Deputy head of Health & Safety/Duty Manager in Thames Ditton

The Deputy Head of Health & Safety / Senior Duty Manager is a key operational leadership role responsible for supporting the effective day-to-day safe operation of Colets Health & Fitness Club while providing dedicated Health & Safety leadership and support across the business. The role will provide a clear link between operations, Health & Safety, facilities and people management, helping to embed a strong Health & Safety culture throughout the Club. The postholder will work closely with the Head of Operations, Facilities & Health and Safety and the wider Senior Leadership Team to ensure that Health & Safety responsibilities are understood, managed and embedded within everyday operational activity.

The role will be split between:

• Three days per week as a Duty Manager, providing operational leadership and maintaining a strong health and safety presence across the Club.
• Two days per week dedicated to Health & Safety, supporting the development, implementation and monitoring of the Club's Health & Safety systems, standards and practices – including club cleanliness levels.

This balance may occasionally change due to exceptional need of the club and to cover core business issues. The role will also provide an opportunity for increased responsibility for the management of operational teams as the position develops. Your leadership will directly contribute to delivering an outstanding environment in which members feel valued, comfortable and confident in our standards.

Role and Responsibilities:

Member Experience and Operations:

• Take responsibility for the safe and effective running of the Club during the allocated shifts.
• Ensure all areas of the Club are operating to the required standards.
• Maintain a strong focus on member experience, service standards and NPS.
• Respond appropriately to incidents, accidents, complaints and operational issues.
• Ensure appropriate emergency and contingency procedures are followed.
• Monitor staffing levels and deployment throughout the Club.
• Support and challenge departmental teams where standards are not being met.
• Complete all required Duty Manager checks, inspections and documentation.
• Ensure maintenance, cleaning and operational issues are appropriately reported and followed through.
• Liaise with the Senior Leadership Team and relevant department managers where issues require escalation.
• Support the effective communication of operational issues between shifts.
• Ensure that Health & Safety standards remain a priority during every Duty Manager shift.

People: Leadership & Team Development

• Lead by example, demonstrating professionalism, pride and a positive attitude at all times.
• Train, coach and develop team members to ensure consistent adherence to Health and Safety, Club standards and procedures.
• Conduct regular quality inspections with and provide constructive feedback to maintain exceptional presentation.
• Ensure all team members are appropriately trained, uniformed and equipped to perform their duties safely and effectively.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene, cleanliness and presentation in line with the expectations of a premium private members’ club.
• Implement and monitor cleaning schedules to ensure efficiency and thoroughness.
• Train staff in the safe and effective use of modern cleaning equipment and technologies.

Health & Safety Compliance

• Assist in ensuring compliance with relevant Health & Safety legislation, regulations and recognised best practice.
• Support the implementation and review of Club Health & Safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• Undertake regular Health & Safety inspections and audits across the Club.
• Identify hazards, risks and areas requiring improvement.
• Ensure corrective actions are recorded, allocated and followed through to completion.
• Monitor recurring Health & Safety issues and identify opportunities for preventative action.
• Support the preparation for external Health & Safety audits.
• Assist with maintaining appropriate Health & Safety records and documentation.
• Support the investigation of accidents, incidents, near misses and other Health & Safety concerns.
• Ensure lessons learned from incidents are communicated and implemented.

Embedding Health & Safety

A key responsibility of the role will be to embed Health & Safety into everyday operational management, rather than treating it as a standalone function. This will include:

• Working with department managers to improve Health & Safety ownership.
• Challenging unsafe practices appropriately.
• Providing guidance to managers and team members.
• Promoting a proactive Health & Safety culture.
• Supporting regular communication of Health & Safety priorities.
• Identifying trends from audits, incidents and inspections.
• Helping departments develop and maintain effective local procedures.
• Supporting the Senior Leadership Team in maintaining high Health & Safety standards.

Risk Assessments, Audits & Inspections

The postholder will:

• Assist with the creation, review and implementation of risk assessments.
• Support the review of risk assessments following incidents, changes to operations or identified hazards.
• Conduct planned Health & Safety inspections with the Head of Operations.
• Support departmental compliance checks.
• Monitor outstanding actions and ensure these are progressed.
• Assist with maintaining the Club's Health & Safety annual audit.
• Provide regular updates to the Head of Operations, Facilities & Health and Safety on key risks, trends and outstanding actions.

Fire Safety & Emergency Preparedness

The postholder will support the Head of Operations, Facilities & Health and Safety in relation to:

• Fire safety compliance.
• Fire risk assessment actions.
• Fire alarm and emergency system issues.
• Emergency procedures and evacuation arrangements.
• Fire drills and emergency exercises.
• Monitoring fire safety equipment and associated records.
• Identifying areas where further fire safety controls or improvements may be required.
• Supporting the development and implementation of the Club's Fire Strategy.
• Ensuring emergency arrangements remain understood by operational teams.

Facilities & Contractor Safety

Working collaboratively with the Head of Operations, Facilities & Health and Safety, the postholder will support Health & Safety oversight of:

• Contractors working on site.
• Maintenance activities.
• Building works and projects.
• Permit and access arrangements where applicable.
• Contractor RAMS and supporting documentation.
• Isolation and control measures.
• Construction and maintenance-related risks.
• Safe working practices across operational areas.

The role holder will be expected to identify and escalate concerns but will not assume overall project accountability where responsibility sits with the appointed project lead, Head of Operations, contractor or competent specialist.

Cultural / Values

Commit to the company values and personality.

Our Values:

• Authentic – We are not-for-profit. We are inclusive, unpretentious and trustworthy.
• Supportive – We genuinely care - We are supportive of our community, members and each other.
• Welcoming – Not just another corporate gym - We do things a little differently.
• United – Coming together on the journey – Developing a unified and capable team committed to our vision.

Our Personality:

• Friendly – Outgoing – enthusiastically engages with both colleagues & members.
• Motivated – Positive – Brings a ‘can-do’ energy that brightens up those around them.
• Proud – Engaged – Part of the team, driven to make a genuine contribution.

Be aware of the core business anchors of Colets and embed them into your department:

• Create the right environment.
• Being a Great place to work.
• Going Beyond Member Satisfaction.
• Fuelling Surplus to Reinvest.

KPI’s:

• Member NPS Score – 40.
• Cleaning NPS Score – 90%+.
• Quarterly Mini Audits to achieve 80% / Annual Audit 80%.

Qualifications / Educational Requirements:

• COSHH & Manual Handling (can be trained).
• Pool Plant qualification.
• IOSH managing Health and Safety.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience in a supervisory role within hospitality, leisure or a similar environment.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop a team.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Confident communicator, comfortable interacting with staff, members and visitors.
• Proactive, dependable and able to work independently using your own initiative.
• Flexible to work a combination of early morning and evening shifts across a 7-day rota as required.

The three Duty Manager shifts will form part of the wider Duty Manager rota and will include a requirement to work:

• Early shifts.
• Late shifts.
• Evenings.
• Weekends.
• Bank holidays where required.

The role holder must maintain sufficient flexibility to provide appropriate operational cover.