Lee Spindlow
Yateley,Hampshire
Summary
Results-oriented leader with expertise in management, overseeing 100+ staff across multiple locations. Experienced in governance, strategic planning, and financial turnaround, managing a £1.5m budget. Focused on culture change, performance enhancement, and high-quality customer service. Engages stakeholders through partnerships with local authorities and governing bodies, while effectively managing operations and securing funding.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Chairman & Chief Coach
Guildford City Swimming Club Ltd
Guildford
2010.09 - 2026.02
- Accountable for governance, financial performance, sustainability, and long-term strategy of a £1.5m-turnover organisation
- Led profitability turnaround, delivering sustained annual surplus and healthy reserves
- Oversaw and developed large multidisciplinary teams, embedding a high-performance, customer-focused culture
- Drove performance improvement through structured staff development and clear accountability frameworks
Assistant Partnership Development Manager
Bracknell Forest School Sports Partnership
2008.09 - 2014.01
- Set up 36 extra-curricular sports clubs and increased participation. This included applying for up to £80,000 worth of funding and managing individual budgets to ensure programmes broken even.
- Planned, delivered and reviewed a volunteering pathway to engage young people in supporting their communities. This included consultation with key stakeholders and monitoring of progress.
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships with schools, local sports clubs, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), and local authorities.
Development Officer
Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
2007.04 - 2008.09
- Led the Government’s Free-Swimming Initiative across Hampshire & IOW and oversaw a delivery budget of nearly £100,00. This included monitoring progress of projects and tracking key KPI’s. This also included drawing down funding from central government to meet local demands.
- Worked in auditing to ensure strong governance for long term growth and success of clubs.
Assistant Development Officer
Cardiff Council
2006.07 - 2007.04
- Line managed and deploying of over 70 swimming teachers and supporting the Learn to Swim programme across 7 leisure centres. This included monitoring of the National Teaching Plan; Aquamark assessment; continual Professional Development for the workforce and co-ordinating school swimming across the city.
Education
MSc - Sports Performance
Portsmouth University
Portsmouth 2010.09 - 2014.05
BSc (Hons) - Sport Science and Physical Education
UWIC
Cardiff 2002.01 - 2005.01
A Level - Economics (B), Sport Science (C), History (E)
Park House Sports College
NewburySkills
- Leadership & Management
- Board-level governance and chairing of Management meetings
- Line management of 100 staff across 7 delivery sites
- Culture change and performance improvement
- Stakeholder & Customer Focus
- High-quality customer service delivery
- Partnership working with local authorities, Universities and National Governing Bodies (NGBs)
- Clear, confident communicator at all levels
- Operations & Finance
- Full budget ownership (£15m turnover)
- Profitability turnaround and reserve building
- Funding applications up to £100k
- Projects & Strategy
- End-to-end project delivery (initiation → closure)
- Constitution redesign and 3-year strategic planning
- KPI tracking and performance reporting
References
References available on request
Training
- Coach 2024 – Leadership and Management
- Leadership and Influencing
Disclaimer
I have a full (clean) driving licence
Timeline
MSc - Sports Performance
Portsmouth University
2010.09 - 2014.05
Chairman & Chief Coach
Guildford City Swimming Club Ltd
2010.09 - 2026.02
Assistant Partnership Development Manager
Bracknell Forest School Sports Partnership
2008.09 - 2014.01
Development Officer
Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
2007.04 - 2008.09
Assistant Development Officer
Cardiff Council
2006.07 - 2007.04
BSc (Hons) - Sport Science and Physical Education
UWIC
2002.01 - 2005.01
A Level - Economics (B), Sport Science (C), History (E)
Park House Sports College