At Fitness First, we love what we do - and our digital platforms play a vital role in supporting our members, our teams, and our ambition to keep raising the bar. We're looking for an experienced Head of Development to lead our software and web development capability and play a key role in shaping our digital future. This is a senior leadership role within the IT team, with full ownership of our internal systems, integrations, and all customer‑facing web platforms, including the Fitness First website built on Umbraco. You’ll own the development strategy, lead a talented team, and work win‑together style with stakeholders across the business to deliver secure, scalable platforms that genuinely enhance the member experience. You’ll be encouraged to aim higher, challenge what’s possible, and build technology that supports our long‑term growth – while always acting with care for our people and our members.
What you’ll be responsible for
Owning the development strategy across Fitness First, covering internal systems, integrations, and web platforms
Leading all web development, including the Fitness First website and end‑to‑end member journeys using Umbraco
Building, leading, and developing a high‑performing in‑house development team, working closely with third‑party partners where required
Setting and maintaining high standards of code quality, performance, security, and scalability – aiming higher than “good enough”
Overseeing integrations between the website, membership system, CRM, data warehouse, and third‑party services
Winning together with Marketing, Commercial, and wider teams to support campaigns, promotions, and data capture
Translating business needs into robust, user‑focused technical solutions
Contributing to IT and digital roadmaps, delivery planning, and prioritisation
Team Culture and Leadership Expectations
We love what we do – you bring energy, passion, and pride to your work and inspire the same in your team
Own it – you take accountability for decisions, delivery, and outcomes, and empower others to do the same
Win together – you build strong partnerships across teams, believing the best results come from collaboration
Aim higher – you continuously challenge the status quo, driving innovation and improvement
We care – you lead with empathy, creating a supportive, inclusive environment for your team and delivering technology that works for our members
Qualifications
Proven experience in a senior development leadership role, with clear accountability for delivery and outcomes
Strong hands‑on experience delivering and managing websites using Umbraco
Solid understanding of modern web development, APIs, and system integrations
Strong SQL knowledge and experience working with relational databases
Experience leading teams in Agile delivery environments
The ability to communicate confidently and collaboratively with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
Desirable
Experience in membership‑based, retail, or consumer‑facing digital environments
Exposure to cloud platforms and modern deployment pipelines
Experience integrating CMS platforms with marketing, CRM, and analytics tools
Why join Fitness First?
A senior leadership role with real influence over our digital and development strategy
The opportunity to own and shape high‑traffic, customer‑facing platforms
Work with passionate, collaborative teams across IT, Marketing, and the wider business
Competitive salary and benefits package
A flexible, supportive working environment focused on outcomes, trust, and continuous improvement
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