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Leisure centre manager

Leisure centre managers look after the day-to-day running of sports and leisure centres.

Potential salary
£18,000 to £35,000
Working hours
39 to 41 a week
  • business management skills
  • leadership skills
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • maths knowledge
  • knowledge of human resources and employment law
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Your duties will vary depending on where you work, but would typically include:

  • arranging leisure activity timetables
  • organising and promoting special events
  • recruiting, scheduling and managing staff
  • controlling budgets
  • taking responsibility for health and safety
  • visiting organisations, like local authorities, to promote your centre

You could work at a fitness centre or in an office.

You're likely to have more opportunities for promotion in larger organisations. With experience you may be able to become an area or regional manager, with responsibility for service development among a group of centres.

You could use your experience in leisure centre management to move into related areas like sports promotion and development, or building partnerships with local authorities and national governing bodies.

You can find out more about working in leisure from the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity.

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