GLL is seeking an exceptional Head Swimming Coach to lead the highly successful Barnet Training Scheme based at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre. This is a rare opportunity for an ambitious Head Swimming Coach to take ownership of an established and nationally recognised programme, working with talented swimmers, experienced coaching teams, and one of the strongest swimming pathways in the country. If you're an experienced Head Swimming Coach looking for your next challenge, this is your chance to make a lasting impact.
As our new Head Swimming Coach, you will work alongside the current programme lead during a planned transition period before assuming full responsibility for the scheme. This unique opportunity allows the successful Head Swimming Coach to inherit a thriving programme while shaping its future direction. The Head Swimming Coach will play a pivotal role in athlete development, coach mentoring, performance planning, and strategic leadership. We are looking for a visionary Head Swimming Coach who can inspire swimmers, support coaches, and continue the programme's reputation for excellence. If you are a passionate Head Swimming Coach driven by developing athletes to their full potential, this could be the defining role of your coaching career.
About the Barnet Training Scheme
GLL works in partnership with Barnet Copthall Swimming Club, combining outstanding coaching provision, excellent facilities, and a proven competitive pathway. GLL provides the facilities, water space and coaching team, while Barnet Copthall Swimming Club delivers the competitive opportunities that allow swimmers to excel at regional, national and international level.
The programme caters for all stages of competitive swimming and includes:
- 2 Performance Squads
- 4 Development Squads
- 5 Competitive, Development and Fitness Squads based at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre
- A High-Performance Masters Squad
- 4 additional Competitive, Development and Fitness Squads operating across Finchley Lido Leisure Centre and New Barnet Leisure Centre
The programme's recent success speaks for itself:
- 12 swimmers qualified for the GB Aquatics Next Generation Championships in 2025
- 18 swimmers qualified for the Swim England Summer Championships
- A strong reputation for developing swimmers from grassroots participation through to national-level competition
What You'll Do
- As Head Swimming Coach, you will:
- Develop and implement seasonal training plans and squad structures with clear progression pathways.
- Lead and deliver high-quality coaching sessions for performance squads.
- Provide leadership, guidance and mentoring to the coaching team, ensuring a consistent coaching philosophy throughout the programme.
- Oversee athlete development pathways from entry-level competitive swimmers through to national performers.
- Manage competition schedules and support athletes at galas, meets and championship events.
- Build strong relationships with swimmers, parents, club committees and key stakeholders.
- Monitor athlete performance and use data-driven approaches to maximise progression.
- Produce reports and updates for stakeholders and contribute to the strategic development of the programme.
What We're Looking For
- We are looking for a passionate and experienced swimming professional who can demonstrate:
- Minimum ASA/UKCC Level 2 Coaching Award or Swim England Swimming Coach Certificate.
- Proven success in coaching swimmers to regional and national standards.
- Experience operating as a Head Coach or senior coaching leader within a competitive swimming environment.
- Strong experience working collaboratively with club committees and facility operators.
- Excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
- A thorough understanding of long-term athlete development principles.
- A passion for creating positive environments where swimmers and coaches can thrive.
At GLL, this isn't simply a Head Swimming Coach role. It's an opportunity to lead one of the country's most respected swimming programmes while developing your own career within the UK's largest leisure charitable social enterprise.
As a leader within the leisure industry, we offer genuine opportunities for progression, professional development and career growth. You'll join an organisation committed to investing in people, facilities and communities.
GLL offers employees a range of employment benefits:
- Access to a pension scheme.
- Health Assurance and access to Counselling services
- Access to the tax efficient Ride to Work bicycle purchase scheme.
- Free annual eye tests
- Discounted nationwide (over 200 centres) inclusive leisure centre membership for you and your partner. This includes GLLs Live Better app!
GLL Society benefits (if you choose to join the Society after your probation period) include:
- The right to stand for the Society board and to vote for board members to represent you
- Access to team building and fun events such as Treks, Concerts outings etc
- Access to a range of benefits exclusive to our people – ask your line manager for details or check out the Intranet
The basics:
- This is a Full time, permanent position. Hours of work will be negotiated with you in line with the needs of the service, flexible working may be possible, working from home is not possible in this role.
- We are an accredited Living Wage employer with industry leading rates of pay
- We can offer a career, not just a job with extensive Learning & development support available.
- A uniform will be supplied and must be worn
- GLL is Values Driven, not Profit Driven. We work hard to benefit the communities we operate in.
- As a staff owned organisation you will be given the opportunity to join the Society and t have a stake in your business
About GLL:
As the UK’s largest leisure operator and charitable social enterprise, we offer a range of careers for everyone in our local communities. We manage over 400 facilities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including public sport and leisure centres, elite sporting venues, libraries, and children’s centres.
Our people are from the communities we serve and help us make real changes in their local area.
One of our core values is ‘More than a Job’, because working with us opens a wide range of possibilities and opportunities for you, starting with how you work with us. To make sure we are having a positive impact on our people, we also offer some flexible and part-time working options so you can make sure your new job works for you. Subject to vacancies, whether you are after a contractual commitment and a regular work schedule or the freedom of flexible hours, you may be able to choose an arrangement that works best for you and play your part in improving the health and wellbeing of your community.
We offer two different types of work arrangements:
- A permanent employment contract - part time and full time
- A flexible worker engagement by joining our flexible worker pool
If you are looking for a regular number of hours that you can work and are flexible to meet the needs of a 7 day a week service, then a full-time or part-time permanent contract might be the right choice for you.
So whether your ambitions lie in sport and leisure, events & catering, health & beauty, corporate support or working with children, you’ll be able to find your ideal new job at GLL.
Passionate about seeing our communities thrive, we invest back into our facilities, projects and people and are Investors in People Gold Award employer.
However you choose to work with us, you can be sure that you will be a valued member of our team, working with great colleagues, and making a real difference to people’s lives.
We are an inclusive employer. We seek and welcome diversity in our teams.
All pay rates are subject to skills, experience, qualifications and location.
