Purpose
Provides strategic and operational leadership for Louisiana Athletic Club (LAC) at its Pineville and Alexandria locations and leads a management team that is accountable for its assigned areas. Member safety is a primary responsibility of this position, including consistent enforcement of club rules and safety guidelines at both locations. Responsible for membership growth and retention, programs and events, community relations, facilities, quality assurance, budgeting, and Board reporting, and for growing LAC as a community destination for health, wellness, and fellowship that reflects the mission and values of Louisiana Christian University. This position is eligible for an annual performance incentive tied to approved goals for membership growth, member retention, and program revenue; incentive measures are set annually, and payments are not guaranteed.
Essential Functions
The General Manager is responsible for the following:
- Leadership and Accountability: Provides overall leadership for LAC operations at both locations and ensures the Assistant Manager and Alexandria Location Manager effectively carry out their assigned areas, including member services, staffing, programming, aquatics, camps, events, and facility readiness, through clear expectations, regular check-ins, and follow-up. Holds managers accountable for ensuring their direct reports understand, follow, and consistently enforce established club rules and guidelines with members.
- Staff Leadership: Builds a positive, service-minded team culture and shares leadership authority across the management team. Interviews, hires, manages, and evaluates Pineville fitness staff. Considers hiring recommendations from the Assistant Manager, who interviews, manages, and evaluates Pineville front desk staff, and from the Alexandria Location Manager, who interviews, manages, and evaluates Alexandria staff. Ensures each manager onboards and trains the staff they supervise, and coordinates personnel matters with the LCU Office of Human Resources.
- Strategic Planning: Develops and carries out annual goals and a multi-year growth plan; sets measurable targets; tracks performance and profitability; and follows through on business development, member growth, program revenue, and other initiatives assigned by the University CFO and President.
- Board Reporting: Schedules and prepares quarterly LAC Board meetings, including reports on membership, marketing, retention, program revenue, member satisfaction, facilities, and financial results, with clear recommendations; assists the University CFO in preparing LAC reports for LCU Board of Trustees meetings as needed.
- Membership Growth and Retention: Leads membership sales and retention strategies, including lead generation, prospect follow-up, tours, referrals, renewals, and recovery of inactive or at-risk members; tracks new members, cancellations, freezes, and retention rates.
- Member Experience: Monitors member satisfaction through surveys and feedback; responds promptly and professionally to member concerns and service issues, escalating significant or unresolved matters to the University CFO and President; and upholds professional dress and front-desk standards.
- Programs and Events: Leads the planning, promotion, and growth of revenue-generating programs and events, including camps, tournaments, wellness programs, corporate and group memberships, member appreciation events, and signature community events, in coordination with the staff/managers assigned to them. Ensures the Assistant Manager effectively plans and manages group fitness, aquatics and swim lessons, and childcare.
- Community Relations and Partnerships: Serves as the club’s primary community representative; builds relationships with businesses, schools, churches, healthcare providers, athletic groups, alumni, and other partners to increase memberships, referrals, sponsorships, and program participation; and represents the club at community, University, and industry events.
- Marketing: Works with University and LAC marketing, graphic designs, and communications personnel to promote membership, programs, events, and partnerships, maintaining brand consistency and measuring results against goals.
- Personal Training: Oversees independent personal training contractors, including agreements, credentials, scheduling, and quality of service, and grows personal and small-group training revenue.
- Budget and Financial Performance: Participates in annual budget preparation and revenue forecasting; reviews the monthly compiled financial statements prepared by LAC’s outside accountant; manages expenses within approved budgets and recommends corrective action when results are off target; and works with the University CFO on broader financial reviews and reporting.
- Purchasing and Internal Controls: Approves purchases and enforces the LAC Purchasing Policy, including purchase orders, competitive quotations, and limited credit-card use; ensures vendor invoices are approved and submitted timely for payment through Bill.com; ensures proper handling of payments, refunds, chargebacks, membership freezes, complimentary memberships, and past-due accounts; and supports internal and external audits.
- Systems and Records: Oversees the membership-management system (Club Systems) to ensure accurate member records, billing, and reporting; provides the outside accountant with timely, accurate information for recording and reconciling club revenue; and maintains contracts, vendor, incident, personnel, and other records needed for financial, legal, insurance, and audit purposes.
- Facilities and Safety: Coordinates with facilities staff, vendors, and University personnel to keep the pool, locker rooms, showers, steam rooms, courts, indoor track, fitness floor, equipment, and common and exterior areas clean, safe, functional, and well maintained.
- Policies and Quality Assurance
Develops, implements, and regularly updates written policies and procedures; ensures staff are trained on them; and conducts regular quality reviews of the facility, staff, programs, and member service, with corrective action as needed.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
- Maintains a visible presence at both locations, with flexible hours that include early-morning, evening, and weekend availability, and responds promptly to requests from LCU leadership and the LAC Board, including outside normal business hours when needed. Makes periodic visits after 5:30 p.m. to audit staff performance and adherence to club rules and procedures.
- Serves as weekday manager on duty for the Pineville location (the Alexandria Location Manager serves as weekday manager on duty for Alexandria) and shares a rotating Saturday and Sunday manager-on-duty schedule with the other managers.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Vice President for Business Affairs/CFO or the University President, including special projects related to LAC operations, membership development, financial performance, service quality, risk management, and University initiatives.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Thorough knowledge of health club, fitness, aquatics, and recreation-facility operations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, develop, and hold managers and staff accountable, and to delegate effectively.
- Ability to develop and independently carry out membership growth, retention, program revenue, event, and community partnership strategies.
- Working knowledge of budgeting, revenue forecasting, expense control, financial reporting, KPI tracking, and internal controls.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with members, staff, University leadership, vendors, community partners, and Board members.
- Proficiency with membership-management, scheduling, and billing systems, Microsoft Office, and other technology used for club operations and reporting.
- Sound judgment, initiative, organization, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Education
Required: Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, kinesiology, sport/recreation management, business, or a related field; related experience may be considered.
Preferred: Master’s degree in a related field.
Experience
- Required: Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in fitness, wellness, athletic club, recreation, hospitality, sales, or comparable service-based operations.
- Required: Supervisory experience, including scheduling, training, coaching, performance accountability, and member issue resolution.
- Preferred: Experience managing a fitness center, health club, aquatics program, recreation facility, or multi-program membership organization.
- Preferred: Experience with membership sales and retention, community partnerships, event and program development, budget management, KPI reporting, and Board or executive-level reporting.
Equipment
Computer, printer, copier, and other standard office equipment; Microsoft Office and email; membership-management and point-of-sale software (e.g., Club Systems); Bill.com; fitness and aquatics equipment and systems; AED and first-aid equipment.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to work throughout an athletic club environment, including offices, fitness and aquatics areas, locker rooms, courts, track, and exterior areas.
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and lift or move moderate equipment and supplies as needed to inspect operations, set up programs and events, and assist with club needs.
- Ability to demonstrate exercises and respond to emergencies, including water emergencies.
Special Requirements
- Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification, or certification obtained within 30 days of hire.
- Nationally accredited fitness certification (e.g., ACE, ACSM, NASM, or NSCA) preferred.
- Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Louisiana Christian University
- Commitment includes general support for Christian liberal arts education.
- A willingness to serve the broader University community through service and committee work.
- Active member in a local evangelical Christian church
