HLH/2604/33 Senior Operations Manager
| Posting date: | 24 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £46,155 to £49,959 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 08 May 2026 |
| Location: | Inverness, Highland |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | High Life Highland |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | HLH/2604/33 |
Summary
1. Operational Management
• Lead and manage on the operations, promotion, development and delivery of facilities, programmes and services across the area to meet the needs of customers and communities.
• Oversee the daily operation of leisure centres and associated facilities.
• Ensure high standards of performance, presentation, and cleanliness across all sites.
• Act as key holder where necessary, ensuring security procedures are followed, including opening/closing and responding to out-of-hours calls.
• Support senior management in the delivery of strategic and operational objectives.
2. Health & Safety Compliance
• Ensure all facilities operate in full compliance with HLH policies, procedures and strategic frameworks.
• Implement robust health and safety management practices, ensuring risks are identified, monitored and appropriately managed.
• Report concerns promptly and take corrective action to maintain safe environments for staff, customers and users.
• Promote sustainable working practices and aim to reduce waste in line with HLH environmental values.
• Ensure Health & Safety, Risk Assessment, Safeguarding, Protection and GDPR legislation policies are complied with, developing a culture of safety and inclusion and adopting a zero-tolerance position to any safeguarding, protection or violence issues.
3. Staff Leadership & Development
• Promote a positive, collaborative and inclusive workplace culture aligned to HLH’s purpose of Making Life Better and the i-Care values.
• Recruit, manage, supervise and develop a high-performing team of leisure and facilities staff.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate training and development to deliver high-quality services.
• Support staff performance management, wellbeing and engagement to enhance morale and productivity.
• Pursue continuous professional development and actively contribute to the continuous improvement of services.
• Attend and complete required training, both online and in person.
• Ensure service and governing body training standards are met.
4. Customer Service & Community Engagement
• Develop and maintain strong, positive relationships with customers, community groups, schools, user groups, parents and Head Teachers and boards.
• Actively engage with local communities to encourage appropriate and increased use of facilities and equipment.
• Ensure high standards of customer service across all centres, creating welcoming and inclusive environments.
• Strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders including HLH colleagues, Council services and external organisations.
• Consult with customers and staff to identify improvements and report to the Manager.
• Promote activity programmes, special projects, and community engagement initiatives.
• Attend meetings and events as required
5. Financial & Administrative Duties
• Monitoring of facility budgets, financial planning, reducing costs, and increasing income.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations.
• Ensure accurate provision of performance management and operational data and prepare reports as required.
• Work collaboratively with partners to identify and secure external funding opportunities to meet defined community needs.
• Ensure administrative tasks are completed efficiently and in accordance with HLH policies and procedures.
6. Innovation, Marketing & Development
• Review, develop and enhance facilities, programmes and services.
• Establish a sales culture and use social media as a marketing tool.
• Propose and contribute to new ideas, service developments and projects that improve participation, sustainability and performance.
• Support innovation and continuous improvement across leisure provision in the area.
• Work closely with the HLH Marketing and Communications Manager to develop and deliver effective promotional campaigns.
• Develop and support the growth and uptake of the High Life membership scheme.
7. Additional Information
• Actively promote a positive and collaborative workplace culture that supports the Charity’s purpose of Making Life Better and i-care values to increase morale, productivity and performance.
• Pursue continuous professional development and contribute to the continuous improvement of Inverness Leisure Centre and High Life Highland as a whole.
• Attend and undertake any training online or in person.
• Aim to reduce wastage and uphold our environmental values of being as sustainable as possible in all tasks.
• Assist and support other areas of High Life Highland with particular projects, training or in the event of holidays or sickness working cross-functionally across the Leisure team.
• You will be expected to work at various locations on a varied rota including regular evenings and weekends.
• You may be asked to undertake other duties appropriate to the role.
• Job description may be updated periodically to reflect service needs.
