General Manager – Canary Wharf

Location: Canary Wharf, London
Salary: £60k+ per annum + quarterly incentive scheme
Hours: Full-time, 48 hours per week (including evenings and weekends)
Reporting to: Managing Director
Start Date: Provisionally April 2026

About Sea Lanes Canary Wharf

Sea Lanes Canary Wharf is a flagship, year-round open water swimming, sauna, and hospitality destination launching at Eden Dock in 2026. Building on the success of Sea Lanes Brighton, the site will feature a 50m floating natural swimming pool, sauna, clubhouse, and a carefully curated food and beverage offer focused on local and sustainable suppliers.

Sea Lanes exists to improve health, happiness, and community connection. We are creating an inclusive, welcoming environment where swimming becomes a lifelong joy, not a seasonal activity. Canary Wharf represents our most high-profile and complex location to date.

The Role

As General Manager, you will be the senior on-site leader and have full accountability for the overall performance, culture, safety governance, and commercial success of Sea Lanes Canary Wharf. Reporting to the Managing Director, you will lead the venue from pre-opening through launch and into steady-state operations.

You will build the Sea Lanes team and operation from the ground up, while working closely with an appointed specialist partner who will deliver the day-to-day water-based activities. This role requires a confident, hands-on General Manager who can balance commercial delivery, exceptional customer experience, and robust partner oversight in a high-profile environment.

Launch Phase Responsibilities

During the pre-opening and launch phase, you will:

• Recruit, onboard, and train all Sea Lanes front-of-house, hospitality, and operational teams

• Finalise operating models, policies, and procedures with Directors and partners

• Implement systems including bookings, POS, scheduling, payroll, and reporting

• Establish health & safety, safeguarding, and emergency response frameworks

• Coordinate readiness activity with the water-activities partner ahead of opening

• Lead soft-launch and early trading periods, responding calmly to challenges and feedback

• Commit to extended hours and hands-on leadership during the final stages of launch

Key Accountabilities

Operational Leadership – Ensure smooth, professional day-to-day running of the venue, maintaining high standards of presentation and service.

Commercial & Financial Performance – Take full ownership of P&L, driving revenue growth and controlling costs within budget.

People Leadership – Build and inspire a high-performing team, embedding Sea Lanes values: OPEN. BRAVE. DIRECT.

Partner Management – Oversee the water-activities partner, ensuring safe, high-quality delivery aligned with our brand.

Customer Experience & Community – Put customers at the heart of decisions and champion inclusivity and accessibility.

Safety, Risk & Compliance – Maintain robust health & safety governance and regulatory compliance.

Stakeholder Management – Represent Sea Lanes at a senior level, building strong relationships with estate management, suppliers, and partners.

Governance & Reporting – Report to the Managing Director with regular updates and attend Board meetings as required.

About You

We’re looking for a confident, values-led General Manager who thrives in hands-on, high-profile environments and enjoys building something meaningful from the ground up. You will be commercially astute, operationally excellent, and passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience as a General Manager or senior operational leader in hospitality, leisure, or a multi-faceted venue

• Strong financial acumen with full P&L responsibility

• Demonstrated ability to recruit, lead, and develop high-performing teams

• Experience managing external partners and complex stakeholder relationships

• Exceptional organisational skills and resilience under pressure

• Commitment to health & safety, safeguarding, and compliance standards

Desirable:

• Knowledge of aquatic or outdoor leisure environments

• Experience launching new venues or managing large-scale openings

• Familiarity with Canary Wharf or similar high-profile locations

What's in it for You

Every person makes Sea Lanes the incredible place it is! Within our energising environment, our talented people work hard, but we make sure there's plenty of fun too:

• Competitive salary: £60k+ per annum + quarterly incentives

• A fun, supportive team: We believe in what we're doing and back each other all the way

• Opportunities for growth: We invest in our people with professional development and training

• Staff perks: Discounts on food, drinks, and venue services

• Flexible approach: We value work/life balance

• Real impact: Be part of something that will transform London's leisure landscape

Interviews: Will happen throughout January, initially via video call. Final stages will be face to face in either London or Brighton.

Start Date: Provisionally April 2026

Travel: To be agreed

We believe every person has the right to thrive at work. We're committed to equal employment opportunity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Should you require any specific accommodations in the recruitment process, please let us know.

Learn more about us: www.sealanescanarywharf.co.uk