Activities Manager

The Cobnor Activities Centre Trust; Chidham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Cobnor Activities Centre Trust is a charitable outdoor education provider based in West Sussex, delivering sailing, paddlesports, climbing and more to thousands of young people each year.

The role leads day-to-day activity delivery at the centre, working with instructors, volunteers and apprentices to ensure safe, high‑quality programmes and scalable operations. Requires a recognised senior qualification and strong leadership skills.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience leading outdoor activity programmes.
• Recognised senior or leadership qualification in at least one core activity.
• Breadth to oversee multi-activity delivery.
• Organised and confident in operational decision making.
• Experience managing lead instructors and addressing performance issues.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of activities across the centre.
• Contribute to duty management and deputise for the Centre Manager when needed.
• Plan seasonal programmes, staffing and operational readiness.
• Support and develop instructors, apprentices and trainees.
• Maintain technical standards and safe, inclusive delivery.
• Review observations, feedback and incidents to drive improvement.

Skills

Outdoor leadership

Team management

Programme planning

Safety management

Education

Senior/leadership qualification in core activity

Job description

Join Cobnor Activities Centre Trust at an exciting time of growth.

We are seeking a experienced outdoor leader to run the day to day activity delivery at CACT. You will work alongside the operations and compliance manager and centre manager to turn plans and bookings into well organised programmes, ready to run safely and to a high standard with a team of dedicated and highly skilled instructors, volunteers and apprentices. You’ll lead and develop our workforce, while helping participants get the most from their time at CACT, ensuring every child leaves having reached higher.

Our activities include sailing, paddlesports, climbing, high ropes, archery and multi activity programmes.

Cobnor Activities Centre Trust

Cobnor Activities Centre Trust is an independent youth education charity in West Sussex. Each year, we provide outdoor, watersports and environmental learning for more than 4,000 young people aged 8 to 26.

We work with schools, youth groups and community partners to make outdoor opportunities accessible, especially for young people who may face barriers to taking part.

What you’ll lead

• Leading the day to day delivery of activities across the centre.


• Contributing to duty management and deputising for the Centre Manager when needed


• Planning seasonal programmes, staffing and operational readiness


• Supporting and developing instructors, apprentices and trainees


• Maintaining technical standards and safe, inclusive delivery


• Reviewing observations, feedback and incidents so we keep improving

Who we’re looking for

You’ll bring substantial experience leading outdoor activity programmes and supporting instructors to develop. You’ll have a recognised senior or leadership (trainer) qualification in at least one core activity, with the breadth to oversee multi-activity delivery.

You’ll also be organised and confident making operational decisions. You should be comfortable managing a team of lead instructors, as well as knowledge on dealing with low level performance issues.

CACT is a small centre, and you will often be balancing a diverse workload, so comfortable with managing your own time, as well as periods of increased pressure.

Salary: From £35,000. Final salary to be discussed with the candidate

Contract: Permanent, full-time, 40 hours per week

Working pattern: Seasonal flexibility, including an agreed share of evenings, weekends, residentials and peak-season duty cover