Sport & Leisure Development Officer

The Royal Parks; England; On-site; GBP 33,666 - 36,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary of £33,666 - £36,500 per annum

26 days' annual leave plus public holidays

Pension scheme with employer contributions

Private medical insurance

Learning and development opportunities

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

An organization managing royal parks in the UK seeks a Sport & Leisure Development Officer. The successful candidate will lead programs that promote inclusivity in sports, work with local organizations, and manage partnerships. They should have experience in sport development and community engagement, with a focus on overcoming barriers to participation in underserved communities. This full-time role offers a salary range of £33,666 - £36,500, along with various benefits including annual leave, pension scheme, and private medical insurance.

Qualifications

• Experience managing partnerships and stakeholder relationships.
• Strong understanding of inclusion and barriers to participation.
• Knowledge of the UK tennis landscape or experience with the LTA.

Responsibilities

• Lead initiatives to grow sports participation.
• Design and deliver participation programs.
• Monitor participation data for decision-making.

Skills

Experience in sport development

Community engagement

Strong communication skills

Organisational skills

Job description

Join to apply for the Sport & Leisure Development Officer role at The Royal Parks

This range is provided by The Royal Parks. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

The Courts in The Regent’s Park and Hyde Park, and The Pitches in Hyde Park (with travel to all parks)

The Organisation

The Royal Parks (TRP) is a charity created in March 2017. We manage over 5,000 acres of diverse parkland, rare habitats and historic buildings and monuments in eight Royal Parks across London. These are Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Green Park, St James’s Park, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park.

We also manage other important public spaces, including Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens. Our eight Royal Parks and other public spaces are among the most visited attractions in the UK, with tens of millions of visits every year.

We are now looking for a Sport & Leisure Development Officer to join us on a full-time, permanent basis, working 36 hours per week.

The Benefits

• Salary of £33,666 - £36,500 per annum, depending on experience
• 26 days' annual leave plus public holidays, increasing to 29 days after three years’ service
• Pension scheme (3% employee contribution; up to 10% employer contribution)
• Private medical insurance and healthcare cash plan
• Employee assistance programme and access to mental health first aiders
• Learning and development opportunities
• Cycle to work scheme
• Offices in a beautiful park location

In this highly rewarding role, you will have the chance to make a real impact on the sports that take place across the Royal Parks, positively influencing the lives of Londoners and further developing your career in an engaging area.

The Role

As our Sport & Leisure Development Officer, you will lead initiatives that grow participation in sports activity across our organisation, with a strong focus on inclusion and access for underrepresented communities.

Working closely with on-site tennis facility leads and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), you will design and deliver participation programmes, seeking to increase engagement and court usage, and maximise programme capacity.

You’ll build strong partnerships with clubs, schools, local authorities, and community organisations, helping to remove barriers to participation and ensure sport within the parks is welcoming, affordable, and sustainable.

Responsibilities

• Shape diverse and inclusive sports programmes
• Create opportunities for underrepresented groups
• Monitor and evaluate participation data to guide decision-making and report on outcomes
• Represent us at meetings, forums and events
• Support coach-led sessions and wider health and wellbeing activities
• Assist with reporting, usage records, and business plan delivery

About You

• Experience in sport development, community engagement, or participation growth
• Experience of managing partnerships and stakeholder relationships
• A strong understanding of inclusion and barriers to participation in underserved communities
• Knowledge of the UK tennis landscape and/or experience working with or alongside the LTA
• Strong organisational skills with a data-informed, outcome-focused approach
• Confident communication skills and a genuine passion for social impact through sport

The Royal Parks is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.