Sports Centre Manager

A Sports Centre Manager oversees the day-to-day operations of a sports facility or leisure complex in Australia, including staffing, maintenance, member services, and financial performance. They manage facility bookings, coordinate programs and events, ensure compliance with health and safety standards, and work to meet revenue targets. The role sits between executive leadership and frontline staff, translating facility strategy into operational outcomes.

Schedule and allocate coaching, instruction, and maintenance staff across facility operating hours and programs. Manage facility booking systems and coordinate court, pool, field, and studio usage to maximise utilisation and member satisfaction. Monitor compliance with relevant health and safety standards, including Safe Work Australia guidelines, and conduct risk assessments for facility hazards. Oversee maintenance schedules for equipment, pools, courts, and building infrastructure, liaising with external contractors as needed. Prepare and monitor operational budgets, track revenue from memberships and hire fees, and report financial performance to senior management. Design and promote sports programs, classes, and events aligned with member demographics and facility capabilities. Handle member complaints, resolve disputes over bookings or service quality, and maintain member retention and satisfaction. Recruit, train, and performance-manage frontline staff including receptionists, cleaners, and sports assistants.

The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The role is heavily dependent on membership numbers and venue foot traffic, which means your income and job security swing with economic downturns and gym competition. Shift work is common.

Practically speaking, most jobs are in metro areas where there's higher population density and more leisure facilities. Regional areas have fewer opportunities. Public council-run centres are concentrated in outer suburbs and regional towns. Private gym chains cluster in affluent postcodes. Remote work is not possible.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1491, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Complaint Handlingcore
• Conflict Resolutioncore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Rostering and Scheduling Supportcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
• Feedback Collection and Actioning
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Leave Management
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Negotiation
• Process Improvement Identification
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Report Writing
• Reporting and Analytics

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026