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
This is a standout opportunity for an individual with experience in sport development, community engagement, or participation growth to join our mission-led organisation.
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.
What’s more, you’ll discover a dynamic and exciting environment where there is plenty of room for growth and a host of rich rewards that will ensure you are equipped and enabled to thrive in your role.
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.
Additionally, you will:
* 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
To be considered as our Sport & Leisure Development Officer, you will need:
* 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
We want to put everyone in the best possible position to succeed and use the Recite-me accessibility software. At the top of the application page, there is an “Accessibility Tools” button, which you can use to complete the application form in a way that works for you. If you think that you may need more support to complete our application process, please do get in touch.
Other organisations may call this role Sports Development Officer, Participation Development Officer, Project Officer, Engagement Officer, Community Sport Officer, or Leisure Development Officer.
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.