Centre Manager - Hamps
New Forest Outdoor Centre
Location: Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Salary: £25,400 - £27,500pa pr
Closes: 5/1/26
Centre Manager at New Forest Outdoor Centre
Location: New Forest Outdoor Centre, SO43 7GA. Owned by Activate Outdoors Ltd
Full Time 40 hours a week Permanent
Salary Range £32,000- £38,000
https://newforestoutdoor.co.uk/
The New Forest Outdoor Centre
The New Forest Outdoor Centre provides day and residential outdoor programmes for schools, colleges and corporate clients, as well as being a venue for outdoor events, and weddings. Our stunning venue is in the heart of the New Forest near Lyndhurst. We have a rustic woodland setup, with shepherd huts and canvas tents for accommodation and a timber clad barn with permanent marquee that provides group space. We are in the middle of a private wooded estate that offers locations for our activities. Where appropriate we run activities out in the wider New Forest. Exclusivity for groups in a location that feels natural and remote is a key selling point of the centre. We work with one group at a time, a maximum of 60 residentially or potentially up to 300 day visitors. With one group to focus on we have the opportunity for tailored programmes with genuine hospitality and quality activity experiences. We offer a range of land based activities plus raft building. The environment lends itself to bushcraft and nature connection and we also have high and low ropes courses, a climbing wall, and target sports. New Forest Outdoor Centre is part of Activate Outdoors Ltd and one of a group of three outdoor centres on the south coast. The other centres are Brenscombe Outdoor Centre and Portland Outdoor Centre.
Job Purpose
To be responsible for all aspects of the running of the New Forest Outdoor Centre from sales, marketing and programme delivery through to maintenance and housekeeping. It is a broad role requiring a diverse skill set, the ability to work on your own initiative and multitask. You will need to manage priorities and be organised.
The Centre Manager is currently the only member of staff. You will be the entire centre team day to day, with additional support brought in when needed. The directors, wedding coordinator and staff from our other centres are available for support as well as utilising freelance instructors.
The centre focuses on delivering bespoke outdoor programmes and events rather than activity sessions, so each day is different. There is just one group at a time and you will personally ensure that they have the best hospitality and experience we can offer.
Expect a busy summer with early starts, late finishes and overnights balanced with a quieter winter. Also expect to work with and at our other centres as part of the bigger team.
This is an opportunity to help shape and influence the direction and growth of the outdoor centre and stamp your personality on it. We are transitioning from being an outdoor events venue to one that includes school residential work at its core. It’s a big task and rewarding. You will be part of the senior team for Activate Outdoors and the organisation will support you to succeed.
Main Duties
1) Sales and marketing for New Forest Outdoor Centre
2) Delivering and overseeing outdoor programme delivery for a range of clients.
3) Managing a freelance instructor team to ensure safety and quality of delivery.
4) Staff training, quality monitoring and role modelling of activity delivery
5) Responsible for health and safety of facilities and activities
6) Running of the venue including the maintenance of equipment and facilities
This role will involve lone working. There is an expectation that you will also work from and with our sister centres Brenscombe Outdoor Centre and Portland Outdoor Centre and contribute where appropriate to the organisation as a whole.
This is not a role for everyone. It’s about developing, maintaining and being proud of a venue as well as delivering good quality outdoor work.
On any given day you might be:
· Responding to enquiries and selling programmes on the phone and by email
· Managing freelance staff and checking safety and quality
· Cleaning
· Preparing food
· Planning and resourcing upcoming programmes
· Delivering an activity
· Liaising with visiting group leaders face to face
· Discussing and developing good work practices with another centre manager
The weddings are coordinated by an independent wedding coordinator. The centre managers role may involve coordinating some weddings, but the focus will be more on running and coordinating outdoor activity-based programmes.
Person Specification
You will be an experienced outdoor professional able to sell, develop, deliver and facilitate a range of outdoor activity programmes for adults and young people’s groups. You will have experience of managing and coordinating outdoor programmes and the staff needed to deliver them. You will be organised and efficient with administration, have practical skills to tackle simple maintenance tasks and a desire to provide genuine hospitality in an outdoor setting. Importantly you will need to recognise what needs doing and actively make sure that it happens.
Qualifications
Essential
At least 4 of the following qualifications:
Paddle sports Level 1 Archery Leader
Small Bore rifle ERCA
Lowland Leader RCI
MIAS or MTB leader level 2 Bushcraft level 3
Desirable
Mountain Leader Paddle sports level 2
DofE gold residential assessor Food Hygiene
Experience
Essential Nature connection, Bushcraft or environmental education and working with groups in a woodland setting.
Delivering a range of Outdoor Activities in different environments to a range of clients, including facilitating team tasks to corporate groups
Experience of coordinating / managing small teams to deliver outdoor programmes
Desirable
Leading groups on foot and bike in the New Forest
DofE Gold residential Programmes
Knowledge
Essential
Depth of understanding in ropes and water based activities
Assessing and managing risk in outdoor activities
Personal, Team and Leadership development using outdoor activities
Skills
Essential
IT literate
Good written and verbal communication skills
Ability to lead and inspire other outdoor professionals as well as clients
Ability to multitask and prioritise
High personal safety standards
Good personal organisation and self-management
Ability to do practical maintenance tasks
Attitude
Essential
Positive problem-solving approach
Customer service orientated
Desire to lead and motivate others
Closing date 1st December
Contact: [email protected]