Sports Centre Manager - Career Advice - Office and Administration

Amusement, Fitness and Sports Centre Managers organise, control and promote the activities, facilities and resources of amusement, fitness and sports centres. Future Growth Very Strong Amusement Centre Managers manage amusement centres, showgrounds or theme parks.

Fitness Centre Managers manage fitness centres. They may coach, instruct and train clients. Fitness centres provide personal exercise and fitness training facilities for members of the public. These establishments exist in both the public and private sectors; public sector fitness centres are administered by local government authorities, while private sector operators include large companies, healthcare facilities, hotels, resorts, cruise liners, educational institutions and health and fitness companies that operate as regional, national or international franchises, such as Fitness First and Virgin Active.

Amusement, Fitness and Sports Centre Managers manage all aspects of the day to day operations, including: staff schedules, special events, staff training and recruitment, health and safety, marketing and development.

ANZSCO ID: 1491

Alternative names: Amusement, Fitness and Sports Centre Manager

Specialisations: Aquatic Centre Manager, Golf Course Manager, Indoor Sports Centre Manager, Squash Centre Manager, Stadium Manager, Tennis Centre Manager, Ten Pin Bowling Centre Manager, Bridge Club Manager, Fairground Operator, Video Arcade Manager.

Water Park
(Source: Blog Dandk)

Knowledge, skills and attributes

Employers look for Amusement, Fitness and Sports Centre Managers who can provide good customer service, have strong people skills, and are well organised and presented. Employers also value responsible and trustworthy managers.

As a fitness manager, your core responsibilities will involve meeting revenue targets through marketing and promotional activities, and recruiting and training staff for customer service and personal trainer roles.

At all times, you’ll be focusing on providing a satisfactory and enjoyable customer experience, whilst ensuring that high standards of hygiene, health and safety are met.

You’ll also be responsible for handling supply and procurement activities and dealing with equipment manufacturers to ensure that all pieces of exercise equipment comply with the required safety standards.
Furthermore, you’ll be preparing and maintaining detailed records of day-to-day operations, managing finances and writing reports as required by regulatory authorities and local councils.

an interest (but not necessarily outstanding performance) in physical fitness and sport
good interpersonal, time management and organisational skills
good teamworking skills and the ability to lead and motivate a team
business acumen, creative thinking and problem-solving
energy and resilience
flexibility and multi-tasking skills
computer literacy
a customer-focused, approachable and outgoing personality
the ability to relate to the requirements of customers from all age groups and sectors of society

Gym
(Source: Blog Dandk)

Duties and Tasks

planning and organising the range and mix of entertainment, attractions, amusement machines and fitness programs to be offered by the centre
organising publicity to promote facilities and attract clients
scheduling games and competitions
selecting, training and supervising staff
ensuring facilities are properly maintained and conform to safety standards
may undertake coaching, fitness instruction and training of clients
may plan and organise catering facilities

Working conditions

Amusement, Fitness, and Sports Centre Managers typically work in-house at a large facility. These may be concert arenas, gyms, stadiums, or other establishments of an amusement, fitness, or sports nature.

Education and training/entrance requirements

Management experience or extensive industry experience is needed to work as an Amusement, Fitness or Sports Centre Manager. Formal qualifications might be useful but aren't essential. A course in business management, sport or fitness might be helpful.

At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

Did You Know?

The Gyms and Fitness Centres industry has strongly grown over the past five years while undergoing considerable structural change. The emergence of budget gym chains and premium functional fitness gyms has stimulated most of the industry's growth. Franchises like Anytime Fitness and Jetts Fitness have undergone exceptional growth over the five-year period, attracting new customers with their affordability and accessibility. The rapid growth of functional fitness-based gyms has attracted affluent and time-poor consumers, and supported industry revenue growth. However, a decline in discretionary income over the past three years has contained the industry's expansion. Overall, industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 4.8% over the five years through 2018-19, to $2.5 billion.

Health consciousness has increased over the past five years, with consumers becoming more aware of the benefits of physical activity. This trend has been fuelled by wider social trends, such as a growing audience for social media fitness models and ongoing promotions by governments. Further industry growth has occurred as more affordable gyms have expanded. Budget 24-hour gyms generally operate without staff, and wage savings flow down to consumers in the form of cheaper membership prices. However, industry revenue is expected to grow by 2.6% in 2018-19, slightly slower than the five-year average, due to market saturation.

Market saturation is anticipated to play a major part in the industry's slower revenue growth over the next five years. Gym membership numbers are forecast to increase at a slower rate than they did over the past five years, as niche gyms catering to all segments of the population have already accessed most consumer markets. These gyms include full-service gyms, women-only gyms and budget 24-hour gyms. However, forecast strong discretionary income growth is anticipated to drive demand for premium gyms over the next five years. Single-visit programs such as Medibank's GymBetter will also potentially slow revenue growth, as infrequent users scale back their gym costs to pay smaller per-visit fees. Industry revenue is forecast to grow at an annualised 3.1% over the five years through 2023-24, to $2.9 billion.
(Source: IBIS World)