GLL is currently recruiting our Graduate Trainee Manager intake. If you have a real passion for leisure, sport, and fitness and are interested in leisure management, the GLL Graduate Trainee Manager programme could be for you. This programme is available to external Leisure Graduates across the UK and existing GLL staff (with or without a degree). Working for GLL is more than a job; it represents a pathway to building a career with the largest charitable social enterprise in the UK.
The programme starts in September 2026 and is available across GLL's regional hub locations, including Belfast, London, Manchester and Newcastle. There will also be opportunities to work in our other partnerships throughout the two-year programme, and we will work with you on where best to place you if not in your hub location.
About the Graduate Trainee Manager Programme
This award-winning programme is a two-year placement and development programme that aims to fast-track talented people into Assistant Manager roles and produce the senior managers of the future. Many of our current Directors, General Managers, and Assistant Managers came through the Trainee Manager programme. There's no other programme like it in the industry, and you will be guaranteed a permanent management position up to Assistant Manager level on completion of the programme.
Leisure managers operate within complex business environments and are responsible for centres' operations, leadership, customer liaison, technical, programming, marketing, and financial management. The Trainee Manager programme helps you prepare for these challenges. Our challenging two-year training programme for graduates includes practical work experience in all aspects of leisure provision. The programme is based on the simple principle that to be a great leisure centre manager, you need to know, understand, and be competent in key frontline and supervisory roles. As a result, our Trainee Managers complete key frontline placements (concierge, fitness instructor, and lifeguard) in year 1 and supervisory placements (Duty Manager & Supervisor roles) in year 2 of the programme. There are also two strategic placements to support business projects, gain experience in HR, and strengthen networks with senior managers. In addition, you'll complete statutory, management, and modular training throughout the two years.
Upon successful completion of the programme and subject to interview, you will be guaranteed a permanent position as you progress to the GLL Assistant Manager grade.
What you’ll do:
- Complete key frontline placements (concierge, fitness instructor, and lifeguard) in year 1.
- Complete supervisory placements (Duty Manager & Supervisor roles) in year 2.
- Undertake two strategic placements to support business projects, gain experience in HR, and strengthen networks with senior managers.
- Complete statutory, management, and modular training throughout the two years.
What you need:
- A degree or equivalent qualification (a sports, leisure, or business-related qualification is an advantage).
- Customer-focused.
- Business-driven.
- Committed to a career in leisure management.
- Flexible.
- Willing to travel within the UK.
- Hard-working.
- A competent swimmer.
- Capable of embracing this fast-track programme.
- Share our social enterprise values.
As a leader within the leisure industry, we can also offer scope to progress your career and job variety like nowhere else.
As a charitable social enterprise and cooperative owned by our staff, GLL is a unique organisation for you to have a career with!
The basics:
- This is a Full-time position. Hours of work will be negotiated with you in line with the needs of the service; flexible working may be possible. Working from home is not possible in this role.
- We are an accredited Living Wage employer with industry-leading rates of pay.
- We can offer a career, not just a job, with extensive Learning & Development support available.
- A uniform will be supplied and must be worn.
- GLL is Values Driven, not Profit Driven. We work hard to benefit the communities we operate in.
- As a staff-owned organisation, you will be given the opportunity to join the Society and have a stake in your business.
Additionally, GLL offers employees a range of employment benefits:
- Access to a pension scheme.
- Health Assurance and access to Counselling services.
- Access to the tax-efficient Ride to Work bicycle purchase scheme.
- Free annual eye tests.
- Discounted nationwide (over 200 centres) inclusive leisure centre membership for you and your partner. This includes GLL Extras!
GLL Society benefits (if you choose to join the Society after your probation period) include:
- The right to stand for the Society board and to vote for board members to represent you.
- Access to team building and fun events such as treks, concerts, outings, etc.
- Access to a range of benefits exclusive to our people – ask your line manager for details or check out the Intranet.
About GLL:
As the UK’s largest leisure operator and charitable social enterprise, we offer a range of careers for everyone in our local communities. We manage over 400 facilities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including public sport and leisure centres, elite sporting venues, libraries, and children’s centres.
Our people are from the communities we serve and help us make real changes in their local area.
One of our core values is ‘More than a Job’, because working with us opens a wide range of possibilities and opportunities for you, starting with how you work with us. To make sure we are having a positive impact on our people, we also offer some flexible and part-time working options so you can make sure your new job works for you. Subject to vacancies, whether you are after a contractual commitment and a regular work schedule or the freedom of flexible hours, you may be able to choose an arrangement that works best for you and play your part in improving the health and wellbeing of your community.
We offer two different types of work arrangements:
- A permanent employment contract - part time and full time.
- A flexible worker engagement by joining our flexible worker pool.
If you are looking for a regular number of hours that you can work and are flexible to meet the needs of a 7-day-a-week service, then a full-time or part-time permanent contract might be the right choice for you.
So whether your ambitions lie in sport and leisure, events & catering, health & beauty, corporate support, or working with children, you’ll be able to find your ideal new job at GLL.
Passionate about seeing our communities thrive, we invest back into our facilities, projects, and people and are Investors in People Gold Award employer.
However you choose to work with us, you can be sure that you will be a valued member of our team, working with great colleagues, and making a real difference to people’s lives.
We are an inclusive employer. We seek and welcome diversity in our teams. All pay rates are subject to skills, experience, qualifications, and location.