The Recreation Officer role with the City of Sydney is an opportunity to contribute to community programs and recreational initiatives in a vibrant local government environment. As part of the City Spaces Team, you’ll help deliver social, cultural, and educational projects that enrich the lives of Sydney’s diverse community members. This part-time position focuses on managing and facilitating engaging recreational programs at Pyrmont Community Centre, ensuring all residents have access to high-quality activities and facilities.
If you’re seeking a role where you can truly see the impact of your work, the Recreation Officer position offers a fulfilling challenge—managing weekend and evening community activities, coordinating diverse recreational programs, and connecting with people from all backgrounds. With a supportive team at the City of Sydney, you’ll not only develop professionally but also create lasting memories for your local community.
If you’re new to public sector recruitment, check out this unofficial guide to NSW Public Sector recruitment for more insider tips and context.
RECREATION OFFICER: Your Path to a Rewarding Community-Focused Career
Table of Contents
Recreation Officer Salary and Job Overview
| Position Title | Recreation Officer |
| Organisation/Entity | City of Sydney (Local Government) |
| Job Location | Pyrmont Community Centre, Sydney |
| Work Type | Part-time/Term Contract (until 30/06/2025) |
| Base Pay | $48,902.00 per annum plus superannuation |
| Closing Date | 03 March 2025 (11:59pm) |
About The Recreation Officer Opportunity
The Recreation Officer will join the City Spaces Team under the City Life portfolio, contributing to the City of Sydney’s goal to foster a thriving local community.
This position focuses on managing community facilities and organising recreational programs, aiming to engage residents of all ages and backgrounds. As part of local government, this role mirrors many NSW Public Sector values—transparency, equity, and serving the public interest—while also providing variety in daily tasks and interactions.
In day-to-day operations, you’ll collaborate with colleagues, community members, and partner organisations to design and implement recreational initiatives. Whether it’s organising weekly fitness classes, cultural workshops, or weekend family events, your creativity and community development insight will drive these programs.
You’ll uphold essential local government policies, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for participants—particularly in compliance with public sector recruitment guidelines and health and safety standards.
Challenges for Recreation Officer
As a Recreation Officer, you’ll face a variety of challenges that require adaptability and problem-solving skills. Coordinating event or project management tasks for multiple community programs means juggling schedules, budgets, and participant feedback. Balancing community development issues—such as inclusivity and accessibility—while maintaining excellent customer service can also be demanding. The role may involve weekend or evening shifts, requiring flexibility.
You’ll also need to navigate local government protocols such as obtaining a Working With Children Check and completing a Criminal Record Check. Familiarity with facility operations is key, as you could be overseeing room bookings, equipment maintenance, and compliance checks. Yet, these challenges also present growth opportunities, letting you refine your skills in community engagement, program evaluation, and cross-departmental collaboration.
Reasons to Apply for Recreation Officer
There are numerous compelling reasons to consider applying for this Recreation Officer position:
- Make a Tangible Impact: Shape community programs that enhance quality of life for Sydney residents, facilitating social, cultural, and educational activities.
- Professional Growth: Gain valuable insights into public sector recruitment processes and city-level policy implementation, paving the way for future opportunities in local or state government.
- Collaborative Environment: Work within a supportive, inclusive team that values diversity, innovation, and excellent customer service.
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Enjoy the advantage of part-time hours and potential for professional development through ongoing training and on-the-job experience.
This role offers a comprehensive foundation in community-oriented local government work, blending front-line service delivery with strategic planning and engagement.
Recreation Officer Application Requirements
Application Process
When preparing your application, you’ll need to include a detailed resume and a strong cover letter demonstrating why you’re the ideal candidate for this Recreation Officer role.
Be sure to highlight your experience in facilitating recreational programs, managing community facilities, and working with diverse groups. Also address your familiarity with community development issues and how you’ve used customer service skills to ensure inclusive, engaging activities.
The City of Sydney uses an online submission portal for all applications. As you prepare your cover letter, review the essential and desirable criteria below, as hiring managers will use this as the basis for their assessment.
Essential Role Requirements
In you application, be very clear that you meet all of these requirements:
- Demonstrated experience in planning and delivering social, cultural, educational, or recreational programs.
- Current First Aid Certificate (or willingness to undertake relevant training).
- Valid Working With Children Check and willingness to undergo a Criminal Record Check in accordance with legislated requirements.
- Strong organisational, written, and communication skills, including familiarity with event or project management.
If you can mention any of these skills and experience, it will make your cover letter even stronger:
- Prior facility operations background, managing bookings and ensuring compliance with safety guidelines.
- Proficiency in engaging a diverse community audience, backed by outstanding customer service skills.
- Ability to balance multiple projects, gather feedback, and evaluate program success.
Recreation Officer Application Checklist
| Action | Complete? |
| Review the official job ad and position description. | [ ] |
| Update resume with relevant recreation or community experience. | [ ] |
| Get your cover letter reviewed by an expert | [ ] |
| Double-check all essential criteria (First Aid, WWCC, willingness for Criminal Record Check). | [ ] |
| Prepare examples using the STAR technique for potential interview questions. | [ ] |
Candidate Profile
Meet Avery, a motivated professional with a background in community sports and events. Having volunteered at local youth centers, Avery has experience planning weekend dance workshops, organising family fun days, and coordinating after-school sports leagues.
