Join The A Team - Full Time Centre Manager

Full Time Centre Manager

Full Time £26,000- 30,000 (depending on experience & Qualifications)

This is a varied and dynamic role that guarantee’s you will never have a ‘boring’ day at work again!  We are seeking someone with a passion for the great outdoors, who also has the skills to build on the company’s success, with the opportunity to shape its future.

• Peak Season - April to Oct includes rota’d weekend working Full time hours
• Off- peak - Nov to March Mon-Fri (with odd weekends only) Reduced hours

Applicants should send a covering letter and copy of their current CV: Deadline 28th Feb 2024 :

Canoe Trail is a multi-award winning family run business offering watersports and adventure activities to schools, tourism, corporate team building events and charity groups.  We run NGB courses, qualifications and run trips and expeditions in the UK and overseas, as well as a growing DofE presence in all 3 Award levels. We work hard and play hard sharing a passion for the great outdoors and big adventures.  We deliver most activities at our Centre on the banks of the River Great Ouse in beautiful Bedfordshire, which has a high ropes course, range activities and indoor climbing  and bouldering room, we also have our own private woodland just downstream, set in a 300 acres estate.

Kempston Outdoor Centre

A full induction will be provided in April 2024

We are also recruiting a permanent senior adminstrator and assistant activities manager. We are keen to hear from freelance outdoor instructors looking to work as part of this close knit team during peak times and bookings.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Centre Manager to be part of our team who can help us guide our very successful business in the future. This role will have equal amounts of hands-on activities and strategic planning to improve delivery.

The best way to describe our company is, we have we have a little bit of everything for you to try and being bored at work is not something that happens here! So, if you don’t want to be just another cog in a big machine and becoming part of the family team sounds more your kind of thing, read below for details.

We are proud to be recognised by market leading publications including being voted Top 52 Things to Do by Lonely Planet, Featured in Redbull Magazine as one of the Top 3 places to SUP in the UK, articles in the Times for our superb expeditions and the Daily Telegraph for our beautiful woodland campsite. This is our lifestyle not a label.

Responsibilities:

• Overall management of the Centre, ensuring all departments are working together
• Overseeing and enforcing strict Health & Safety standards, giving regular in-house training to the team
• Managing staff and freelance team to ensure all aspects of the business are being met to the correct standards and professional practice
• Leading and instructing multi-activities such as paddlesport, climbing and high ropes, Duke of Edinburgh groups and range activities
• Helping manage the hire side of the business
• Accompanying the team to shows and national events where necessary
• Providing high levels of customer service
• Promote and follow our core approach : Safe, Fun, Learn
• Using the 6 P’s approach to organisation to keep it running smoothly
• Accurate record keeping
• Leading and Supporting Customer Trips, Expeditions and Programmes to other locations, managing customer experience and welfare such as canoeing remote rivers
• Maintenance of the centre and woodland
• Driving and Towing trailers and managing event and activity logistics

Main Role:

Working as part of a team to deliver high quality sessions to a wide range of customers (from children’s sessions, school and corporate bookings  to coaching adults as part of a course). Ensuring the outcome of each group is met and the customers leave happy at the end of the day. This is a varied role and will be split between all that the company offers.

Personal Specification Essential:

• Proven experience in a leadership role in the outdoor industry
• BC Core Coach or above qualification
• Hold leadership and Endorsements to operate in moderate environments (Canoe Leader or above)such as white water, mountains or similar
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, valuing all levels of staff through empowerment
• Good organisational skills to set an example to the rest of the team
• Ability to follow budgets and understand the financial side of the business
• NGB qualification for climbing
• Full UK Driving Licence for a minimum of 5 years with experience of towing
• Have experience in delivering high quality sessions to a wide range of people from schools to corporate activities
• Campcraft skills
• Have an enthusiastic, ‘can do’ attitude
• Demonstrate an ability to self-mange and prioritise activities running on time to the correct standard
• Ability to work a flexible shift pattern with some evening and weekend work
• Experience in managing or supervising a team
• GSH – tell us your best joke !

Paddling to our private woodland

Personal Specification Desirable:

• Experience in bushcraft/ natural world
• Campfire cooking skills (No Michelin stars needed!)
• Knowledge of navigation
• Experience/ Qualification of DofE at any level

Benefits included

• Reduced hours in off-season and very little weekend work (for 6 months a year)
• Be part of a family team with regular social events
• Excellent rates of pay
• Support to complete NGB Quals and continued training
• End of season Bonus
• Guaranteed expeditions/ trips
• Free access to company equipment (shared economy)
• Mentoring (using the 1 2 3 Mentoring Model)
• First Aid Certificate
• Be part of a team with over 185 years of experience
• Reduced price and access to kit and activities for family and friends