Assistant Director: Recreation

Department of Sports Arts Culture and Recreation; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Sports Arts Culture and Recreation is seeking a qualified candidate for a senior supervisory role within the Sport and Recreation directorate. The role focuses on delivering accessible community programs and coordinating multi-stakeholder partnerships to promote health and participation.

Responsibilities include strategic planning, program development, reporting, and ensuring compliance with national policies while driving community empowerment and sustainable recreation

Qualifications

• The successful candidate should have a Grade 12 Certificate plus a National Diploma/ Degree (NQF Level 6/7) in Sport and Recreation / Sports Science / Sport Administration / Sport Management / Health Sciences in Sport / Exercise Sciences or relevant qualification.
• A minimum of 3 - 5 years’ experience in supervisory level and relevant experience in sports and recreation environment.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Listening and negotiation.
• Financial and administrative skills.
• Problem solving and analysis.
• Strategic Management.
• Discipline.
• Teamwork.
• Departmental policies and procedures.
• Listening and negotiation.
• Department Priorities.
• Reporting procedures.
• Information system.
• PFMA, Treasury Regulation, PSA, PSR, etc.
• Experience in managing projects with multiple stakeholders and excellent report writing.

Responsibilities

• Offer diverse, accessible programs like group exercise, sports, and mindfulness sessions, catering to various ages and skill levels, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through community engagement, partnerships, and continuous promotion to address mental and physical health needs.
• Provide a wide range of activities, such as yoga, cycling tours, dance workshops, walk-a-thons, running events, and sports games, to appeal to different interests and preferences.
• Ensure activities are accessible to diverse age groups, families, and individuals of all skill levels to maximize participation.
• Collaborate with parks, fitness centres, and community organizations to provide public exercise classes and events.
• Offer programs at various times throughout the year to accommodate busy schedules and maintain consistent engagement
• Facilitate talent identification, and empower communities to engage in sports events, festivals, and campaigns aimed at reducing lifestyle-related diseases and improving physical well-being.
• Creating accessible programs, developing suitable infrastructure, fostering partnerships, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Promoting community involvement and local event organization, supporting both mass participation and elite athlete development, encouraging corporate investment, and leveraging sport for social development and environmental sustainability.
• Manage and implement Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) by leveraging existing community strengths and assets.
• Develop recreational tourism activities focused on natural resources. Protected areas, and foster community-led initiatives that provide skills training and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Manage participatory planning and integrating local culture to ensure long-term economic benefits without undermining the environment or local assets.
• Identifying relevant stakeholders, such as government departments, community groups, and sports federations.
• Establishing clear goals.
• Engaging stakeholders through communication and leveraging their resources and expertise.
• Creating strategic plans aligned with national policies, securing funding through partnerships and corporate investment, developing and maintaining facilities, designing inclusive programmes and promoting safety and active participation to foster a socially cohesive nation
• Review and understand the Departmental vision and mission.
• In conjunction with stakeholder: Determine strategic goals, objectives (HR strategic plan).
• Conduct SWOT analysis.
• Develop strategic measures, performance targets and appropriate timeframes.
• Determine operational goals and objectives.
• Develop operational measures, performance targets and appropriate timeframes.
• Develop business propositions and plans, as well as service level agreements.
• Develop communication and implementation plan.
• Measure performance on continuous basis and develop and implement corrective actions.
• Identify strategic partners.
• Manage business relationship through regular performance assessments of services delivered (based on service level agreement) and development of corrective actions where performance gaps exist.
• Provide strategic direction, approval of transactions/activities and guidance to the unit team responsible for operationalising policy and procedure development, administration, project management, information utilisation, communication.

