General Manager

Leisure (Operations); Basingstoke; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Real Living Wage

Pension 7% matched

Bonus scheme

Leave buy/sell option

Healthcare cashback

Wellbeing support

Place Rewards

Training & progression

Star Awards

Inclusion & wellbeing

Gym membership

Life Assurance

Job summary

Places Leisure in the United Kingdom seeks a General Manager to lead a busy leisure site, drive operational and financial performance, and deliver a high-quality customer experience. You will manage membership sales, retention and revenue while fostering partnerships with clients and community groups.

You will develop your leadership team, ensure social value delivery, and collaborate across the wider business to meet contractual commitments and promote inclusive services.

Qualifications

• Experience leading and developing a multi-functional operational team.
• Experience managing a leisure facility or similar customer-focused operation.
• Proven ability to manage operational, commercial and financial targets.
• Confident using performance information and KPIs to improve results.

Responsibilities

• Lead the leisure site and its team to deliver excellent services.
• Oversee membership sales, retention and revenue with a high-quality customer experience.
• Act as the key liaison between Places Leisure and the Council to support contract delivery.
• Develop the leadership team and ensure social value targets are met while promoting inclusive service delivery.

Skills

Leading multi-functional team

Leisure facility management

KPIs & performance

Stakeholder liaison

Job description

Places Leisure is part of the Places for People Group, we're changing lives by creating active places and healthier people for communities to thrive. As one of the UK's leading Social Enterprises, Places for People believes it's people who make a community, which is why we build homes, deliver services and create opportunities that help communities flourish. At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers. We're looking for individuals who share our values, do the right thing, support their communities and are motivated to grow. We apply the same philosophy to our colleagues as we do to our communities, ensuring everyone feels valued, supported and empowered to succeed. Here, you're more than just a colleague, you're part of our cause.

More about your role

As General Manager, you will lead your leisure site and its team, delivering excellent services that help create active, healthy and thriving communities. You will take ownership of the site's financial, commercial and operational performance, using key performance indicators to identify opportunities and take effective action. You will oversee membership sales, retention and revenue, while ensuring customers consistently receive a high-quality experience.

You will also act as the key liaison between Places Leisure and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, building a strong partnership and ensuring effective communication and collaboration to support the successful delivery of the contract.

You will develop your leadership team, set clear objectives and support colleagues through effective induction and development planning. Working collaboratively with clients, community groups, health and wellbeing partners and colleagues across the wider business, you will ensure contractual commitments are met, social value targets are delivered and the site is recognised as an example of excellent leisure management.

Essential criteria

• Previously experience of leading and developing a multi-functional operational team.
• Experience of managing a leisure facility or similar customer-focused operation.
• Proven ability to manage operational, commercial and financial targets.
• Confident using performance information and KPIs to improve results.

More about you

You will be an inspiring and visible leader who can bring people together around clear operational and financial goals. You will be results-focused, comfortable managing a range of responsibilities and passionate about providing an excellent service for customers and communities. You will understand how to manage financial performance and use commercial and operational information to make informed decisions. Experience within leisure facility management would be beneficial. You will also be confident working with clients and partners, developing your team and creating an inclusive environment in which colleagues and communities can thrive. This role requires an Enhanced Disclosure check.

Benefits

We are a large diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for. We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package with each role, yours will include:

• We pay the Real Living Wage as a minimum
• Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
• Bonus scheme
• Option to buy or sell annual leave days
• Healthcare cashback plan for everyday medical costs, with private GP and health support services available
• Comprehensive wellbeing support including counselling, flu jabs, our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and access to our Wellbeing Hub, supporting your mental, physical and financial wellbeing
• Access to Our Place Rewards, offering discounts and savings on groceries, travel, shopping, home products and other lifestyle purchases
• Ongoing training, professional qualifications, internal development programmes and career progression opportunities
• Recognition programmes including Star Awards and Colleague Awards, celebrating achievements and recognising great work
• Strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing and colleague engagement
• Free membership to Places Gyms
• Life Assurance to provide financial security for your loved ones, alongside access to will writing services to help you plan for the future with confidence