GENERAL MANAGER – WINDSOR LEISURE CENTRE

Location: Windsor Leisure Centre
Salary: Up to £50,000 per annum
Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Reports to: Contract Manager

Overall Purpose of the Role

The General Manager will have overall responsibility for the successful operational, financial and commercial management of Windsor Leisure Centre, ensuring the centre delivers excellent customer experiences, high standards of health and safety, strong financial performance and positive outcomes for the local community.

The role will provide visible and inspirational leadership to the centre team, ensuring colleagues are supported, developed and motivated to deliver Leisure Focus standards.

The General Manager will work closely with the Contract Manager and the wider Leisure Focus leadership team to develop the centre, maximise participation and income, and deliver the organisation's strategic objectives.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to: Contract Manager
Responsible for: Windsor Leisure Centre team and centre operations

Key Responsibilities

Centre Operations & Performance

• Provide overall leadership for the safe, efficient and successful operation of Windsor Leisure Centre.
• Ensure consistently high standards of customer service, cleanliness, presentation and facility operation.
• Monitor centre performance against agreed operational, financial and customer targets.
• Ensure effective staffing, rotas and resource planning.
• Oversee opening, closing and daily operational procedures.
• Manage incidents, complaints and operational challenges effectively.
• Ensure business continuity arrangements are maintained.

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, motivate and develop the Windsor Leisure Centre team.
• Create a positive, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management and employee development.
• Identify training and development needs and ensure appropriate training is delivered.
• Ensure colleagues are appropriately supervised, informed and supported.
• Develop future leaders and support career progression within Leisure Focus.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Take responsibility for the centre's financial performance and agreed budgets.
• Monitor income, expenditure and financial performance, taking action where required.
• Identify opportunities to increase participation, income and commercial performance.
• Develop and implement initiatives, promotions and activities to maximise centre usage.
• Build effective relationships with partners, schools, community organisations and other stakeholders.
• Support the development and implementation of business and service plans.

Customer Experience & Community

• Ensure customers receive an excellent, welcoming and inclusive experience.
• Promote the widest possible use of the centre and its facilities.
• Develop relationships with local communities, schools, clubs and organisations.
• Support the delivery of activities, events, competitions and community programmes.
• Monitor customer feedback and use insight to drive continuous improvement.
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion across service delivery.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all statutory and Leisure Focus health and safety requirements are met.
• Maintain appropriate safeguarding standards and procedures.
• Ensure staff are appropriately trained and competent for their roles.
• Oversee contractor, maintenance and facilities management arrangements.
• Ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and legislation.
• Promote a culture where health, safety and wellbeing are everyone's responsibility.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Work closely with the Contract Manager and wider Leisure Focus management team.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, customer experience and commercial performance.
• Use data, customer feedback and performance information to inform decision-making.
• Lead and support change initiatives within the centre.
• Represent Leisure Focus professionally with customers, partners and stakeholders.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the level and nature of the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Experience – Essential

• Proven management or leadership experience, ideally within leisure, sport, hospitality, retail, facilities or another customer-focused environment.
• Experience of managing and developing teams.
• Experience of operational management within a busy environment.
• Experience of managing performance and delivering against targets.
• Experience of financial management, budgeting or monitoring income and expenditure.
• Experience of managing customer service and resolving complaints or operational issues.
• Experience of health and safety and risk management.
• Experience of developing effective relationships with customers, staff and external partners.

Experience – Desirable

• Experience managing a leisure centre or similar large public-facing facility.
• Experience of commercial development and income generation.
• Experience of delivering events, programmes or community initiatives.
• Experience of contractor and facilities management.
• Experience of managing change and continuous improvement.
• Experience of partnership working with schools, clubs, community organisations or local authorities.

Skills & Competencies

Essential

• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Ability to motivate, support and develop colleagues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer-service focus.
• Ability to make confident decisions and solve problems.
• Strong organisation and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a busy environment.
• Financial and commercial awareness.
• Ability to analyse information and use data to improve performance.
• Strong understanding of health, safety and safeguarding.
• Ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Confident using digital systems and technology.

Personal Qualities

We are looking for someone who is:

Inspirational • Accountable • Customer-focused • Commercially aware • Inclusive • Resilient • Collaborative • Proactive • Organised • Solutions-focused

You will be visible, approachable and confident, with the ability to lead from the front while bringing people with you.

Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant management, leisure, sport, business or equivalent professional experience.
• Relevant health and safety / first aid qualification or willingness to obtain where required.

Desirable

• Leisure management or sports-related qualification.
• Management or leadership qualification.
• Relevant industry qualifications such as NPLQ or Pool Plant.
• IOSH, NEBOSH or equivalent health and safety qualification.

WHAT LEISURE FOCUS CAN OFFER YOU

• Salary up to £50,000 per annum
• Free gym membership for the employee and an appointed person
• Discounted food and beverages on site
• Discounted retail items
• Career progression and development opportunities
• Training and development
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free on-site parking

WHY JOIN LEISURE FOCUS?

This is an exciting opportunity to lead one of Leisure Focus's key leisure facilities and make a genuine difference to the customer experience and the communities we serve.

We are looking for a General Manager who can combine strong operational leadership with commercial thinking, people development and a passion for leisure.

If you are ambitious, customer-focused and ready to take ownership of a busy leisure centre, we would love to hear from you.

Closing Date: 31st October 2026 but we reserve the right to make an early appointment for experienced and suitably qualified applicants. This job description is not all inclusive. We reserve the right to amend this job description at any time. Leisure Focus is committed to being an inclusive employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and will provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process where required.

To apply, please send your CV and a short covering note to below link:

https://leisurefocus.jobs.peoplefirst.com/jobs/details/recruitment%2Fjobdetails%2Fdb8b1d09-4b82-450c-b374-1a1361c9b010