General Manager in Romsey - Brand New Fitness Club

£34-38k (experience dependent) + performance bonus

Location: Romsey, Hampshire, within easy reach of Southampton, Winchester and Eastleigh.

Our client is a brand new fitness club, a 4,500 sq ft gym opening in Romsey in early 2027. They’re looking for an experienced General Manager to lead the club from pre-sales through to launch and beyond, building the team, the membership and the club’s local reputation from day one.

This is a rare chance to open a gym from scratch and genuinely run it as your own. You’ll be there from the start of a two-month pre-sales phase, shaping how the club looks, feels and performs, and hiring the Personal Training team who’ll deliver it alongside you. They want someone with real ideas and the confidence to share them, not someone who simply follows a playbook.

On offer is a competitive salary plus performance bonus, a supportive leadership team who welcome fresh thinking, and genuine progression into a regional or multi-site role as the business grows.

Working pattern: Full-time, including some evenings and weekends in line with club opening hours.

Key responsibilities:

• Club launch: Lead the club through a two-month pre-sales phase and into opening, setting the standard for everything from member experience to day-to-day operations.

• Membership sales: Drive membership growth and retention, working closely with the Sales Manager to hit and exceed targets.

• Local outreach: Build strong links with local businesses and community groups to put the club firmly on the map in Romsey.

• Social media: Use social channels and local marketing to generate leads, create a real buzz and keep members engaged.

• People leadership: Recruit, develop and empower a Sales Manager and Personal Trainer team who feel trusted and supported.

• Member community: Create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that attracts a good mix of male and female members.

• Club performance: Take ownership of overall commercial performance, keeping a close eye on revenue, costs and KPIs.

About you:

• Industry experience: Solid experience in gym or health club management, ideally as a General Manager, Club Manager or an Assistant Manager ready for the next step.

• Qualified: A Level 3 fitness qualification is ideal.

• Commercially minded: A proven track record in membership sales and hitting targets, with a natural feel for what drives a club’s success.

• Confident voice: Happy to challenge ideas respectfully and bring your own experience to the table.

• People person: A natural leader who loves recruiting, developing and empowering a great team.

• Community builder: Passionate about making the gym a place where everyone feels welcome.

What’s in it for you:

• The chance to open and run a brand new club as your own.

• A salary of £34-38k depending on experience, plus a performance bonus.

• The freedom to build and shape your own team from day one.

• Genuine long-term progression into a regional or multi-site role as the business grows.

Your recruiter for this role is Becky Hopkinson, Senior Account Manager at Love Recruitment, and can be contacted simply by applying for the role below. Becky and Love Recruitment specialise in recruitment across the fitness and leisure sector and work on a number of roles within the industry. If you’re keen to be considered, please ‘Apply Now’.