Sports development officer

Sports development officers organise projects and training to encourage people to take part in sport and have a healthier lifestyle.


Typical Salary

£18,000 – £30,000

per year

Working Hours

36–38

hours per week

Career Area

Sports coaches, instructors and officials

View related courses

Day-to-day tasks

In this role, you could:

  • find and train staff, coaches and volunteers for projects
  • promote and run projects and activities
  • monitor and evaluate projects
  • find funding, manage resources and budgets
  • put local and national policies into practice
  • attend meetings, seminars and conferences
  • coach or supervise sports activities

Skills needed

  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to work well with others
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • leadership skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work on your own
  • knowledge of English language
  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

How to get into this role

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • volunteering
  • applying directly

Career progression

With experience you could become a sports development manager or a regional manager.

You may be able to move into policy development or work as a consultant on a freelance basis.