Sports Operations Assistant; Lifeguard

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work at The University of Southampton’s outstanding Southampton Sport Team as a Sports Operations Assistant (Lifeguard).
We have several locations including the newly extended flagship site, Jubilee Sport & Recreation Centre; housing a state‑of‑the‑art gym and studios, climbing wall, squash courts and 25m swimming pool. As part of the wider offering we have the Mayflower Gym, Wide Lane Sports ground and the Watersports Centre, which are open to students, staff and members of the wider community. University of Southampton is investing more than £40 million in our sports facilities;

we offer an extensive range of sport, leisure classes and courses that are available to our customers from 07:00 to 22:00 Monday to Sunday. We require sports professionals to provide a consistently high‑quality sports and leisure service to our customers all year round.

As a Lifeguard you will be part of a highly motivated and organised Southampton Sport Team responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient daily operation of the facilities. Based at Jubilee Sport and Recreation Centre on Highfield Campus, your primary duties include working poolside as a lifeguard, dealing with customer queries, preparing equipment, ensuring health and safety procedures are being followed, and being an ambassador for active lifestyles at the University of Southampton.

We encourage applications for a full‑time role only (36 hrs per week). You will be working set‑hour working patterns including evenings and weekends.

We are seeking professional, motivated, and proactive individuals who are brilliant team players. The role requires strong customer service skills; you may be the first point of contact dealing with a diverse range of situations. You will be responsible for health & safety of all pool users and must always act professionally. The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) is essential; however, we will consider those currently working towards the NPLQ qualification.

This role is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check which will be conducted during the offer process.

• Competitive starting salary of £24,900 per annum, with an additional 10% uplift shift allowance.
• Pension scheme membership.
• Generous annual leave allowance with University closure days and public holidays.
• Excellent family leave arrangements (maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave).
• Free membership to the Technogym‑powered gym, climbing/bouldering walls, pool and studios.

To view the University of Southampton’s wide range of benefits, please visit

Meet the Team Behind Southampton Sport – "Active for All" | University of Southampton ().