Richard was appointed to the Executive Dean role for the Faculty of Science and Health in October 2024 having fulfilled the role in an Interim capacity from November 2023. Prior to this he was the Head of School for Sport, Health and Exercise Science since 2009 and achieved a Professorship in Applied Sport Psychology in June, 2017. Richard is a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council, and a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society. Further to this, he was awarded a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Fellowship in recognition of his contribution to sport and exercise science in the UK.

In addition to his Education and Research activities, Richard has a wealth of practitioner experience across a range of professional sporting organisations and governing bodies and has, and continues to serve, on varying national/international professional body committees.

Having spent several years examining the benefit of psychological skills training for sports performance, more recent work has focused within the area of coach psychology (stress, emotion, coping and performance), psychological skills and behaviour change, and practitioner development. Richard also has a vested research interest in professional practice factors in applied sport psychology (which is reinforced by his applied activities and leadership of the BASES HCPC approved Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route) and is able to evidence a substantial income record for consultancy. 

In addition to having an extensive peer-review publication record (including edited texts) he currently serves as the Editor for Case Studies in Sport and Performance Psychology, and is an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. He has also previously served on the editorial boards for the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology and the International Journal of Sport Psychology.