Duty Lead - Castle Point Borough Council

Essex County Council; Benfleet; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Castle Point Borough Council is seeking a Duty Lead to manage operations across Waterside and Runnymede Leisure Centres. The role focuses on delivering a welcoming customer experience, leading staff on shift and supporting the transition to an active wellbeing model.

You will be responsible for coordinating staff, ensuring safety and cleanliness, handling customer enquiries, and promoting activities to engage more residents in physical activity.

Qualifications

• Requires NPLQ and First Aid at Work qualifications.
• Knowledge of customer service and day-to-day people management.
• Understanding or enthusiasm for leisure's role in improving health and wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Engaging with customers during shift and creating a welcoming experience.
• Coordinate staff deployment, rotas and cover for centres' activities.
• Carrying out inspections, pool water testing and health and safety checks.

Skills

People management

Customer service

Communication

Decision making

Organisational skills

Education

National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ)

First Aid at Work

Job description

Duty Lead - Castle Point Borough Council

Duty Lead - Castle Point Borough Council

Castle Point Borough Council

Permanent, Full Time

Location:

Castle Point

Closing Date: 20th November 2026

Help us create great experiences and healthier communities

Are you passionate about people, wellbeing and creating great customer experiences? We're looking for a Duty Manager to lead our teams on shift, be the welcoming face of our centres and help shape our move to an active wellbeing model, making sure our services reach the people who will benefit from them most whilst still serving our fantastic customer base.

Our leisure centres are about much more than facilities. We're transitioning to an active wellbeing model, working with partners to support residents who are least active, living with long-term health conditions or facing barriers to getting active. You'll play an important part in making that change happen on the ground.

Working across Waterside and Runnymede Leisure Centres, you'll play a key role in how our centres feel to the people who use them. From getting to know our customers and supporting colleagues to keeping our facilities safe, clean and a place for our community to come and get fit and healthier!

About the role

As Duty Manager, you'll be the visible, approachable face of the centre during your shift: talking with customers, listening to their feedback and making sure every visit is a positive one. You'll also take responsibility for operational decisions and respond effectively when priorities change.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Engaging with customers throughout your shift, building relationships and creating a welcoming, inclusive experience for everyone.
• Championing our active wellbeing approach, helping people who are inactive, living with health conditions or facing barriers to take part feel confident and supported.
• Coordinating staff deployment, rotas and cover to support the centres' activities.
• Carrying out operational inspections, pool water testing and health and safety checks.
• Overseeing pool plant operation and the safe use and storage of chemicals.
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness, presentation, security and equipment readiness.
• Resolving customer enquiries and feedback professionally, and using what you hear to improve the experience.
• Responding to incidents and emergencies, providing first aid and coordinating staff in line with centre procedures.
• Supporting recruitment, staff inductions, training and development.
• Promoting activities and programmes to reach new customers.
• Providing reception and lifeguard cover when required.

You’ll also contribute to reviewing risk assessments and operating procedures, coordinating maintenance and working with contractors and suppliers.

About you

You’ll be a people person who enjoys engaging with customers and genuinely cares about the difference physical activity can make to people's health and wellbeing. You’ll bring strong communication skills and the ability to organise competing priorities in a busy leisure environment. You’ll be confident supporting and directing colleagues, using your initiative and making sound decisions while keeping safety at the forefront.

The role requires the below (Training can be provided for the right candidate):

• A National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ).
• A First Aid at Work qualification.
• Knowledge of customer service and day-to-day people management.
• An understanding of, or real enthusiasm for, the role leisure can play in improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.
• A practical approach to problem-solving and maintaining safe, well-presented facilities.

You’ll need to work across both leisure centres and undertake emergency keyholder responsibilities when required.