Seeking to transition into a formal role in local government, Avery believes the part-time Recreation Officer position is the perfect fit to expand their skills and contribute to meaningful community development.
Recreation Officer Example Cover Letter
Click here to download a free public sector cover letter template
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to apply for the Recreation Officer position at the City of Sydney.
With a demonstrated history in planning and delivering social, cultural, and educational programs, I believe I have the ideal combination of skills and passion to excel in this role. Throughout my career, I have sought to make community events inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable for all, which aligns with the City Spaces Team’s commitment to high-quality recreational programs.
In a previous role coordinating youth sports events, I encountered a situation where attendance among teenagers dropped significantly. My task was to reinvigorate interest by designing new, engaging events. I took action and conducted a quick survey to identify teen preferences, established outreach on social media, and reached out to local influencers who volunteered to promote the event. As a result, attendance increased by 40%, and we received positive feedback from both teens and their parents for creating a more appealing and modern sports program.
Additionally, while managing a weekend community festival, I encountered an issue with last-minute vendor cancellations. Recognising how vital these vendors were to the festival’s success, I quickly developed a contingency plan, reaching out to local small businesses and offering them a free booth in exchange for short-notice participation. This approach allowed me to fill the festival roster seamlessly, ensuring the schedule remained engaging for attendees. My swift action and creative problem-solving not only saved the festival but also resulted in strengthened relationships with small business owners who appreciated the opportunity.
What drives me most about the Recreation Officer role is the chance to help a wide range of community members. Working evenings or weekends is an exciting opportunity to see how recreational activities bring people together, positively impacting their well-being and connection to the City of Sydney. My experience with facility operations also ensures that I can maintain safe, compliant spaces and respond promptly to any unexpected issues.
I also possess strong organisational, written, and communication skills, including familiarity with event or project management. For example, in one of my previous roles, I was tasked with organising a neighbourhood community day event aimed at bringing together local families. I handled every step of the process—from logistical planning and vendor coordination to designing promotional flyers and arranging volunteer staffing. These efforts resulted in a 25% increase in attendance compared to the previous year, with participant feedback highlighting the event’s smooth organisation and the strong sense of community it fostered.
I hold a Current First Aid Certificate (and am willing to undertake further relevant training), as well as a valid Working With Children Check, and I am prepared to undergo a Criminal Record Check in accordance with legislated requirements.
Thank you for considering my application. I am dedicated to bringing my passion for recreation and my commitment to local government’s goals to this position. I have enclosed my resume for further details on my work history and qualifications.
I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my experience can contribute to the City Spaces Team.
Sincerely,
Avery Applicant
Explain the STAR Technique for Local Government
The STAR technique is a structured approach for demonstrating how you’ve handled specific workplace challenges. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. When addressing public sector recruitment (including local government roles like Recreation Officer), this method is particularly useful for showing how your past experiences match the job’s focus capabilities.
In the example cover letter, the first scenario illustrates how the candidate faced dwindling attendance, analysed the cause, and developed creative outreach strategies to increase participation. That’s the STAR structure in action. By breaking each story into these four components, you demonstrate not only what you did, but why and how it mattered. This helps hiring managers see the tangible impact of your efforts, which is invaluable in local government hiring contexts where practical results and community benefits are highly valued.
How to Prepare for a Public Sector Interview
Local government and NSW Public Sector interviews often involve demonstrating key capabilities in community development, communication, and problem-solving. Use these steps to stand out:
- Review the Focus Capabilities: Check the role description for the skills and behaviours needed for success as a Recreation Officer.
- Brainstorm Examples: Jot down real-life situations in which you’ve showcased each capability.
- Match to Indicators: Align your examples with the role’s requirements, ensuring you highlight customer service, event management, and facility operations experience.
- Use the STAR Method: Structure your answers to show clear context and actionable results.
- Practice & Use Notes: If allowed, bring brief notes to the interview. If not, rehearse thoroughly beforehand.
Here are three possible interview questions for a Recreation Officer:
- Describe a time you planned or delivered a successful community event or recreational activity. What was your approach, and what was the result?
- How do you handle conflict or challenging behaviour in a community setting, especially when dealing with diverse participant needs?
- Can you give an example of a process or program you improved to better meet community requirements?
Example STAR Response: In a previous volunteer role, I noticed that attendance at a weekly arts workshop was dropping (Situation). I was tasked with increasing attendance through broader outreach (Task). I collaborated with a local arts council, designed more inclusive advertisement strategies, and requested feedback from existing participants to reshape the workshop format (Action). Attendance nearly doubled, and the feedback indicated that our changes helped attract a broader age range (Result).
For more guidance on interview preparation, download our public sector interview questions and answers workbook. It provides detailed insights into common queries, advanced STAR examples, and tips for building confidence before interview day.
Get Ready To Apply For Recreation Officer
Ready to take the next step? Click here to apply for the Recreation Officer position at the City of Sydney. Remember, competition can be strong, so crafting a thorough, tailored application is key.
Don’t forget that one of the easiest ways to boost your chances is to get your cover letter reviewed by experts. You can receive my expert and personalised feedback on your cover letter, ensuring it addresses the role’s focus capabilities and uses the STAR method effectively.
