Sports development officer
Sports development officers organise projects and training to encourage people to take part in sport and have a healthier lifestyle.
- Starter salary£23,000 a year
- Experienced£35,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As a sports development officer, you could:
- plan and tailor schemes for different groups
- manage staff, coaches and volunteers on projects
- promote and run sporting programmes and activities
- monitor and review the progress of schemes
- identify funding sources and sponsorship
- manage a budget
- carry out risk assessments on activities
- write reports on the outcomes of particular projects
Working environment
You could work in an office, at a school, on a sports field, at a fitness centre or at a college.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- leadership skills
- the ability to work well with others
- a desire to help people
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- excellent verbal communication skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
- knowledge of public safety and security
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a sports development officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:
- sports development or management
- sports coaching
- sports science
- leisure studies
It's important to get work experience in community sport during your studies as most employers expect this. Talk to your university careers service for help and advice on finding internship, year placement and volunteering opportunities.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could take a college course to give you some of the skills and knowledge needed to start out as a trainee in this role.
Courses include:
- community sports leadership
- sports development
- sports coaching and performance
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You may be able to apply for an apprenticeship with a local authority or community organisation.
Options include:
- Community Activator Coach Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
- Community Sport and Health Officer Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
These can take up to 2 years to complete, and are a mix of on-the-job learning and study with a college or training provider.
Entry requirements
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
Volunteering
Volunteering as a coach, supporting community and holiday sports schemes, or working with a local sports club can help to build your skills and confidence and may lead into paid employment.
You can search for opportunities through:
- Do-It
- NCVO
Direct application
You can apply directly for jobs, if you've got relevant skills and knowledge, for example gained from:
- setting up and running sporting programmes
- training or coaching
- volunteering work
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a sports development manager or area manager, co-ordinating schemes across different locations.
You may be able to move into policy development at a regional or national level, or work as a consultant on a freelance basis, helping organisations to set up their own programmes.
Career tips
There's a lot of competition, so getting work experience and making contacts through networking will improve your chances of finding a job.
Experience of playing sports, or coaching across age groups with different abilities, can also be useful.
Guides for this industry
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