Community Leisure Manager - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Community Leisure Manager - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Notts County Foundation (NCF) is the independent charitable arm of Notts County FC. For over 30 years, our dedicated team has used football, sport and physical activity to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.

Role details

Job Title: Community Leisure Manager – The Portland Centre

Salary: £35,000–£38,000 per annum, dependent upon experience

Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer

Responsible for: Duty Managers, Swim Coordinator and designated leisure, reception, facility and operational staff

Location: The Portland Centre, The Meadows, Nottingham

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Closing Date: Monday 9th November 2026

Interviews: Week Commencing 19th November 2026

Overview of the role

This is an exciting and significant leadership opportunity to shape the future of The Portland

Centre — the Foundation’s most important community asset and a central part of our new strategy

Transforming Communities – the Notts County Way 2026–2028.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Community Leisure Manager will combine strong operational and commercial management with a genuine commitment to community development. The postholder will lead a safe, compliant, efficient and financially sustainable Centre while helping transform Portland into a modern, inclusive and community-focused holistic wellbeing hub.

• Lead the strategic and day-to-day development of The Portland Centre.
• Own operational performance, health and safety, compliance, budgets and commercial growth.
• Increase utilisation and earned income while protecting affordability and community accessibility.
• Build meaningful relationships with residents, partners and local leaders so the community has a genuine voice in Portland’s future.
• Develop Portland as a convening space for health, education, employment, housing, voluntary-sector and statutory partners.
• Lead and develop a customer-focused, community-centred and commercially aware workforce.

The developing offer at The Portland Centre builds on the work of our award-winning coaches that deliver impactful programmes including; Cancer and Rehabilitation, Healthy Hearts, Premier League Kicks, Holiday Clubs, Walk & Talk, Youth Employability and our Alternative Provision. During the life of this strategy, we will provide a food pantry, well-being spaces, social clubs and a social prescribing approach that signposts people to services within the building and to trusted local community partners; an eco-system that will provide wrap around support to those in need.

Essential

• Significant management experience within leisure, community facilities, health, sport, hospitality or a comparable operational environment.
• Demonstrable experience of managing complex facilities or services.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety and operational compliance.
• Experience of budget and commercial management.
• Proven ability to lead and develop multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong customer-service ethos.
• Experience of developing external partnerships.
• Ability to combine commercial awareness with social purpose.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to operate strategically while maintaining grip on operational detail, especially health & safety, safeguarding and compliance.
• Commitment to community engagement and reducing inequalities.
• Strong alignment with the Foundation’s purpose and personality.

Desirable

• Relevant leisure, facility, business or management qualification.
• Recognised health and safety qualification.
• Pool plant or leisure operational qualification/knowledge.
• Experience of managing a community leisure centre.
• Experience of community development or place-based working.
• Experience of health partnerships or social prescribing.
• Understanding of collective-impact approaches.
• Knowledge of The Meadows and Nottingham’s wider communities.

Our Package Includes

• 20 days of holiday plus 8 public holidays + extra days off during the Christmas period.
• 3% employer pension contribution (upon successful completion of probation).
• Family-friendly flexible working arrangements.
• Gym membership at The Portland Centre.
• Access to home match day tickets to Notts County Football Club.
• Personal growth is key and we invest in learning and development opportunities.