Managers in Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport - What They Do

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 duties

This group performs some or all of the following 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.

Job titles

sports program director
sports association director
sports federation director
director of recreation
YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) programs director
professional football team manager
professional hockey team manager
professional track and field team manager
sports administration director - government

Employment Requirements

This is what you typically need for the job:

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.

Essential Skills

Management