About Us

Sport and Exercise Science Staff Profiles

People are at the heart of everything we do at UCEN Manchester. We believe that your success is intrinsically linked to the support you receive both academically and personally.

Our staff are experts in their field and hold a varied range of professional and industry experience. Their support and dedication ensure you are guided, supported and encouraged to learn and achieve within your chosen subject.

Explore staff profiles for our Sport and Exercise Science team below.

Rob is currently the Department Team Leader for HE and Adult Sport, Public Services and Care Professions but has worked in a variety of different roles in education including management over the past 14 years.

His industry experience includes working in the fitness industry, and originally began his career as a nutritionist and dietician in the health sector, implementing changes to people’s diet and lifestyles and working with athletes to maximise performance through dietary interventions  

After gaining a First Class BSc Honours Degree in Exercise and Health Sciences, Rob worked in secondary, FE and HE education for 14 years. He gained a PGCE and started as a lecturer in sport before working his way up to management.

Rob has always maintained his passion of teaching in the classroom, specialising in nutrition and bioenergetics as well as exercise physiology, with practical based testing of the human body has also been of interest in his practice as a Higher Education lecturer.

He said: “Within nutrition and physiology there are constant changes and new research coming out day by day so you can never stop learning and keep up to date with changes in the industry and effects within the human body.”

He added: “The most rewarding part of my job is seeing people exceed. When starting a course, they may lack confidence but seeing someone improve down to their own efforts and hard work, and knowing that you might have helped them along the way, is the most rewarding part of the job.”

James teaches Sports Coaching and Sport Science here at UCEN Manchester.


James has worked as a football coach for over 20 years and remains as passionate about sport as ever. He has coached extensively in academies and holds both the UEFA B and FA Advanced Youth Awards.


James has an MSc in Sport Psychology and has consulted with athletes and teams from grassroots up to world champions. He is currently undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance examining psychosocial skills in academy football. James recently had his first piece of research published in the European Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 


James was drawn to teaching by his passion for passing on knowledge and helping others reach to their potential.


“Nothing brings me greater satisfaction that seeing students succeed!”

Julian has 26 years of experience working with elite sports performance as a Strength and Conditioning Coach.

As well as teaching at UCEN Manchester, Julian is currently working with Salford City FC. He has also worked with Liverpool FC Academy as Head Fitness Coach/Sports Science support, Burnley FC, Bury FC, Widnes Vikings RFL, England netballers and with a number of international sprinters and sprint hurdlers.

Julian is a Lead Tutor/Assessor for the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association and has been part of specialist groups in developing aspects of the accreditation process and workshop material.  He also contributes to the UKSCA Workshops on a range of topics including Plyometrics/Agility and Speed, Weightlifting for Sport, Planning Effective Programmes and Foundation Certificate in Strength and Conditioning.

Julian’s varied career has seen him work as a Service Manager for Active Tameside over three years, managing a number of leisure centres and leading on the development of the health and fitness offer including staff training and the redesign of the Copley and Oxford Park fitness suites.

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