Description

Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of comprehensive recreational, sports and fitness programs and services, national or provincial sports governing agencies and professional athletic teams. They are employed by municipalities, community and private recreational and fitness organizations, sports governing agencies and professional athletic team organizations.

Job Titles

• Director of recreation
• Professional football team manager
• Professional hockey team manager
• Professional track and field team manager
• Sports administration director – government
• Sports association director
• Sports federation director
• Sports program director
• Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) programs director

Main Duties

• Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of recreation, sports and fitness programs and services
• Provide technical and professional advice on recreation, sports and fitness matters
• Prepare budget estimates and develop policies and procedures to implement programs
• Manage the operations of a sports governing agency
• Organize and administer national and provincial training, coaching, officiating and other programs associated with a particular sport
• Manage the operations of a professional athletic team
• Recruit professional coaches and athletes
• Direct fundraising drives and arrange for sponsorships from public and private organizations
• Develop long range plans and negotiate business contracts.

Workplaces

• Community and private recreational and fitness organizations
• Municipalities
• Professional athletic team organizations
• Sport governing agencies

Work Environment

• Indoors, environmentally controlled

Physical Demands

• Sitting

Requirements

• A university degree in recreology, physical education, sports administration or a related field or a college diploma in recreation management or sports administration is usually required.
• Several years of experience in an occupation related to recreation and sports administration, consulting or programming are usually required.
• Some directors of recreation may be required to have a Municipal Recreation Director’s Certificate.
• Executive directors of sports governing agencies may be required to have coaching certification in a particular sport.

Skills

• Management of Financial Resources
• Management of Material Resources
• Persuading
• Coordinating
• Critical Thinking

Abilities

• Fluency of Ideas
• Verbal Ability
• Categorization Flexibility
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning

Personal Attributes

• Leadership
• Adaptability
• Attention to Detail
• Collaboration
• Concern for Others

Similar Occupations

• Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers (41406)
• Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness (54100)
• Coaches (53201)
• Sports officials and referees (53202)

Source: OaSIS