• Maintain an awareness and knowledge of the risk management responsibilities appropriate to their role, as identified within the HLH Risk Policy and associated guidance documentation.
• Lead and manage on the operations, promotion, development and delivery of facilities, programmes and services across the area to meet the needs of customers and communities.
• Oversee the daily operation of leisure centres and associated facilities.
• Ensure high standards of performance, presentation, and cleanliness across all sites.
• Act as key holder where necessary, ensuring security procedures are followed, including opening/closing and responding to out-of-hours calls.
• Support senior management in the delivery of strategic and operational objectives.
2. Health & Safety Compliance
• Ensure all facilities operate in full compliance with HLH policies, procedures and strategic frameworks.
• Implement robust health and safety management practices, ensuring risks are identified, monitored and appropriately managed.
• Report concerns promptly and take corrective action to maintain safe environments for staff, customers and users.
• Promote sustainable working practices and aim to reduce waste in line with HLH environmental values.
• Ensure Health & Safety, Risk Assessment, Safeguarding, Protection and GDPR legislation policies are complied with, developing a culture of safety and inclusion and adopting a zero-tolerance position to any safeguarding, protection or violence issues.
3. Staff Leadership & Development
• Promote a positive, collaborative and inclusive workplace culture aligned to HLH’s purpose of Making Life Better and the i-Care values.
• Recruit, manage, supervise and develop a high-performing team of leisure and facilities staff.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate training and development to deliver high-quality services.
• Support staff performance management, wellbeing and engagement to enhance morale and productivity.
• Pursue continuous professional development and actively contribute to the continuous improvement of services.
• Attend and complete required training, both online and in person.
• Ensure service and governing body training standards are met.
4. Customer Service & Community Engagement
• Develop and maintain strong, positive relationships with customers, community groups, schools, user groups, parents and Head Teachers and boards.
• Actively engage with local communities to encourage appropriate and increased use of facilities and equipment.
• Ensure high standards of customer service across all centres, creating welcoming and inclusive environments.
• Strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders including HLH colleagues, Council services and external organisations.
• Consult with customers and staff to identify improvements and report to the Manager.
• Promote activity programmes, special projects, and community engagement initiatives.
• Attend meetings and events as required
5. Financial & Administrative Duties
• Monitoring of facility budgets, financial planning, reducing costs, and increasing income.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations.
• Ensure accurate provision of performance management and operational data and prepare reports as required.
• Work collaboratively with partners to identify and secure external funding opportunities to meet defined community needs.
• Ensure administrative tasks are completed efficiently and in accordance with HLH policies and procedures.
6. Innovation, Marketing & Development
• Review, develop and enhance facilities, programmes and services.
• Establish a sales culture and use social media as a marketing tool.
• Propose and contribute to new ideas, service developments and projects that improve participation, sustainability and performance.
• Support innovation and continuous improvement across leisure provision in the area.
• Work closely with the HLH Marketing and Communications Manager to develop and deliver effective promotional campaigns.
• Develop and support the growth and uptake of the High Life membership scheme.
7. Additional Information
• Actively promote a positive and collaborative workplace culture that supports the Charity’s purpose of Making Life Better and i-care values to increase morale, productivity and performance.
• Pursue continuous professional development and contribute to the continuous improvement of Inverness Leisure Centre and High Life Highland as a whole.
• Attend and undertake any training online or in person.
• Aim to reduce wastage and uphold our environmental values of being as sustainable as possible in all tasks.
• Assist and support other areas of High Life Highland with particular projects, training or in the event of holidays or sickness working cross-functionally across the Leisure team.
• You will be expected to work at various locations on a varied rota including regular evenings and weekends.
• You may be asked to undertake other duties appropriate to the role.
• Job description may be updated periodically to reflect service needs.
• Maintain an awareness and knowledge of the risk management responsibilities appropriate to their role, as identified within the HLH Risk Policy and associated guidance documentation.