
• Travel to Spring Training and travel with team for all games.
• Participate in research and development of new techniques and/or technology.
• Take part in the design and implementation of systems to improve behavioral healthcare within the Red Sox organization, including preventative and rehabilitative programs.
• Enhance staff understanding and utilization of mental skills curriculum.
• Increase staff understanding and recognition of behavioral health issues.
• Assist Director and staff in identifying candidates for clinical counseling and assist in making appropriate and timely referrals.

COMPETENCIES::
• Able to build trusting, professional, and confidential alliances with players and staff from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
• Proficient in teaching mindfulness, character development, injury recovery, and sleep hygiene.
• Strong presentation skills to share programming with groups of players or staff.
• Driven to utilize data and able to present objective information to players, coaches, and front-office staff.
• Highly skilled communicator and presenter who possess the ability to understand and interact with Red Sox Player Development initiatives including priority tasks such as player plans, goal setting and execution, and Strength and Conditioning programming as well as hitting, pitching, fielding, and base-running metrics.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS::
• Master’s Degree or higher in Sport Psychology or related field required.
• Fluency in both English and Spanish required.
• Prior coaching or clinical experience in an elite sporting environment preferred.

OUR CULTURE:
All Baseball Operations staff are expected to excel across universal competencies related to problem solving, teamwork, communication, and time management, as well as values such as honesty, humility, relentlessness, and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.