Business Controller

With over 100 clubs, Fit For Free and SportCity jointly are one of the biggest health clubs in The Netherlands. The Business Controller takes ownership of the budgeting, monitoring, and forecasting process and works closely with the business. This is an opportunity to be part of a successful, private equity-owned business.

About Fit For Free & SportCity

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned athlete or totally new to the gym, Fit For Free and SportCity have everything you need. Their gyms offer the highest quality equipment, innovative formats, affordable memberships, and professional instructors.

In 2009, Fit For Free and SportCity teamed up. Their strategy is to increase the market share in the Netherlands rapidly. Over the past ten years, the two brands doubled their revenue through impressive organic growth and selective acquisitions. 

In September 2018, the private equity player Bencis Capital Partners acquired Fit For Free and SportCity. Their strategy is focused on growth, not cutting costs. Bencis has put new leadership in place and is looking for a strategy that supports their growth and development. This will enable further (international) expansion and allow Fit For Free and SportCity to continuously improve the quality of their gyms and services.

Together, Fit For Free and SportCity operate over 100 gyms in The Netherlands, and having weathered the storm of the Covid-19 pandemic over the past year-and-a-half, they are now ready to pick up their growth ambitions. The first twelve months will focus on further membership growth, while 2022 will see the realization of their expansion strategy– which has been on hold due to the pandemic.

Vacancy: Business Controller

The Business Controller is primarily responsible for the analysis of the company’s cost position, including variables such as work hours, energy usage, and marketing campaigns. This includes everything below the Gross Margin, such as salaries, rent, and OpEx, as well as CapEx. In addition, the Controller prepares the annual budgets, which are updated quarterly, and the monthly forecasts. Working closely together with the business to obtain and to challenge input, the Controller is also crucial in monitoring budget vs. actual, conducting the necessary analyses, identifying deviations on time, and discussing them with – for example – clubs and suppliers when needed. A sharp and proactive attitude is key here. 

The company is currently transitioning into an advanced digital environment, selecting and implementing new information and BI tools. This – in time – will allow the Business Controller to be less focused on reporting and take a more forward-looking approach. 

The Business Controller is part of the control team of 3, and works in close cooperation with the business owners, the Finance Director, and the financial control team. The role reports directly to Robin Paul Maas, who is responsible for Financial Control and Business Control.

“We are continuously innovating with new projects or ways of working. In this position, it’s exciting that you can constantly restart & rediscover.” – Robin Paul Maas, Finance Director

This is an attractive position for a professional with strong financial skills who is excited to be part of the post-Covid national growth and subsequent growth of the most successful sports chain in The Netherlands. The Business Controller is based in their new office in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Interested? 

Fit For Free works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, contact Dox Wijers at doxwijers@topofminds.com.