NOC 50012: Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors
What recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors do
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of comprehensive recreational, sports and fitness programs and services, national or provincial sports governing agencies and professional athletic teams. They are employed by municipalities, community and private recreational and fitness organizations, sports governing agencies and professional athletic team organizations.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of recreation, sports and fitness programs and services
- Provide technical and professional advice on recreation, sports and fitness matters
- Prepare budget estimates and develop policies and procedures to implement programs
- Manage the operations of a sports governing agency
- Organize and administer national and provincial training, coaching, officiating and other programs associated with a particular sport
- Manage the operations of a professional athletic team
- Recruit professional coaches and athletes
- Direct fundraising drives and arrange for sponsorships from public and private organizations
- Develop long range plans and negotiate business contracts.
Job titles under NOC 50012
86 job titles are classified here, including director of recreation, professional football team manager, professional hockey team manager.
- amateur sport manager
- bingo hall manager
- casino operations manager
- cruise ship director
- director of fitness administration - government
- director of leisure
- director of leisure and sports
- director of recreation
- director of recreation and sports
- director of sports administration - government
- director of sports and leisure
- director of sports and recreation
- entertainment, sports and leisure director
- entertainment, sports and recreation director
- fitness administration director - government
- fitness centre manager
- fitness club manager
- fitness programs director
- health club manager
- health studio manager
- horse racing director
- leisure administrator
- leisure administrator in chief
- leisure and sports director
Employment requirements
- A university degree in recreology, physical education, sports administration or a related field or A college diploma in recreation management or sports administration is usually required.
- Several years of experience in an occupation related to recreation and sports administration, consulting or programming are usually required.
- Some directors of recreation may be required to have a Municipal Recreation Director's Certificate.
- Executive directors of sports governing agencies may be required to have coaching certification in a particular sport.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $22.00/hr | $36.63/hr | $76.92/hr |
Toronto ON | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $83.03/hr |
Montréal QC | $29.53/hr | $40.28/hr | $71.92/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $23.08/hr | $39.90/hr | $107.69/hr |
Calgary AB | $22.00/hr | $42.74/hr | $75.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $22.00/hr | $42.74/hr | $75.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $29.16/hr | $40.09/hr | $73.14/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $21.37/hr | $32.45/hr | $62.50/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $26.75/hr | $41.38/hr | $66.67/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $25.00/hr | $37.50/hr | $60.10/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $25.00/hr | $37.50/hr | $60.10/hr |
London ON | $25.00/hr | $37.50/hr | $60.10/hr |
Halifax NS | $20.83/hr | $35.71/hr | $70.33/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $28.85/hr | $35.77/hr | $45.13/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $28.85/hr | $35.77/hr | $45.13/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $22.66/hr | $32.13/hr | $55.72/hr |
Nova Scotia | $20.83/hr | $35.71/hr | $70.33/hr |
New Brunswick | $20.00/hr | $39.00/hr | $88.82/hr |
Quebec | $26.75/hr | $41.38/hr | $66.67/hr |
Ontario | $25.00/hr | $37.50/hr | $60.10/hr |
Manitoba | $21.37/hr | $32.45/hr | $62.94/hr |
Saskatchewan | $28.85/hr | $35.77/hr | $45.13/hr |
Alberta | $22.00/hr | $42.74/hr | $75.00/hr |
British Columbia | $23.08/hr | $39.90/hr | $107.69/hr |
Using NOC 50012 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 86 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Coaches (NOC 53201)
- Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness (NOC 54100)
- Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers (NOC 41406)
- Sports officials and referees (NOC 53202)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors?
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are NOC 2021 unit group 50012. Example job titles in this group include director of recreation, professional football team manager, professional hockey team manager, professional track and field team manager.
What TEER is NOC 50012?
NOC 50012 is TEER 0 (Management). Management occupations. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $36.63/hr, about $71,000 a year full-time, with a range of $22.00/hr to $76.92/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.