Skills

Listening and negotiation

Financial and administrative skills

Problem solving and analysis

Strategic Management

Discipline

Teamwork

Education

Grade 12 plus National Diploma/ Degree (NQF 6/7) in Sport and Recreation or related field

Job description

Department of Sports Arts Culture and Recreation

• Reference Number : REFS/056605
• Directorate : Sport and Recreation
• Number of Posts : 1
• Package : R487 197.00 per annum (plus benefits)
• Enquiries : : Ms. Vivien Khanye: 011 355 2720 / 060 978 6924South Corridor applications to be emailed to [e-mail]

Requirements :

• The successful candidate should have a Grade 12 Certificate plus a National Diploma/ Degree (NQF Level 6/7) in Sport and Recreation / Sports Science / Sport Administration / Sport Management / Health Sciences in Sport / Exercise Sciences or relevant qualification. A minimum of 3 - 5 years’ experience in supervisory level and relevant experience in sports and recreation environment. Valid driver’s license. SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE Listening and negotiation. Financial and administrative skills. Problem solving and analysis. Strategic Management. Discipline. Teamwork. Departmental policies and procedures. Listening and negotiation. Department Priorities. Reporting procedures. Information system. PFMA, Treasury Regulation, PSA, PSR, etc. Experience in managing projects with multiple stakeholders and excellent report writing.

Duties :

• Offer diverse, accessible programs like group exercise, sports, and mindfulness sessions, catering to various ages and skill levels, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through community engagement, partnerships, and continuous promotion to address mental and physical health needs. Provide a wide range of activities, such as yoga, cycling tours, dance workshops, walk-a-thons, running events, and sports games, to appeal to different interests and preferences. Ensure activities are accessible to diverse age groups, families, and individuals of all skill levels to maximize participation. Collaborate with parks, fitness centres, and community organizations to provide public exercise classes and events. Offer programs at various times throughout the year to accommodate busy schedules and maintain consistent engagement Facilitate talent identification, and empower communities to engage in sports events, festivals, and campaigns aimed at reducing lifestyle-related diseases and improving physical well-being. Creating accessible programs, developing suitable infrastructure, fostering partnerships, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation systems. Promoting community involvement and local event organization, supporting both mass participation and elite athlete development, encouraging corporate investment, and leveraging sport for social development and environmental sustainability. Manage and implement Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) by leveraging existing community strengths and assets. Develop recreational tourism activities focused on natural resources. Protected areas, and foster community-led initiatives that provide skills training and entrepreneurial opportunities. Manage participatory planning and integrating local culture to ensure long-term economic benefits without undermining the environment or local assets. Identifying relevant stakeholders, such as government departments, community groups, and sports federations. Establishing clear goals. Engaging stakeholders through communication and leveraging their resources and expertise. Creating strategic plans aligned with national policies, securing funding through partnerships and corporate investment, developing and maintaining facilities, designing inclusive programmes and promoting safety and active participation to foster a socially cohesive nation Review and understand the Departmental vision and mission. In conjunction with stakeholder: Determine strategic goals, objectives (HR strategic plan). Conduct SWOT analysis. Develop strategic measures, performance targets and appropriate timeframes. Determine operational goals and objectives. Develop operational measures, performance targets and appropriate timeframes. Develop business propositions and plans, as well as service level agreements. Develop communication and implementation plan. Measure performance on continuous basis and develop and implement corrective actions. Identify strategic partners. Manage business relationship through regular performance assessments of services delivered (based on service level agreement) and development of corrective actions where performance gaps exist. Provide strategic direction, approval of transactions/activities and guidance to the unit team responsible for operationalising policy and procedure development, administration, project management, information utilisation, communication.

Employer : Department of Sports Arts Culture and Recreation

Closing Date : 07-10-2026

Criteria Questions

Do you have a Grade 12 Certificate plus a National Diploma/ Degree (NQF Level 6/7) in Sport and Recreation / Sports Science / Sport Administration / Sport Management / Health Sciences in Sport / Exercise Sciences or relevant qualification?

Do you have a minimum of 3 - 5 years’ experience in supervisory level and relevant experience in sports and recreation environment?

Do you have a valid drive’s license?