Sports Development Officer - East Berkshire (Maternity Cover)

Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership; Reading; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused charity is seeking a Sports Development Officer in East Berkshire to manage and coordinate innovative sport and physical activities for adults experiencing mental health challenges. The role includes collaboration with partners, recruitment of coaches, and ensuring high-quality sessions. Required qualifications include a degree level education and experience working with vulnerable communities. This position offers a salary of £25,000 and is a maternity cover fixed term up to 12 months.

Qualifications

• Degree level education or relevant experience.
• Over 2 years experience working with vulnerable, diverse communities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate sport sessions for adults with mental health issues.
• Recruit and manage qualified sports coaches.
• Ensure all participants complete necessary paperwork.

Skills

Working with vulnerable, diverse communities

Health & Safety

Empowering behavior change

Building strong partnerships

Motivating and influencing people

Excellent interpersonal skills

Education

Degree level education or relevant experience

Tools

Mental Health First Aid training

Job description

Sports Development Officer - East Berkshire (Maternity Cover)

Sport in Mind is the leading mental health sports charity in England, delivering innovative physical activity projects in partnership with the NHS to promote mental wellbeing, improve physical health, combat social isolation, and empower people to move their lives forward in a positive direction.

Salary: £25,000; Hours: Full Time; Contract: maternity (fixed term up to 12 months from the beginning of March 2026).

Organisation: Sport In Mind; Placement: Thu 11th December 2025; Closes: 12:00am Fri 19th December 2025.

Job Description

Sports Development Officer - East Berkshire (Maternity Cover)

Job Purpose

• Work closely with the Sport in Mind team to manage and coordinate innovative sport and physical activity sessions for adults experiencing mental health problems in East Berkshire.
• To manage and coordinate Sport in Mind's innovative Mum and Baby programme across Berkshire.
• To manage and coordinate Sport in Mind's innovative Children and Young People programme across Berkshire.

Designation of Post and Position within Service

• Responsible to the Head of Operations.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Establish, manage and deliver high‑quality innovative sport, physical activity and educational sessions for people experiencing mental health problems, maintaining the highly regarded reputation that the charity has gained.
• Work closely with external partners to support the development of the sessions and gain referrals.
• Recruit and manage appropriately qualified sports coaches and physical activity leaders to lead motivational and fun sessions for participants.
• Attend update meetings with funding bodies to provide progress on project delivery.
• Support with monitoring and evaluation of the programmes, including case studies.
• Provide supportive and informative practices for people accessing sessions, empowering them to attend (e.g. send a map, address, provide participant forms, explain what to expect on arrival, make staff aware of new arrivals, and follow up on experience).
• Ensure all participants have completed relevant and necessary paperwork.>
• Organise and manage bookings (e.g. leisure centres, community centres, meeting hires).
• Carry out robust risk assessments for each session and update accordingly and/or annually.
• Update information for communication materials (e.g. posters, social media, leaflets, newsletters and website) to publicise sessions.
• Set up working groups and gain insight from people with lived mental health problems.
• Organise, develop and deliver workshops for external organisations and clubs.
• Be responsible for money handling (e.g. cashing cheques, collecting and delivering moneyli>
• Complete data entry for sessions. Ensuring all relevant data is collected for each funding body.
• Support with ad‑hoc charitable matters.
• Be committed to good practice and ensure familiarity with all Sport in Mind policies and procedures (e.g. health and safety, confidentiality and safeguarding).
• To promote equality and diversity in all aspects of your work by developing and maintaining relationships, ensuring that colleagues are treated fairly and with respect/dignity.
• Represent the charity at local and national events.

Special/Other Requirements/Responsibilities of this Post

Level of DBS check required for this post: Enhanced with a check of the barring list(s)

Does the post require a check against the list of people barred from working with vulnerable adults? YES

Does the post require a check against the list of people barred from working with children? YES

Other security/safer recruitment clearances required for this post? N/A

Responsibility for Health & Safety: LEVEL 2

Person Specification

Qualifications/Education/Training

• Degree level education or relevant experience
• Valid driving licence.

Experience

• Over 2 years, working with vulnerable, diverse communities
• Health & Safety
• Safeguarding
• Setting up sport and physical activity sessions
• Empowering people to create behaviour change
• Building strong, meaningful partnerships
• Managing sessional staff and volunteers
• Advocating sport and physical activity benefits for physical and mental health
• Working with highly confidential information and following GDPR
• Motivating and influencing people
• Mental Health First Aid
• Pregnancy and postnatal training or working experience
• Working with children and young people
• Ability to think and work creatively whilst supporting others
• Highly organised – good timekeeping and administration skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent delivery of health and safety and safeguarding procedures
• A personal and/or working knowledge of mental health and sport and physical activity

Specific Working Requirements

• Work will be based in the Sport in Mind office, community and home.
• Able to work unsocial hours, including weekends, bank holidays and occasional evenings where appropriate.
• Must bring a positive and enthusiastic image to the service you provide.
• Commitment to policies and procedures, including equal opportunities.
• Willing and able to travel where necessary with own transport.