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Why Southwark?
Southwark is one of London’s most vibrant boroughs – a place where history meets innovation. As a council, we are passionate about making Southwark a place that people are proud to call home. Our vision is a fairer future for all, keeping residents at the heart of everything we do.
By joining our Leisure Division, you will be part of a team that provides high-quality, accessible and inclusive leisure services that support health, wellbeing and social cohesion across our diverse communities. You’ll be working in an organisation that values openness, accountability, and equality, and you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our residents.
What You'll Be Doing
As General Manager, you will be responsible for the effective, efficient and safe operation of our leisure centres. You will lead and motivate a team to deliver exceptional customer experiences, meet ambitious financial and operational targets, and maintain the highest standards of safety, cleanliness and service delivery.
Your key responsibilities will include:
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Leading daily operations to ensure centres run smoothly and meet council objectives.
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Maintaining a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for all customers.
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Managing and monitoring budgets, analysing financial performance, and driving efficiencies.
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Developing business plans and programmes that balance community needs with financial viability.
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Leading, mentoring and developing staff to maximise team performance.
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Handling customer feedback and complaints professionally and promptly.
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Promoting continuous improvement and supporting the achievement of accreditations such as Quest.
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Ensuring compliance with all policies, procedures and health & safety standards.
This is a dynamic and hands-on role, requiring excellent leadership, organisational and commercial skills, as well as a strong commitment to customer service.
What We're Looking For
We are seeking a candidate with a solid understanding of leisure centre operations, health and safety requirements, and performance management processes. You will bring proven experience of using booking systems and data reporting tools to monitor and improve performance, alongside strong financial acumen with the ability to manage budgets and interpret financial information effectively.
You will have significant experience managing the daily operations of leisure or sports facilities, with a track record of successfully leading and developing teams. A commitment to delivering exceptional customer service to a diverse community is essential.
You will possess excellent communication skills, enabling you to engage confidently with a wide range of stakeholders, and demonstrate strong commercial awareness to support the delivery of financially viable services. Highly organised and able to prioritise tasks effectively, you will be skilled at delegating responsibilities and fostering a collaborative team environment.
A proactive problem-solver, you will be committed to continuous improvement and to driving high standards across the service. This role requires flexibility to work shifts, including evenings and weekends, and is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Additional Information
Closing Date: Friday 26 September 2025
Interview Date: W/C 6 October 2025
Benefits and more information:
https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/
Guaranteed Interview Scheme
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
- If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
If you are ready to lead by example, deliver results and make a meaningful impact in Southwark, we would like to hear from you.
?? Apply now to become the next MOVE Southwark General Manager.
Attachments
- Click here to view the Job description and Person specification
