Recreation Assistant (Lifeguard)

University of Leeds; Leeds; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Leeds is seeking a Recreation Assistant to ensure safety and provide excellent customer service at their sports facilities. Responsibilities include lifeguarding, cleaning, and setting up sports areas. Candidates must hold a valid RLSS qualification and possess strong communication and organisational skills. The role requires some early mornings and late evenings but offers generous holiday and health benefits as well as personal development opportunities.

Benefits

26 days holiday plus approx. 16 additional holidays

Discounted gym membership options

Access to personal development courses

On-site childcare and shopping discounts

Qualifications

• Current RLSS lifeguard qualification (or equivalent) is required.
• Experience working as a lifeguard preferred.
• Must keep up to date with monthly lifeguard training.

Responsibilities

• Ensure a safe environment and high customer service level.
• Perform lifeguarding duties alongside cleaning tasks.
• Set up sports areas and safely move equipment.
• Be available for early morning and late evening shifts.
• Work at any designated sports facility as required.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Customer service orientation

Organisational skills

Ability to work independently

Education

Current Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) lifeguard qualification

Job description

Interviews are expected to be held on the 14th of January 2026.

This role will be based on the university campus.

Are you customer focused and dedicated to providing an excellent service? Do you have excellent organisation skills with the ability to plan and prioritise work effectively?

The University has recently invested £1.2M to expand ‘The Edge’ sports facility and provides state of the art fitness and class equipment, offering a range of classes and aquatics activities and 25 metre 8 lane swimming pool.

As a Recreation Assistant you will work as part of a large team ensuring that the environment is safe for use and that a high level of customer service is maintained at all times. Alongside your responsibility for lifeguarding, you will undertake a range of duties including cleaning tasks, setting up sport areas and moving equipment safely.

You will have a current Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) lifeguard qualification (or equivalent) and ideally have experience working as a lifeguard, ensuring you keep up to date with the monthly lifeguard training. You will have excellent communication skills and have a helpful attitude towards customers, with the ability to work independently and also as part of a team.

You will need to be available to work weekdays and weekends, early morning starts (0600am) and late evenings (1100pm) You will be primarily based at one of our designated sports facilities, however, will be required to work at any of our sports facilities when required.

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Please see details of the University’s Pre-employment Health Assessment within the Candidate Brief.