Join The A Team - Administrator / Senior Administrator

Job Spec – Administrator / Senior Administrator

Full Time £23,000- 26,000 FTE (depending on experience & Qualifications )

Role: Permanent Staff

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 Octincludes 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

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.

www.canoetrail.co.uk 

Start Date 15^th March – 1st April 2024 – TBC

A full induction will be provided in April 2024

Canoe Trail is recruiting a ‘senior administrator’ to join our fun loving team. We are seeking an exceptional ambitious candidate with strong personal motivation and drive. The candidate will have excellent customer service skills and communication and be used to working with booking systems, social media and websites. The senior administrator is required to manage the day to day bookings, customer inquiries by email and phone as well as create new posts, blogs and activities on our website and booking system. It is also likely the senior administrator will get to enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities during the peak season helping with front line delivery from time to time. Training will be provided.

Key Attributes:

• Punctual, honest and dedicated with a “can do” attitude
• Strong Life skills
• Accurate with an eye for detail
• Systematic and able to follow systems and procedures
• Solid experience of working to professional standards
• Strong team player
• Proactive problem solving approach
• Passion to share the great outdoors and adventures

Benefits

• Excellent Salary (dependent on experience and qualifications)
• Company bonus scheme

Continue CPD, working alongside the SMT

Be part of a family team with regular social events and training

• Opportunity to join trips and expeditions
• Fun and relaxed working atmosphere, sup pups, cake and other benefits
• In house training in outdoor activities
• External qualifications including National Governing Body

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

Personal Specification Essential:

• Available for flexible working window to suit tourism demand including evenings, weekends and holidays
• Strong IT and system skills including Word, Excel, finance systems

Web and social media skills

Love of great outdoors

Hold a Full UK Driving Licence for a minimum of 5 years

• Have experience customer service to a wide range of people such as schools or corporate activities
• Have an enthusiastic, ‘can do’ attitude
• Demonstrate an ability to self-mange and prioritise activities running on time to the correct standard
• Interest in adventures and expeditions with a track record
• Experience in managing or supervising a team
• GSH – tell us your best joke !

Personal Specification Desirable:

Campcraft and outdoor skills

Experience in natural world

• cooking skills (No Michelin stars needed!)
• Knowledge of rural navigation such walking and cycling
• Experience of DofE and education

Applications Welcomed:

Applicants should send a covering letter and copy of their current CV to

Applicants will be asked to attend an interview with assessment tasks

Job Description

Job Description: Senior Administrator

Reporting to: Ashley Kenlock, Managing Director

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full Time including some weekends and evenings

Based: Kempston

Overview

The Senior Administrator will provide day to day management support for operation and growth of the watersports and adventure activities business, working closely with the Activities Manager and the SMT. Key elements of the role include day to day customer service replying to emails, phone calls and inquiries, following core processes and procedures robustly to ensure smooth operations and service delivery. The Senior Administrator will help support scheduling, marketing campaigns (including Newsletter and social media) and other proactive measures to ensure the business grows sustainability.

The role will include working on activity programmes supporting staff and partners in high quality and inspiring activities from time to time. The Senior Administrator will be an exceptional host welcoming customers to activities and trips.

Other duties within Canoe Trail include having a firm overview of company processes and reviewing when necessary. The management of the centre is a crucial part of the role, ensuring facilities are kept maintained and running, along with cleanliness of the site to a high standard. An additional focus will be on the sites security, with issues being resolved quickly as well as structuring meetings, action points and helping to deliver of a strategic business plan.

Admin and Systems Management

• Deliver professional, accurate and efficient customer service experience from initial enquiry to delivery via the activities team and relevant reviews (from cradle to grave)
• Help develop the website copy (open source) and content to provide a strong google and search engine performance as well as deliver an excellent customer experience and user journey
• Liaise with external SEO freelancer, website agency and SMT to utilise the monthly reports produced, acting on issues highlighted quickly
• Accurate record keeping with clear lines of communication with the Activities Manager and SMT (matrix management)
• Robust and comprehensive management of data and processes (such as booking amendments, regular website snagging, clear and timely social media activity).
• Support proactive communications with our customers / segmented and profiled customers with targeted offers and opportunities using mail chimp and newsletters
• Manage online booking system (Trekksoft) taking the lead to optimise performance
• Track business leads to maximise sales opportunities and help provide key account management of existing customers
• Support scheduling of staff and rota’s for busy periods
• Continual accurate management of the diary
• Support with trip logistics and planning with strong organisational skills, booking campsites, checking timings and other elements.
• Support the SMT to ensure smooth running of the business
• Adhering to the 6P’s rule
• Hold regular meetings with the SMT (general and specific meetings)

Proactive Marketing and Social Media

• Manage company social media channels to develop strong customer contact and better marketing relationships with our customer base.
• Develop strong presence, plans and knowledge of existing and new social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube. Explore new channels including MeetUP and Tiktok.
• Help develop promotional campaigns, marketing campaigns, competitions, shows and events to build brand awareness, sales and improve profitability
• Develop new partnerships with third party directories such as Pitch Up, Cool Camping, Yumping etc to establish new sales channels

Technical Knowledge

• Develop skills and experience in the outdoor activities offered by the company.
• Support the development programme with senior staff to develop qualifications and skills in different disciplines
• Build technical knowledge and the confidence to deliver this to customers in different activities we offer including Paddlesport, archery and airguns, navigation, walking and hiking, adventure skills, team challenges, bushcraft
• Develop good working knowledge of company health and safety arrangements and promote a strong safety culture
• Follow and help improve company systems and procedures to improve efficiency and productivity whilst reducing mistakes and ensuring all parties are kept informed of changes

Senior Management

• Develop industry knowledge of competitors, market opportunities, threats and other elements to help shape strategic plans and goals
• Lead by example with the wider staff team
• Help develop best practice and excellence in the company
• Attend senior management meetings, monitor agreed performance measures and help shape direction and goals. Manage Action Points from meeting to ensure progress
• Take a lead role in customer service, dealing with inquiries and bookings to ensure customer opportunities are booked in, queries resolved and operationally a strong customer service culture is experienced
• Provide Support on major events and busy activities
• Overall responsibility for the maintenance, presentation, cleanliness and security of the Centre, liaising with Activities Team accordingly to ensure this is met

Staff Supervision

• Lead by example and help inspire the staff and subcontractors to deliver excellent programmes and customer service.
• Help ensure staff and subcontractors follow and deliver on the business objectives and values and ensuring safety, fun and learning are embedded in our delivery.
• Help develop optimised staffing levels and scheduling of core staff
• Provide operational management and support in the absence of SMT.
• Work closely with Activities Team and all staff to keep clear lines of communication open, with time management and efficiency being a key focus

Essential Skills

• Strong prioritisation skills and management of core tasks
• Excellent team player
• Extremely high level of organisation and administrative skills
• Customers service experience
• Experience of posting to social media
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to follow systems and processes accurately
• Clean driving licence

Desirable Skills

• Sales and marketing experience including use of CRM systems, Google systems, and other channels
• Passion for the Great Outdoors (qualification opportunities can be provided in-house)
• Degree level qualifications or equivalent experience
• Hosting skills for big groups
• Management skills – project management, staff and team leadership
• Experience of social media promotion and advertising
• Clean Driving Licence
• Staff management as supervisor
• Strong systems IT and financial management skills set including reporting, monitoring and helping to set targets