Job Role: Head of Outdoor Learning Service
Salary: SM2 (£62,493 - £70,927)
Contract: Established
Hours: 37 hours per week
Location: Based at either Bewerley Park Outdoor Centre, East Barnby Outdoor Centre or County Hall. Flexibility required to travel to each Outdoor Centre weekly.
Do you have a love of the natural environment and a passion for children to experience real world adventurous activities throughout the year in a sustainable and safe environment?
We are looking for an enthusiastic, successful and inclusive leader to join us as Head of the Outdoor Learning Service to take a strategic lead during an important and exciting time for the service.
North Yorkshire’s Outdoor Learning Service operates two residential centres located in the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales and aims to deliver motivational learning in inspirational environments. It exists to enable all children and young people to participate in a range of progressive and creative outdoor learning experiences and supports schools and other groups to provide regular, frequent, enjoyable and challenging opportunities for all children.
The service provides training for adults and has responsibility for educational visits advice across the county and beyond.
The service is moving through a period of transformation that includes plans for the development of the centre at Bewerley Park as well as improvements to East Barnby. We are looking for an experienced leader who will embrace the opportunities that this change will bring, whilst maintaining and building on the excellent reputation that this long-standing, highly valued outdoor education service holds.
The two centres have their own Outdoor Learning Managers reporting to the head of service, who are responsible for a team of staff at the centre and retain their own character and expertise whilst operating within consistent systems and standards. A new Business Manager post and the Educational Visits Manager also form part of the service management team.
The service operates as full cost recovery model and we are looking for someone with business expertise to drive the Outdoor Learning Service forward, leading and directing the teams in highly competitive and commercial environment.
We are looking for someone with highly developed leadership skills suited to a commercial management environment with the ability to support the development of strong high performing teams embracing an agreed vision and culture.
You will need highly effective influencing, negotiating and communication skills in order to work with a wide variety of different people and organisations.
The post holder will be expected to lead the significant development project requiring collaboration with a range of council services such as education, property, finance, and HR. As the strategic lead of outdoor learning, your influence will stretch across internal and external stakeholders. You will liaise closely with colleagues and other partners in the outdoor education arena.
You will be a corporate player, building on collaborative working across services and collectively using professional strengths to achieve shared targets.
This is an excellent opportunity to further develop your career; you will be given opportunity to develop your skills in working across a large and complex organisation.
We understand the importance of workforce development and you will be well equipped with the skills and knowledge, to effectively deliver and improve the service. As a council we are very much committed to encouraging flexible working for our employees, including using modern technologies to support agile ways of working.
Key documents
· Rewards
Key dates
· Closing date: Sunday 12th March
· Shortlisting date: Tuesday 14th March
· Interview date: Wednesday 22nd March
An Enhanced DBS is required for this post.
We are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.
We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity.
References will be obtained prior to interview.
Contact us
We welcome an informal discussion if you have any questions. Please contact Amanda Newbold (Assistant Director, Education and Skills) by emailing Susan.Foster@northyorks.gov.uk
Thank you and we look forward to exploring your interest further.