Richard
General Manager | Commercial, Operations & Facilities Leadership
Talent
OxfordMember since July 18, 2026
Financial managementTeam leadershipCommunity engagementMembership growthOperational turnaroundsRecruitmentPerformance managementRisk assessmentsEmergency responseSafeguardingRota planningMarketing
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Financial managementTeam leadershipCommunity engagementMembership growthOperational turnarounds
About
Dynamic General Manager with 9 years' experience leading multi-site leisure operations, delivering membership growth, operational turnarounds, and significant commercial results. Skilled in financial management, H&S compliance, team leadership, and community engagement.
Experience
Multi-site General Manager at More Leisure (Serco) (2024-03 – Present)
- Grew Swim School from 700 → 1,600 members, boosting programme revenue
- Increased Health & Fitness memberships from 700 → 1,800, generating significant additional revenue
- Achieved £105k casual swim revenue in one summer month in the outdoor pool, exceeding previous targets
- Grew birthday party revenue from £6k → £14k in one year, expanding community engagement and profitability
- Launched new "Active Zone" product including Softplay, Tag X, and Climbing Wall, attracting new audiences and increasing footfall with catering offering
- Delivered operational stability across 3 major Oxfordshire sites
- Managed 70+ staff across 3 sites, leading recruitment, training, and performance management
- Lead daily operations ensuring safety, compliance & service excellence
- Plan events & seasonal programmes to boost community engagement
- Oversee emergency response, safeguarding & anti-social behaviour management
- Lead monthly compliance audits, ensuring consistent EHS, HR, and operational standards across all sites
- Coach and develop site managers and supervisors to build strong succession
Operations Manager → Promoted to General Manager at Fusion Lifestyle (2017-11 – 2024-03)
- Turned Wycombe Rye Lido following covid pandemic from 600 → 1,200 members
- Increased EHS compliance score from 75% → 94%+, improving staff performance and safety culture
- Achieved TRP customer satisfaction score 60, 18 points above benchmark
- Promoted from Operations Manager to General Manager for operational excellence and membership growth
- Generated tens of thousands in revenue through large-scale bookings at Hillingdon
- Corrected payroll issues, reducing rota errors significantly
- Managed daily operational delivery across pools, gyms, sports halls, and outdoor facilities
- Led risk assessments, NOP/EAP reviews, and health & safety briefings
- Build client & community relationships
- Manage recruitment, rota planning & staff development
- Monitor customer satisfaction data, leading centre improvements to enhance service delivery and retention
- Act as point of escalation for customer issues and operational incidents
Sports Centre Duty Manager at St Albans School (2016-08 – 2017-11)
- Led marketing campaign led to 100+ new members
- Managed pool, sports hall & health suite operations
- Updated procedures, emergency & risk documents
Team Leader at Waitrose (2006-09 – 2016-08)
- Key-holder responsible for opening/closing store unsupervised
- Managed warehouse organisation & stock flow
- Supported Fresh & Ambient departments
Education
A-Levels
GCSEs
Skills
General ManagerCommercialOperations & Facilities Leadership

