Job title: Area Manager
Salary: PO3 £42,839 - £46,142
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: JCCS, City wide
As an Area Manager, you¼ thrive on leading people, driving performance, and shaping services that make a real difference to communities across Leeds.
It not about sitting behind a desk all day, this is your chance to lead from the front, inspire teams, and deliver high-quality leisure services that support the health and wellbeing of our city.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As an Area Manager, you will bring to the role:
1. Proven experience of delivering operational excellence.
2. Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop teams.
3. A track record of meeting challenging financial and performance targets.
4. Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
5. A detailed understanding of health and safety and facility management.
About the role
This is a fantastic opportunity to lead multiple leisure centres across Leeds, ensuring they operate safely, efficiently, and in line with our Active Leeds vision & values. You¼ play a key role in shaping how our services are delivered, influencing strategy, and ensuring our facilities meet the needs of our diverse communities.
As our next Area Manager, you¼ be at the heart of our mission to promote active lifestyles and wellbeing across the city. You¼ lead and support Centre Managers, drive innovation, and ensure our services are inclusive, high-performing, and financially sustainable.
The role is integral to our Active Leeds
team a passionate and ambitious service committed to improving the health of the city through physical activity. You¼ be part of a dynamic leadership team, working collaboratively with partners, stakeholders, and communities to deliver real impact.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
6. a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
7. membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
8. flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
9. a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
10. a range of to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Upload your CV and complete a personal statement of no more than 500 words.
Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose: To manage and influence service delivery in support of Active Leeds objectives:
11. Ensuring a safe environment for customers and staff.
12. Ensuring exceptional standards of service delivery.
13. Ensuring financial and throughput targets are met.
14. Ensuring that partnership working is at the forefront of delivery.
15. Ensuring that the values of Active Leeds are embedded with the leisure centre.
Responsibilities for Grade:
16. To lead on the delivery of safe, high quality, effective and efficient services that meet the strategic objectives of Active Leeds and support council objectives.
17. To be responsible for all facility management, maintenance, energy consumption, health and safety and pool operations, ensuring the highest possible standard to meet customer expectations.
18. To lead and manage against HR policies such as discipline, grievance, performance, sickness, recruitment and selection.
19. To lead and manage the appraisal process with an emphasis on succession planning and performance management.
20. To achieve mystery, visit targets and positive NPS scores as set by the service.
21. To deliver against leisure centre budget targets (income and expenditure) and financial planning forecasts for multiple sites.
22. Prepare and present appropriate reports as required for partners, elected members and senior officers.
23. Effectively manage, lead and motivate staff.
24. To ensure plans are in place to effectively manage service delivery with an overall aim to keep disruptions to service to an absolute minimum.
25. Maintain a strong knowledge and understanding of relevant strategies and policy / technical issues relating to the services being delivered.
26. Influence strategic direction with regards to health and safety, revenue management, people management and financial performance.
27. To maintain effective communications and engagement with staff, service users, elected members, governing bodies, partners and other stakeholders.
28. Initiate and maintain effective relationships with potential funding and delivery partners both internally and externally
29. Support the development of the cities leisure centre stock ensuring compliance with all statutory requirements.
30. To directly lead and develop site management teams in the progress of formal lease / licence / user agreements with clubs or other organisations.
31. As a principle officer within the Council, work flexibly as required to meet directorate and corporate priorities including those required of the emergency resilience team.
32. Overall responsibility in Centre Managers delivering against Health & Fitness sales targets and swim lesson targets.
33. Be available to provide out of working hours contact as required.
34. To undertake any other duties which may be assigned from time to time and that are aligned with the grade of the post.
35. To undertake the accountabilities of the post in accordance with council policies including the Safeguarding of Young People and Vulnerable Adults, Equal Opportunities and Health & Safety policies.
36. To plan, organise and deliver large scale events, while operating within the service policies and procedures.
37. To work with emergency planning and resilience team to provide rest centre facilities in emergency situations.
Qualifications:
Educated to degree level or equivalent
Management certificate or equivalent
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate.
Skills Required
38. Ability to effectively lead, enthuse and motivate teams and individuals.
39. Ability to deliver results against service KPI including sales & retention, income generation, Health and Safety and management of people.
40. Able to develop and lead against a performance management culture.
41. Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workload and that of team members.
42. Ability to deal effectively with a wide range of management issues.
43. Ability to work at a strategic level displaying good strategic management skills.
44. Ability to develop, implement and evaluate business, and delivery plans.
45. Ability to manage budgets effectively in line with service KPI"®
46. Ability to communicate effectively on a range of management issues including complex issues and with a wide range of stakeholders.
47. Ability to influence and persuade.
48. Able to manage and lead emergency situations.
Knowledge Required
49. Understanding of key legislation within sport/leisure governing bodies at National, Regional and local level.
50. Knowledge of how to successfully influence and develop people within management roles.
51. Knowledge and experience of financial management within a large organisation/facility.
52. A detailed knowledge of Health and Safety issues relating to facility management.
53. Knowledge of the use of performance management systems.
54. A full clean driving licence.
55. Knowledge of IT systems including leisure management software in relation to leisure facility management.
56. Knowledge of how to lead teams to deliver against sales and retention targets
57. Knowledge of how to influence and implement strategy to achieve service wide KPI"®
Experience Required
58. Proven track record of success in meeting challenging financial targets.
59. Ability to prepare and present information to senior council management, elected members and members of the public.
60. Proven ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
61. Considerable experience of delivering operational excellence in the leisure industry.
62. Experience of leading teams in delivering successful customer service.
63. Experience of working within Quality Assurance systems.
64. Proven ability to inspire teams and individuals with a focus on people development.
65. Experience of working with internal teams, national governing bodies, health partners and other partners/stakeholders.
66. Experience of dealing with conflict and conflict resolution.
67. Experience of influencing business strategy in order to improve service delivery.
68. Experience of embedding service/organisational values into a leisure centre environment
Behavioural & other Characteristics required
69. An energetic & engaging personality with the ability to motivate & get the best out of your teams
70. Self-motivated with a desire to influence service delivery at senior management level
71. A commitment to delivering a high-quality service.
72. A commitment to continuous improvement and personal development.
73. A flexible approach to the working week with an appreciation of the needs of a service that operates seven days a week over extensive operating hours.
74. Willing to abide by the Council Equal Opportunities Policy in the duties of the post, and as an employee of the Council.
75. Willing to carry out all duties having regard to an employee responsibility under the Council Health and Safety Policies.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.
Skills Required
Knowledge Required
76. Management qualification (DMS/Degree)
77. Health and Safety IOSH qualification or equivalent
78. Pool plant operators certificate (ISRM) or equivalent
#INT
Apply for this job