SENDER ONE DIRECTOR OF GYMS

SENDER ONE SERVICE LLC•Santa Ana, CA

5d•$95,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Gyms is a strategic, people-first, and results-driven leader responsible for the culture, performance, and operational execution of all Sender One gym locations. This role directly oversees Gym Managers and ensures high-quality delivery of key gym-level offerings, including Sender City and the Programs Department (youth and adult instruction, camps, climbing teams, and yoga/fitness). Both Sender City and the Programs Department currently report directly to Gym Managers. Over time, Sender One anticipates adding a Company Programs Manager who will report to the Director of Gyms, but today these offerings are managed at the gym level. This is an on-site leadership role requiring regular presence across all gym locations.

Requirements

Proven multi-site leadership experience (5–8+ years) in fitness, hospitality, experiential retail, climbing, youth programming, or similar service-focused environments.
People-first leader with a demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and hold managers accountable while fostering a healthy, values-driven culture.
Strong communicator who provides clear expectations, constructive feedback, and empathetic guidance.
Strategic thinker who understands how daily operations connect to financial outcomes, and who makes informed, data-driven decisions.
High emotional intelligence with the ability to see from other people’s perspectives and lead through influence, not just authority.
Operationally excellent, with a bias for action and the ability to bring clarity to complex, dynamic situations.
Passionate about climbing, youth programming, or community-based experiential environments, and aligned with Sender One’s mission and Core Values.
Resilient, adaptable, and solutions-oriented, able to navigate changing business needs with calm and confidence.
Culture carrier who leads by example and reinforces values through communication, decisions, and behavior.
Collaborative and able to work cross-functionally with Marketing, Operations Support, Facilities, HR, and Executive teams.
Committed to growth and learning, open to feedback, and eager to support the development of others.
Demonstrated leadership experience managing multi-site operations or large departments in fitness, hospitality, experiential retail, youth education, recreation, or climbing.
Proven track record of managing and developing managers (not just supervisors or front-line staff).
Experience overseeing structured programs such as youth instruction, adult instruction, camps, or fitness/yoga programs.
Strong background in hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management for large, diverse teams.
Financial and operational acumen, including budget management, P&L oversight, forecasting, and KPI tracking.
Experience resolving escalated customer and staff issues with sound judgment and emotional intelligence.
Familiarity with safety protocols and risk management for climbing, fitness, or experiential environments.
Comfort with technology platforms such as Google Workspace; and ideally, experience with Paycom, Rock Gym Pro, and Basecamp (or similar scheduling, HRIS, and CRM tools).
Top rope & lead belay experience (or ability to become certified within 60 days).

Nice To Haves

Experience coaching, teaching, or facilitating training is a strong plus.
Experience working cross-functionally with marketing, facilities, HR, and/or program departments to deliver cohesive guest experiences.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop Gym Managers, and support the development of the Programs team as needed.
Build a high-performance, values-aligned leadership bench across all gyms.
Set clear expectations, goals, and accountability frameworks for managers and program leads
Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and provide ongoing coaching and development.
Foster a culture of trust, psychological safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Partner with HR to hire, onboard, and retain high-quality staff across gyms and programs.
Act as a cultural ambassador, ensuring that Sender One’s Core Values guide daily actions and decisions.
Ensure each gym meets or exceeds standards for service, safety, cleanliness, programming, Sender City operations, routesetting quality, and community engagement.
Collaborate closely with the Routesetting Department to ensure wall quality, rotation cadence, and programming needs align with each gym’s operational rhythm.
Maintain operational consistency across locations through systems, policies, and training.
Monitor key performance indicators (membership growth, NPS, payroll as a % of revenue) and drive action plans when needed.
Support Gym Managers with escalated customer or staff issues, coaching them through solutions.
Oversee the Programs Department to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery of: Youth instruction, Adult instruction, Competition Team, Yoga and fitness programming
Ensure programs are aligned with company vision, safety standards, and revenue goals.
Partner with Program Leads to create a cohesive curriculum, training framework, and staffing structure.
Work with Gym Managers to ensure seamless program execution on site, including staffing, customer experience, and space management.
Monitor program KPIs (registrations and retention) and drive continuous improvement.
Develop and strengthen the adult instruction pathway over time as dedicated program leadership becomes available.
Oversee P&L performance for all gyms and programs, ensuring alignment with company budget targets.
Review financial reports and work with managers and program leads to identify revenue opportunities and cost efficiencies.
Participate in annual budgeting and forecasting for gym operations and programs in partnership with Finance and the CEO.
Monitor labor spend, program profitability, and membership trends to guide strategic decision-making.
Facilitate quarterly financial goal-setting sessions with Gym Managers to review past performance, set next-quarter targets, and align on action plans.
Create a transparent follow-up system to track progress against quarterly financial goals.
Hold Gym Managers and Program Leads accountable for achieving sales goals, including membership sales, program revenue, and other key revenue drivers.
Maintain a strong weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting cadence.
Identify risks early and develop corrective actions for gyms or programs that are off-track.
Drive strategic initiatives from planning through execution, ensuring complete alignment across locations.
Collaborate with Marketing to ensure strong on-site execution of campaigns, promotions, program launches, and community events.
Work with Operations Support, Facilities, Routesetting, and Risk and Safety teams to maintain a consistent, safe, high-quality member experience.
Partner with the CEO on long-term strategic planning for gym expansion, programs evolution, and staffing models.