We are looking for a high-performing and visionary General Manager of Operations to join our Senior Leadership Team at The Y. This pivotal role will lead our diverse operational portfolio. From fitness, recreation, and aquatics facilities to OSCAR programmes, Early Learning Centres, Camps, and The Y Hostel.
You’ll be responsible for driving performance, integration, and growth across all operational areas, ensuring The Y continues to deliver outstanding community impact. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced executive to make a tangible difference while shaping the next chapter of one of New Zealand’s most established community organisations.
What will you be doing?
As GM Operations, you will:
- Drive strategic and operational excellence across all Y North services and sites, ensuring high-quality, customer-centred delivery that reflects our mission and values.
- Lead transformational initiatives that improve efficiency, strengthen systems and enable innovation, building consistent, scalable approaches that future-proof our operations.
- Oversee financial and commercial performance, including budgets, procurement and resource allocation, ensuring sound governance and long-term sustainability.
- Develop and empower high-performing, values-driven teams by fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
- Champion health, safety, wellbeing and safeguarding, embedding best practice across all areas of service delivery and maintaining a strong focus on care, inclusion and compliance.
- Partner with the CEO and Board to translate strategic priorities into operational action, ensuring clear alignment between vision, people and outcomes.
- Build effective relationships with key partners and stakeholders, representing Y North with credibility and professionalism with key stakeholders, the community, sector networks and funding agencies.
- Promote innovation and service development, identifying opportunities to expand our reach and enhance the impact of our programmes.
What experience/skills do you need?
- 10+ years’ proven executive leadership in operations, customer service or related sectors, with knowledge of recreation, fitness or community service sectors.
- A tertiary qualification in business management or a related discipline is preferred.
- Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-site operations.
- Ability to drive a positive culture in line with The Y’s values.
- Strong financial acumen and commercial leadership.
- A track record of driving organisational performance and embedding consistency.
- Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
- Experience leading large, diverse teams through transformation.
What The Y offers:
- Free gym membership and discounts on The Y services e.g. childcare, holiday programmes, sports leagues, etc.
- Professional development, career advancement and safeguarding training.
- Working in a community-focused environment.
About The Y:
As a not-for profit, everything we do each day has a positive impact, and we have fun doing it! We believe in the power of inspired and connected communities, where people feel safe and are motivated to reach their full potential. Our values of Caring, Respect, Honesty and Responsibility are at the core of our culture and the valued connections and friendships you’ll build here are lifelong. The Y employees and careers represent many lifestyles and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, with jobs and hours to suit everyone’s stage of life from 14-70+. Our varied services and activities offer a wide range of career pathways where your development will be supported to help you reach your career goals. Our STAR Awards, Outward Bound scholarship opportunities, and long service recognition reward your contribution. We have benefits to suit your lifestyle, with access to free counselling, free annual flu vaccinations, free gym membership for all employees, and discounts for our services such as early learning centres, before and after school care, camps, swim school and sports leagues.
To Apply:
If this sounds like you, please click ‘QUICK APPLY’ now!
All applicants must:
- Currently hold the right to work in New Zealand and currently be in New Zealand.
- Return a satisfactory Police Vet before commencement of employment.
The Y North is committed to the safeguarding of children and young people in our care, and it is our expectation that all staff will operate in a way that reflects this intent. Staff will be required to attend Safeguarding workshops, trainings and online modules to comply with The Y North Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy