SOCIAL WELLNESS & CLUB EXPERIENCE MANAGER: NATIONAL FITNESS & WELLNESS ORGANISATION

What if a fitness club became someone’s favourite place to connect, belong and spend time?

Our client, a leading national fitness and wellness organisation, is looking for a Senior Social Wellness & Club Experience Manager to join its Cape Town team in an in-office role.

The opportunity? To rethink what a club can mean to its members, creating reasons to visit more often, stay longer and feel part of something bigger than their workout.

Your focus? Developing the strategy, programmes, partnerships and operating frameworks that build thriving communities and bring a distinctive social wellness experience to life across a national club network.

This is a senior strategic leadership opportunity, not a traditional events role. You’ll be shaping culture, connection and member loyalty, while ensuring the vision translates into practical, commercially sustainable experiences across a national network of clubs.

Here’s where you’ll make your mark

• Shape and lead the organisation’s social wellness and community strategy, defining the member experience, standards and long-term direction.

• Develop a portfolio of social programmes, community experiences, hospitality initiatives and cultural collaborations that encourage participation and loyalty.

• Use member insights, behavioural research and market trends to identify opportunities and develop engaging concepts.

• Build strategic partnerships with brands, creators and communities that enhance the member experience and deliver commercial value.

• Create scalable frameworks, standards and toolkits that enable consistent delivery across clubs while reflecting local communities.

• Turn strategic concepts into practical implementation plans, coordinating launches and operational readiness across the network.

• Influence senior stakeholders, regional teams and club-level representatives, building alignment and accountability.

• Connect in-club experiences with digital engagement channels to encourage discovery, participation and ongoing connection.

• Visit clubs and review programmes to assess performance, identify improvements and scale successful initiatives.

• Establish performance measures for community participation, engagement and retention, using data and feedback to refine the offering.

• Manage budgets, agencies, suppliers and partners, ensuring quality delivery and return on investment.

• Provide senior leadership with clear reporting, strategic recommendations and proactive risk management.

What you’ll bring to the table

• A relevant degree or diploma in Marketing, Brand, Customer Experience, Hospitality, Events, Business or a related discipline, or equivalent senior-level experience.

• At least 8 years’ relevant experience in hospitality, lifestyle, wellness, member experience, community development, retail, brand experience, events or a comparable premium consumer environment.

• A proven track record of building, growing and sustaining engaged communities, and developing experiences or programmes from concept to scale.

• Experience establishing new concepts, operating models, standards or formats from the ground up.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budget management, supplier relationships, business cases and ROI.

• The ability to influence senior stakeholders, lead cross-functional teams and manage complex programmes across multiple locations.

• A combination of creative thinking, cultural awareness, member empathy, data analysis and sound operational judgement.

• Excellent communication, presentation and reporting skills, with the ability to turn strategy into practical action.

• Strong emotional intelligence, active listening skills and the ability to connect with diverse people and communities.

• Exceptional organisational skills, attention to detail, adaptability and composure under pressure.

• Confident problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, with a proactive approach to member experience.

• Digital fluency and confidence using modern technology and systems.

• Willingness to travel regularly to clubs and work outside standard office hours when required.

If you don’t have the relevant experience required for this role, please consider your application unsuccessful.

City: Cape Town

Level of Expertise: Senior

Remuneration: Negotiable

Consultant: Tamara

Reference Number: #Tam938