Sport and Physical Activity Programme Officer in Coventry

Sport and Physical Activity Programme Officer

The Sport, Physical Activity & Wellbeing Service at Coventry City Council is committed to creating a healthier, more active city where everyone has the opportunity to move more and live well. Working collaboratively with communities, schools, sports clubs, health partners, national governing bodies and voluntary organisations, we design and deliver programmes that increase participation in sport and physical activity, tackle inequalities, and improve physical and mental wellbeing.

Alongside community‑focused programmes, we lead and support the development of Coventry's sport and physical activity infrastructure, securing external funding, investing in new and improved facilities, and developing sustainable, accessible spaces that encourage participation. Current projects include PlayZones, Padel courts, football hubs, netball facilities, cricket infrastructure and the continued enhancement of public leisure facilities.

The service also plays a key role in positioning Coventry as a leading sporting city through the attraction, coordination and delivery of local, national and international sporting events. Working with partners across the city, we support major events that generate economic impact, showcase Coventry on the national and international stage, inspire participation, and create lasting community benefits.

What is the job role?

The Sport and Physical Activity Programme Officer role is within Care, Health and Directorate at Coventry City Council. The role will be place based, developmental and rewarding, as Coventry reaches the end of its current ten‑year Sports Strategy 2014‑2024 and looks forward to a new phase of development and delivery across the sport, physical activity and wellbeing sectors, as we seek to increase participation and promote equity in sport and physical activity – the implementation of the ‘Coventry: City of Movement Strategy 2026‑2031’.

This role is being advertised as fixed‑term for 2 years.

As a Sport and Physical Activity Programme Officer you will support the development and implementation of sport, physical activity initiatives, strategies and action plans, enabling sports and physical activity programmes and projects to have the greatest impact on local residents.

The job role’s primary focus will be to enable commissioning, delivery and evaluation of sports and cultural activities in a robust and effective manner, and to ensure the service meets high standards of financial and operational management and fulfils its reporting and monitoring functions within corporate frameworks.

A key part of the role will be to embed effective partnerships and support the development within the sector to promote sport and physical activity access and meet the needs of our diverse communities. You will play a key part in the contract/grant management of leisure services and leading development programmes, with a specific focus on increasing participation, widening inclusion and achieving better outcomes for the local people. The role will assist the development of new innovations within the sector in a place based systemic approach.

To provide support for the development and delivery of projects and programmes in the Care, Health and Housing Service as required.

All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a Programme Officer who can develop and maintain key place‑based partnerships; deliver strong local governance arrangements; be a key part of a small team of people working across multiple projects with a diverse range of partners; and demonstrate understanding of the lived experiences of diverse cultures across our city.

You should be:

• An Advocate – with the ability to advocate for key sports, leisure, physical activity and wellbeing projects and initiatives in supporting to deliver city priorities, promoting accessibility, tackling inequalities and achieving better outcomes for local people
• A Collaborator and Enabler – with a good understanding of place‑based working; able to support diverse partnerships and develop appropriate governance arrangements to facilitate delivery of complex development and infrastructure initiatives, projects and programmes for the benefit of local people
• An Organiser – with financial and performance management skills; able to analyse and interpret data and effectively manage contracted performance, grant‑funded programmes and commercial partnerships

You should have:

• In depth knowledge of the structure and funding of the sports, physical activity and wellbeing sector in the UK, including an understanding of the role of local authorities in working to increase and widen participation in sport and physical activity
• An understanding of project and programme management, including experience of project monitoring, appraisal and evaluation systems to demonstrate learning
• Experience of assisting collaborative partnerships and finance related to grants or similar funded programmes
• Experience of working on development plans within sport, and physical activity, or related sectors, to successfully promote access and widen participation
• Experience of supporting funding bids, developing commercial partnerships and/or raising sponsorship to deliver clear priorities

Working Patterns and Posts

This role is being advertised as fixed‑term for 2 years. It is a full‑time post, 37 hours per week, with a requirement to work flexibly in relation to hours, including unsociable hours, evenings, weekends and occasional overnight stays. The role involves attending meetings and events in the Coventry area, with occasional travel within the region and nationally.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the following criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long‑term health condition

Interview date(s): Week commencing Monday 31st August 2026

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change. We are cutting‑edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse. At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.