Fitness centre manager job description

Most employers require demonstrated fitness industry experience (ideally supervisory), current first aid and CPR, and working rights in Australia. A Certificate IV in Fitness is preferred for hands-on managers, and a business or management qualification is advantageous for larger sites. Membership sales and CRM experience is desirable.

It depends on the role. Hands-on managers who also train members usually hold a Certificate IV in Fitness, while pure operations managers may rely more on business and leadership experience. Decide which the role needs and specify it clearly in the job description.

Mandatory requirements usually include fitness industry experience, current first aid and CPR, and working rights in Australia. Preferred qualifications include a Certificate IV in Fitness, a business or management qualification, and sales or CRM experience. Match the requirements to the size and complexity of your site.

Both work. Promoting an experienced trainer or supervisor rewards performance and preserves culture, while an external hire can bring fresh commercial or leadership skills. A clear job description helps you assess either candidate against the same responsibilities and requirements.

Fitness centre manager roles are usually full-time given the leadership and accountability involved, though part-time or job-share arrangements exist for smaller sites. Set clear expectations about hours, including the early, late and weekend coverage that fitness operations require.

Under the Fitness Award (MA000094), full-time and part-time staff receive Saturday at 125%, Sunday at 150% and public holidays at 250%, while casual staff have a different weekend treatment. Managers are responsible for applying these correctly across the team — award interpretation software does this automatically.

Under the Fitness Award, a leading hand or supervisor allowance (from about $31.89 per week, increasing with team size) applies to certain supervisory roles at Levels 1–4A. Confirm the current amount and eligibility in the Fitness Award pay guide before including it in the role.

Key elements include: position title and classification level (or above-award salary), employment type, salary or hourly rate, applicable award, reporting structure, main responsibilities, and any budget or KPI accountability. Use our digital employment contracts to simplify this process.

Managers build rosters around class timetables and peak demand while controlling labour cost and covering every shift. Using rostering software with live wage costs and award interpretation makes this faster and reduces compliance risk. See our guide on how to roster fitness staff.

By matching staffing to member traffic, avoiding overstaffing in quiet periods and understaffing at peaks, and monitoring wage cost as a percentage of revenue. Rostering software shows live labour cost while building the roster so managers can make informed decisions upfront.

Use HR software to store each staff member’s fitness qualifications, first aid and CPR, and other certifications, with reminders before they expire. This keeps the team compliant and avoids rostering someone whose certification has lapsed.

Award and agreement rostering rules vary, so confirm the notice period that applies to your business. As a general practice, publishing rosters at least 7 days in advance gives staff visibility and reduces last-minute changes. Rostering software makes publishing and updating rosters straightforward.