General Manager

Location:
Basingstoke (RG24)
Salary:
£50-55k
Employment Type:
Permanent
Hours per Week:
40
Grade:
4
Closing Date:
3 November 2026

Reporting Group:

Leisure - Operations

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Places Leisure is part of the Places for People Group, we're changing lives by creating active places and healthier people for communities to thrive. As one of the UK's leading Social Enterprises, Places for People believes it's people who make a community, which is why we build homes, deliver services and create opportunities that help communities flourish.

At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers. We're looking for individuals who share our values, do the right thing, support their communities and are motivated to grow. We apply the same philosophy to our colleagues as we do to our communities, ensuring everyone feels valued, supported and empowered to succeed. Here, you're more than just a colleague, you're part of our cause. Join a community that cares about you.

So, what are you waiting for? Join a community that cares about you!

More about your role

As General Manager, you will lead your leisure site and its team, delivering excellent services that help create active, healthy and thriving communities. You will take ownership of the site's financial, commercial and operational performance, using key performance indicators to identify opportunities and take effective action. You will oversee membership sales, retention and revenue, while ensuring customers consistently receive a high-quality experience.

You will also act as the key liaison between Places Leisure and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, building a strong partnership and ensuring effective communication and collaboration to support the successful delivery of the contract.

You will develop your leadership team, set clear objectives and support colleagues through effective induction and development planning. Working collaboratively with clients, community groups, health and wellbeing partners and colleagues across the wider business, you will ensure contractual commitments are met, social value targets are delivered and the site is recognised as an example of excellent leisure management.

Essential criteria

Previously experience of leading and developing a multi-functional operational team.
Experience of managing a leisure facility or similar customer-focused operation.
Proven ability to manage operational, commercial and financial targets.
Confident using performance information and KPIs to improve results.

More about you

You will be an inspiring and visible leader who can bring people together around clear operational and financial goals. You will be results-focused, comfortable managing a range of responsibilities and passionate about providing an excellent service for customers and communities.

You will understand how to manage financial performance and use commercial and operational information to make informed decisions. Experience within leisure facility management would be beneficial. You will also be confident working with clients and partners, developing your team and creating an inclusive environment in which colleagues and communities can thrive.

This role requires an Enhanced Disclosure check.

Benefits

We are a large diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for.

We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package with each role, yours will include:

We pay the Real Living Wage as a minimum
Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
Bonus scheme
Option to buy or sell annual leave days
Healthcare cashback plan for everyday medical costs, with private GP and health support services available
Comprehensive wellbeing support including counselling, flu jabs, our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and access to our Wellbeing Hub, supporting your mental, physical and financial wellbeing
Access to Our Place Rewards, offering discounts and savings on groceries, travel, shopping, home products and other lifestyle purchases
Ongoing training, professional qualifications, internal development programmes and career progression opportunities
Recognition programmes including Star Awards and Colleague Awards, celebrating achievements and recognising great work
Strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing and colleague engagement
Free membership to Places Gyms
Life Assurance to provide financial security for your loved ones, alongside access to will writing services to help you plan for the future with confidence

What's next?

If you meet the criteria and are ready to make the next step in your career then apply following our simple 5 minute application process, upload a CV and a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the requirements of the role.

Please note that we may bring the closing date forward, if we receive a large number of quality applications. If you are interested in this role we would advise applying immediately to avoid disappointment.

If you are using a mobile device such as an iPad then ensure your CV is stored in the cloud, we currently support Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox.

At Places for People, safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We are committed to creating safe communities for our customers and colleagues by protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from harm, abuse, and neglect.

We follow robust safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring all employees, volunteers, and contractors uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and accountability. Our recruitment process includes pre-employment checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where applicable, to promote a safe and secure working environment.

By joining Places for People, you are expected to contribute to our safeguarding culture, following our policies and reporting concerns to protect those in our communities.

Armed Forces - We are proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant. Places for People will guarantee an interview for any candidate who is serving or has formerly served in the Armed Forces, as a reservist, armed forces veteran (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructor and military spouse/partner and who meets the essential criteria for the vacancy.

Disability Confident - We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme certified as Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This helps us to successfully employ and retain people with disabilities and health conditions. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a vacancy will be guaranteed an interview. The Equality Act 2010 (Disability Discrimination Act 1995 for NI) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has sa substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do daily activities.

Neurodivergent – Neurodiverse individuals have highly valuable skills, and we recognise that a traditional interview process sometimes works against them and doesn’t allow them to self-advocate. Neurodiverse applicants who meet the criteria for a vacancy will be guaranteed an interview.