jobfacts

Leisure and sports managers and proprietors

SOC 2020 1224

Leisure and sports managers organise and proprietors, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources required for the provision of sporting, artistic, theatrical and other recreational and amenity services.

Also calledLeisure centre managerSports centre managerGym managerManagerBaths managerPark managerand 95 more titles
Typical full-time pay£36,0002025 Provisional
People in the job61,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month1,100↓ 1.4%on last year · 169th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time leisure and sports managers and proprietors earn between £28,200 and £42,800 a year.

What full-time leisure and sports managers and proprietors earn, 2025
£36,000 typical£24,900lowest 10%£46,000top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£28,200–£42,800)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£24,900
Lowest 20% earn less than£26,800
25%£28,200
Median£36,000
75%£42,800
Top 20% earn more than£46,000
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Many (21%) of leisure and sports managers and proprietors work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed leisure and sports managers and proprietors earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £36,000
North West!£39,800
South East!£38,800
Yorkshire and The Humber!£37,800
London!£36,900
West Midlands!£35,600
South West!£31,100
Scotland!£30,900
North East!£25,700
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £36,000
North West£39,800 (small sample)
South East£38,800 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£37,800 (small sample)
London£36,900 (small sample)
West Midlands£35,600 (small sample)
South West£31,100 (small sample)
Scotland£30,900 (small sample)
North East£25,700 (small sample)
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £34,300
  • 2024 £34,100
  • 2025 Provisional£36,000
↑ 5.1% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,100 jobs for leisure and sports managers and proprietors are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,168
Jul 20261,155
Jun 20261,161
May 20261,211
Apr 20261,184
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026997
Jan 20261,182
Dec 2025606
Nov 20251,119
Oct 20251,380
Sept 20251,324
Aug 20251,130
Jul 20251,307
Jun 20251,282
May 20251,407
Apr 20251,222
Mar 20251,199
Feb 20251,170
Jan 20251,109
Dec 2024653
Nov 20241,052
Oct 20241,137
Sept 20241,196
Aug 20241,176
Jul 20241,306
Jun 20241,341
May 20241,568
Apr 20241,332
Mar 20241,238
Feb 20241,179
Jan 20241,371
Dec 2023907
Nov 20231,032
Oct 20231,054
Sept 20231,087
Aug 20231,162
Jul 20231,184
Jun 20231,591
May 20231,744
Apr 20231,344
Mar 20231,588
Feb 20231,530
Jan 20231,934
Dec 20221,454
Nov 20221,540
Oct 20221,816
Sept 20221,673
Aug 20221,829
Jul 20222,003
Jun 20221,765
May 20222,011
Apr 20221,626
Mar 20221,824
Feb 20221,788
Jan 20221,910
Dec 20211,381
Nov 20211,622
Oct 20211,605
Sept 20211,516
Aug 20211,561
Jul 20211,654
Jun 20211,517
May 20211,555
Apr 20211,217
Mar 20211,340
Feb 2021806
Jan 2021702
Dec 2020769
Nov 2020863
Oct 20201,157
Sept 20201,049
Aug 2020888
Jul 2020742
Jun 2020619
May 2020617
Apr 2020733
Mar 20201,420
Feb 20201,723
Jan 20201,612
Dec 20191,138
Nov 20191,544
Oct 20191,587
Sept 20191,576
Aug 20191,522
Jul 20191,811
Jun 20192,069
May 20191,971
Apr 20191,328
Mar 20191,663
Feb 20191,429
Jan 20191,711
Dec 20181,037
Nov 20181,822
Oct 20181,587
Sept 20181,747
Aug 20181,601
Jul 20181,546
Jun 20181,761
May 20181,556
Apr 20181,389
Mar 20181,646
Feb 20181,508
Jan 20181,755
Dec 20171,106
Nov 20171,412
Oct 20171,434
Sept 20171,404
Aug 20171,424
Jul 20171,387
Jun 20171,699
May 20171,776
Apr 20171,585
Mar 20171,897
Feb 20171,474
Jan 20171,974
Is there a shortage of leisure and sports managers and proprietors?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hours worked, change in hourly wage.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
46%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for managers and proprietors in hospitality and leisure services, which includes leisure and sports managers and proprietors. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London594
Manchester57
Somerset57
Bristol, City of51
Birmingham50
Leeds40
City of Edinburgh37
Nottingham35
Liverpool34
Buckinghamshire34
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where leisure and sports managers and proprietors are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 17 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from United States, South Africa, Iran, ranking it 192nd of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of leisure and sports managers and proprietors
n/p
21%!
25%!
20%!
19%!
5.1%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3421% (small sample)
35–4425% (small sample)
45–5420% (small sample)
55–6419% (small sample)
65+5.1% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent46%
Higher education below degree!7.8%
A levels or equivalent25%
GCSEs or equivalent!9.9%
Other qualifications!6.4%
No qualifications!2.6%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent46%
Higher education below degree7.8% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent25%
GCSEs or equivalent9.9% (small sample)
Other qualifications6.4% (small sample)
No qualifications2.6% (small sample)

Main employers: operation of sports facilities (20%), other amusement and recreation activities (8.2%), fitness facilities (5.6%), sports and recreation education (5.1%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
46%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
3
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
18 months to 5 years
typically
Self-employed
21%
of people in the job

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • sports and leisure management
  • leisure studies
  • sports science
  • recreation management
  • business management
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could take a college course, which may help when looking for a trainee management position.

Relevant subjects include:

  • leisure management
  • sport and exercise science
  • coaching
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Leisure Team Member Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship and follow that up with a Duty Team Manager Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

These usually take between 1 and 2 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as an admin officer, swimming teacher or fitness coach and apply for a place on a management trainee scheme in a leisure centre. You could then work towards professional qualifications to become a manager.

Other routes

You could join a graduate management trainee scheme with one of the large leisure companies, if you've got a degree.

On a scheme, you would work in different areas of the business while completing professional qualifications to become a manager.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks
  • have a first aid certificate

Registration and professional bodies

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) for professional recognition, training and career development opportunities.

Further information

You can find more information about working in leisure management from CIMSPA.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for leisure centre manager. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

3 for this job
Level 7About 5 years

Chartered landscape professional

Leads to
Landscape Institute
Employers may ask for
Typically, an apprentice might be expected to have already achieved Level 3 qualifications e.g. A Levels or a Level 3 apprenticeship in a related discipline…
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • organises timetable of activities/schedule of programmes
  • ensures that facilities are kept clean and in good condition and that appropriate health and safety requirements are adhered to
  • keeps abreast of new trends and developments in recreational activities and arranges exhibitions, theatrical productions, concerts, demonstrations, etc
  • advises on the facilities available and promotes publicity in relation to shows, games, races, new theme parks, etc
  • determines financial, staffing, material and other short and long-term needs
  • recruits, supervises and trains staff
  • ensures custody of all cash receipts and organises regular stock checks

Skills

  • perform project management
  • coordinate events
  • establish daily priorities
  • follow company standards
  • lead a team
  • liaise with local authorities
  • manage budgets
  • manage logistics
  • manage operational budgets
  • manage staff
  • manage supplies
  • plan health and safety procedures
  • recruit employees
  • represent the organisation

Knowledge

  • corporate social responsibility
  • accounting
  • budgetary principles
  • cultural projects

Suits people who like

  • Leading and persuading
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for other managers and proprietors, a group of 22 jobs that includes leisure and sports managers and proprietors.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 43%about 494,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.3 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.