At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage a vibrant leisure centre, ensuring excellent customer experiences and motivating your team.
- Company: Join Freedom Leisure, a leading charitable trust focused on improving lives through leisure.
- Benefits: Enjoy discounts, incremental holidays, 24/7 support, and career progression opportunities.
- Other info: Flexible hours with a supportive team environment and training provided.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in your community while having fun and growing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in management, customer service, and a passion for the leisure industry.
The predicted salary is between 29010 - 29010 £ per year.
Join the Energy at Freedom Leisure – Do Good Feel Good! At Freedom Leisure, we’re all about positive vibes, great people, and making a real impact. Yes, we run leisure and cultural facilities, gyms, and swimming pools—but at the heart of it all, it’s our people who make the difference.
As one of the UK’s leading charitable leisure trusts, we’re proud of our mission of Improving Lives Through Leisure. We’re here to help communities live healthier, happier lives by making our centres welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to everyone - because everyone deserves to feel good. We’re all about delivering amazing customer service with a smile—every single day. We create spaces where people feel at home, supported, and inspired.
If you’re passionate about helping others and love creating great experiences, you’ll feel right at home with us. You don’t need to be an expert to get started - we’ll give you all the training and support you need. With over 130 centres across England and Wales, there’s loads of room to grow. Many of our team have built amazing careers doing what they love, helping customers day-to-day and making people feel good.
We’re proud to be a workplace where everyone is welcome, valued, and supported to thrive—because when our team reflects the communities we serve, we all grow stronger together.
Our Centre Management Team help to provide the services and activities that have a hugely positive impact in our local communities. To achieve this we are recruiting a Duty Manager to work at our Leisure Centre. As an integral part of the site team your work will support the delivery a huge variety of services and ensure our customers receive an excellent experience at our centre.
The role will be busy and varied, no two days will be the same. You will have a good level of autonomy and we’ll be interested in your ideas and suggestions. You will be involved in managing a motivated staff team, organising events and activities, helping customers, making plans for the centre and contributing to genuinely improving peoples’ lives through leisure.
In the event that a high volume of suitable applications are received, the post may close prior to the specified closing date. Please apply as soon as possible if interested.
Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday - Sunday (rota basis)
Requirements
- To actively manage and develop and motivate a team of operational staff
- To be responsible for the day to day duty management and running of the leisure centre to the highest standard
- To contribute to and understand the business and budgetary performance of the centre
- To be a proactive member of the leisure centre team
- A passion for the industry demonstrated through continuous professional development
- Experience of problem solving, customer service and staff management
- 2 years prior experience working in a Duty Management or similar role
- To be able to work flexibly with a level of autonomy and decision making confidence
- Able to think on your feet and respond to variable demands
- RLSS National pool qualification, desirable as training can be provided
Benefits
We want you to love coming to work, feeling healthy, happy and valued. That's why we've developed a benefits package with you in mind, so what can we offer you?
- My Staff Shop, our very own staff benefit scheme, gives employees access to a great range of benefits. Get discounts on cinema tickets, travel bookings, high street e-vouchers, gift cards, days out, leisure activities and your day to day spending.
- Discounted Staff membership (including family members)
- Incremental holidays
- Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 confidential, independent and professional counselling.
- Company pension
- Various insurance and saving schemes
- Financial advice
- Cycle-to-work and Car Leasing tax-efficient schemes (salaried staff only, depending on earnings)
- All this as well as fully funded training and career progression opportunities in a team working environment
Closing date: 31st July 2026
Salary: up to £29,010 per annum
Freedom Leisure is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Duty Manager - Full Time - Halstead Leisure Centre employer: Freedom Leisure
Freedom Leisure in Hove is an excellent employer that prioritises outstanding customer service and teamwork, making it a rewarding place to work. With a supportive work environment, employees benefit from professional development opportunities and an attractive benefits package, ensuring that your contributions are valued and recognised. Join us to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating memorable experiences for our guests.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Duty Manager - Full Time - Halstead Leisure Centre
✨Get Involved in Local Sports Communities
Dive into your local sports scene! Attend community games, coaching sessions, and meet-ups. Building relationships with coaches and team managers can help you uncover job opportunities before they even hit the job boards.
✨Leverage Internships and Volunteering
Even though you’re after a full-time role, don’t underestimate internships or volunteering in sports organisations. These positions not only give you hands-on experience but can also lead to permanent openings. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to make your face known in the industry!
✨Visit Sports Job Fairs
Keep an eye out for sports job fairs and career expos specific to the recreation management field. These events are goldmines for meeting hiring managers from organisations like Freedom Leisure. Bring your A-game and be ready to chat about how you can contribute to their team!
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don't forget to check out openings on our site! Our listings will often include positions at excellent organisations in sports recreation management, including Freedom Leisure. Applying directly through our platform increases your chances of getting noticed by recruiters. Let's get you that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Duty Manager - Full Time - Halstead Leisure Centre
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Passion for Sports:In your cover letter, let your enthusiasm for sports and recreation shine through! We want to see your genuine interest in the industry and how it's shaped your career choices. Sharing specific experiences, like managing a team or organising an event, can really make you stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, focus on any relevant internships, volunteer work, or part-time jobs related to sports and recreation management. Make sure to quantify your achievements – did you increase team participation by a certain percentage or successfully lead a project? Numbers speak volumes!
Tailor Your CV for Sports Management:Use a CV format that emphasises your skills in leadership, teamwork, and event coordination. Don’t forget to include specific training or certifications that relate to sports management, as these can set you apart from other applicants. We love seeing candidates with relevant qualifications!
Express Your Long-Term Goals:In your application, we want to see your career aspirations in sports management. Don’t hesitate to include how you envision your future in this industry and how joining Freedom Leisure aligns with those goals. We’re looking for candidates who are not just a perfect fit for the role but are also excited about growing with us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Freedom Leisure
✨Highlight Your Passion for Sports
When chatting with Freedom Leisure, make sure to express your genuine love for sports and recreation. Share experiences that showcase your passion, whether it's managing a local sports team, organising events, or simply being an active participant in various activities. This helps them see you're not just a fit on paper, but also someone who truly cares about the field.
✨Showcase Your Management Skills
This role is all about managing resources and people, so be ready to discuss your leadership and organisational skills. Prepare some examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led a team or managed a project, particularly in a sports or recreation setting. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique to make your answers concise and impactful.
✨Be Prepared for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect case studies or scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving and decision-making skills. You might be asked how you would handle a tricky situation, such as resolving a conflict between team members or managing a crisis during a major event. Think through these scenarios and practice how you’d articulate your thought process and solutions.
✨Demonstrate Enthusiasm for Team Collaboration
In the sports and recreation management field, teamwork is essential. During the interview, be prepared to discuss how you work within a team and foster a collaborative environment. Share success stories where teamwork led to a positive outcome, emphasising how you built relationships and encouraged participation among team members to achieve a common goal.
