Job Description
Position Details
Campus Services
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £25,977 to £27,506
Grade: 3
Part time (26.5 hours per week)
Permanent
Closing date: 5th July 2026
Working hours:
- Week 1 – Monday 14.00‑23.00, Friday 05.30‑14.30, Saturday and Sunday 6.30‑14.00
- Week 2 – Monday 14.00‑23.00, Friday 05.30‑14.30
- Week 3 – Monday 14.00‑23.00, Friday 05.30‑14.30, Saturday and Sunday 6.30‑14.00
- Week 4 – Monday 14.00‑23.00, Friday 05.30‑14.30
Our Offer to You
People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector‑leading Birmingham Professional programme. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. You will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high‑quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state‑of‑the‑art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Background
Sport & Fitness is responsible for managing the University of Birmingham’s extensive sport and recreation facilities. It serves the entire sporting spectrum—from beginners to elite athletes—supporting 6,500 members, 40 performance clubs, and over 40 sports scholars, while offering a comprehensive participation and intramural league programme. The centre hosts major events for British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), national governing bodies, and external organisations, attracting up to 3,000 spectators for individual events. It played a key role in the Commonwealth Games, hosting hockey and squash competitions as well as providing training venues for swimming and athletics. Sport & Fitness caters to a diverse range of user groups, including university societies, the medical school, departmental teams, and social groups, as well as the wider community—athletics, swimming, football, rugby, hockey, and gymnastics clubs, alongside schools, local authority groups and commercial providers.
Role Summary
You will be responsible for lifeguarding and dry‑side facilities management duties, assisting the Facility Managers in the effective day‑to‑day management and operation of facilities, ensuring services are delivered safely.
Main Duties
Swimming pool
- Lifeguarding the pool as part of a team of guards, managing pool etiquette and lane usage in line with the Normal Operating Procedure (NOP) and Terms and Conditions of use.
- Setting up the pool according to the timetable, including adjusting the depth of the pool and configuration as required.
- Performing water quality tests for the swimming pool, reporting any results not within working parameters, and carrying out plant room checks.
- Pool vacuum set‑up and take‑out, cleaning of the machine.
- Attending training once a month outside of normal shift pattern, including lifeguard training, situational training, and fire warden training.
Dry side (including indoor and outdoor facilities)
- Setting up dry‑side facilities in accordance with timetables and instructions.
- Dealing with customer enquiries at indoor and outdoor facilities, including first aid.
- Assisting with the training of new staff and casual staff by demonstrating equipment set‑up to recognised guidelines; all training matrices will be signed off by a duty manager.
- Processing cash collections in accordance with university policy.
General area management duties
- Preparing the facilities prior to opening and securing at end of business.
- Ensuring facilities and equipment are prepared as and when required.
- Assisting with the safe and tidy storage of equipment throughout the buildings, reporting any issues.
- Patrolling the buildings on a regular basis and carrying out periodic checks, ensuring safe and proper use of facilities, checking internal and external security and taking appropriate action to prevent or deal with breaches.
- Dealing with incidents, injuries and emergencies, initiating Emergency Action Plans when necessary, and completing all relevant documentation.
- Carrying out routine maintenance, safety checking of equipment as required, and completing documentation.
- Liaising closely with Estates on matters of routine maintenance of the building, its fixtures and fittings, monitoring progress of job requests.
- Assisting with cleaning of facilities and associated amenities such as toilets, showers and changing rooms when instructed or when regular patrolling identifies the need.
- Monitoring user behaviour and ensuring compliance with the NOP, health and safety rules and Terms and Conditions of Use.
- Monitoring equipment inventory stock and informing the Duty Officer when stocks go below the level stated in the NOP.
- Any other duties that may be required and that are commensurate with the pay grade.
- Treating everyone with dignity and respect, supporting equality and valuing diversity.
Optional Acting Up Responsibilities
The University of Birmingham Sport supports members of staff who want to gain experience of working above their current role. Therefore we have an Acting Team Leader role that empowers those who have gone through an informal interview and training programme to carry out essential duties in the absence of the Duty Manager. Those qualified will be paid an additional hourly rate for the job.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
- GCSE English and Maths or equivalent level 1 qualifications, or relevant work experience evidencing the required skills and ability.
- A current National Pool Lifeguard Qualification.
- An up‑to‑date First Aid at Work qualification or a willingness to attain one during the first 6 months of employment.
- Experience of working with the public in a fast‑paced environment, providing outstanding customer service and care.
- Experience of working under pressure.
- Basic computer skills.
- Experience working as part of a team delivering a high‑quality customer experience.
- Ability to learn and understand how diversity considerations affect own area (e.g., dietary requirements, dress code).
DBS Required
The University is committed to safeguarding and promotes safe recruitment practice. All associated pre‑employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role, all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.
Dimensions
You will not directly manage others or a budget in this role.
Planning and Organising
You will undertake a range of activities within the gym which will be allocated to you on a daily basis. You will be expected to complete these within the day or certain timeframes, prioritising activities as allocated.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
You will work within existing processes and procedures, with an expectation that you will refer to the Manager before making any changes to Normal Operating Procedures. Prescribed procedures guide decision making.
Internal and External Relationships
You will interact with customers from a range of backgrounds and will need high‑level communication skills, confidence and diplomacy to deliver effective training, and to deal with enquiries, complaints and less experienced gym users.
Informal enquiries to Ross Adams, email: r.i.adams.1@bham.ac.uk
Equality and Diversity
We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community. We are proud of the Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy.
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