Sports Development Officer South West

Organisation: Sport in Mind
Salary: 25,000
Location: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and South Somerset
Contract type: Fixed Term (Full time)
Closing date: 30 June 2025
Job Description: Sports Development Officer

Sport in Mind is an independent mental health charity founded in Berkshire in 2010, with a simple mission:
"To improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems through sport and physical activity"
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.
Our services are co-designed by people with personal experience of mental health problems and healthcare professionals, and we have supported the recovery of over 31,000 people.
As a growing organisation, we have an exciting opportunity and seek to appoint a full-time Sports Development Officer who will manage and develop new and existing programmes in the South East.

Job Description
Job Title Sports Development Officer South West
Location Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and South Somerset
Grade/Salary Range £25,000

Job Purpose
1. Work closely with the Sport in Mind team to manage, coordinate and deliver innovative sport, physical activity and education sessions for people experiencing mental health problems in the South West of England.

Designation of Post and Position within Service
1. Responsible to Sport in Mind’s Head of Operations.

Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. 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.
2. Work closely with external partners to support the development of the sessions and gain referrals.
3. Recruit and manage appropriately qualified sports coaches and physical activity leaders to lead motivational and fun sessions for participants.
4. 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).
5. Ensure all participants have completed relevant and necessary paperwork
6. Organise and manage bookings (e.g. leisure centres, community centres, meeting hires).
7. Carry out robust risk assessments for each session and update accordingly and/or annually.
8. Update information for communication materials (e.g. posters, social media, leaflets, newsletters and website) to publicise sessions.
9. Set up working groups and gain insight from people with lived mental health problems
10. Organise, develop and deliver workshops for external organisations and clubs.
11. Be responsible for money handling (e.g. cashing cheques, collecting and delivering money pots).
12. Complete data entry for sessions. Ensuring all relevant data is collected for each funding body.
13. Support with ad-hock charitable matters.
14. Be committed to good practice and ensure familiarity with all Sport in Mind policies and procedures (e.g. health and safety, confidentiality and safeguarding)
15. 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.
16. Represent the charity at local and nation 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)
If *, does the post require a check against the list of people barred from working with vulnerable adults? YES
If *, does the post require a check against the list of people barred from working with children? YES
What other security/safer recruitment clearances are required for this post? (excluding standard identity/work permit/education qualification checks) N/A
Responsibility for Health & Safety: LEVEL 2
Please specify any other Statutory Duties and/or responsibilities of this post not already covered in the “Main Duties & Responsibilities” above N/A

Person Specification
Qualifications/Education/Training
1. Degree level education or relevant experience
2. Safeguarding qualification
3. Valid driving licence.
Experience
1. Over 2 years, working with vulnerable diverse communities
2. Health & Safety
3. Safeguarding
4. Setting up sport and physical activity sessions
5. Empowering people to create behaviour change
6. Building strong meaningful partnerships
7. Managing sessional staff and volunteers
8. Advocating sport and physical activity benefits for physical and mental health
9. Working with highly confidential information and following GDPR
10. Motivating and influencing people
Skills, Abilities & Competencies
1. Ability to think and work creatively whilst supporting others
2. Highly organised – good timekeeping and administration skills
3. Excellent communication, written and verbal
4. Excellent interpersonal skills
5. Ability to work independently and as part of a team
6. Excellent delivery of health and safety and safeguarding procedures
7. Excellent management skills
8. Good computer literacy
9. A personal and/or working knowledge of mental health and sport and physical activity

Specific Working Requirements
1. Work will be based in the Sport in Mind office, community and home.
2. Able to work unsocial hours including weekend, bank holidays and occasional evenings where appropriate.
3. Must bring a positive and enthusiastic image to the service you provide.
4. Commitment to policies and procedures including equal opportunities.
5. Willing and able to travel where necessary.
How to apply: Please send a completed application form and CV to info@sportinmind.org Application form - https://www.sportinmind.org/jobs