UK National Group Exercise Fitness Manager

Your Purpose…

The UK National Group Exercise Fitness Manager plays a pivotal role within the Virgin Active Product team, responsible for shaping and delivering the UK Group Exercise strategy and format portfolio.

This role owns GX commercial performance, programming standards and instructor development, ensuring Virgin Active remains a world-class group fitness brand that inspires our members to live an active life. The UK National Group Exercise Fitness Manager will be responsible for leading and developing the format Leads, driving the GX innovation pipeline, and partnering across Product, PT and Operations to deliver a consistently excellent member experience. Accountable for the strategy, standards and commercial performance of group exercise: what the GX proposition should achieve in penetration and how it evolves to engage a wider remit of our membership base.

Key Responsibilities ‘A Day in your Work Life’

• Drive GEX programming excellence with a focus on the end product — the pure delivery of experience, quality control and ensuring members receive the very best experience in studio
• Be the finest ambassador of Virgin Active at all times, consistently role-modelling the highest standards of behaviour to other employees
• Line manage and develop the format Leads (Yoga, Pilates, ETM, Athletic, Lift) and the GEX Optimisation Manager
• Own the UK Group Exercise ‘Product Roll Out’ plan, ensuring projects are managed effectively by the format Leads
• Manage the UK Group Exercise budget, ensuring timetables are efficiently optimised to match member demand with the right instructors, the right formats and the right time
• Ensure Virgin Active is the GEX ‘Employer of Choice’ in the UK by maintaining a clearly defined instructor Academy journey from Entry to Master, with learning flow, facilitator guides and manuals for every course
• Create and update processes and policies to improve GEX management in club
• Act as a key stakeholder influencing the direction of Group Exercise across Virgin Active
• Continuously evaluate formats and timetables, making changes based on performance, member feedback and industry trends
• Create a culture where the community become raving fans of Group Exercise at Virgin Active, through partnership activations, member events/workshops and communication channels
• Represent Virgin Active in marketing, PR, trade shows, conferences and events as our UK GEX expert
• Maintain a positive, productive working relationship with other team members, being proactive and taking ownership of situations
• Deliver Virgin Active’s commercial and membership targets for Group Exercise
• Partner with the Facilities and Product teams on capital investment projects relating to GEX spaces
• Build relationships with industry thought leaders to grow awareness of Virgin Active as a leading GEX brand
• Maintain a keen understanding of industry trends affecting the business, making appropriate recommendations on strategic and tactical approach
• Work across functional teams to drive powerful customer experiences that are seamless both online and offline

What we need from you

• Extensive experience in Group Exercise, with a strong track record as a GEX coach or instructor
• Experience leading and developing multi-format teams, ideally including Leads of Concept
• Proven experience in commercial and P&L management, including timetable and budget optimisation
• Strong project management experience, with a track record of delivering GEX product roll- outs
• A highly regarded reputation in group exercise with members and fellow instructors
• Experience building and maintaining an instructor development pathway (Academy journey, CPD, certification)
• Can readily obtain a clear DBS to work with children if necessary
• Flexibility to work a non-traditional schedule, including travel across the UK and occasional weekend working
• An inclusive ethos and values system
• Exclusivity with the Virgin Active Health Clubs brand
• Driven to achieve targets and inspire others to do the same
• Confident, credible and commercially astute under pressure
• A strong industry network, able to anticipate future trends and opportunities
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, able to engage members, instructors and senior leadership alike
• A can-do approach, comfortable adapting plans as priorities change