Education Manager

Contract Full time, permanent

Location: Wildwood Devon, EX11 1LU

Reports to: Director of Park Operations

Responsible for: Five permanent staff, three variable hours staff, and volunteers

Grade: Grade 3

Job Purpose

This role heads up our Devon Education Team, creating, delivering and reviewing the education programmes. Staff and volunteer oversight and development is key, as is the management and maintenance of all education areas, buildings and resources. This role is also the Safeguarding Lead for the Devon site.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver a range of unique educational experiences, programmes, courses, and activities for a variety of audiences including schools, groups, colleges and universities.
• Ensure the education provision is linked to the national curriculum or other regulated courses, where appropriate.
• Engage and enthuse learners about history, nature, and the environment, encouraging the next generation of rewilders.
• Ensure that all Health & Safety, safeguarding, timetabling, curriculum specifications for assessing risks, and any other necessary requirements are met to facilitate a safe learning environment.
• Line management responsibilities for the education team; leading, coaching, and mentoring to further departmental success, as well as ensuring all necessary training and DBS checks are completed and up to date.
• Careful management of departmental budgets and resources.
• Carry out all administrative duties, including answering telephone and email enquiries, taking bookings, organising rotas for residential stays and day visits.
• Maintain all education resources, including buildings and other structures, ensuring they are safe for visitors and staff.
• Recruit and organise education volunteers.
• Work with the other departments to enhance the visitor experience, both generally across the park and for specific public engagement activities such as night tours, junior zoo keeper, and other events.

The Working Week

Your working week will be varied and busy, with no two days the same. As Education Manager you will manage the delivery of the Education Department’s programmes and experiences at the Devon park, with the support of your dedicated team of Outdoor Education Instructors. Some of your time will be office based, taking initial enquiries/bookings, liaising with individual schools, invoicing, and all administration surrounding bookings, session plans, dietary requirements and staff rota etc. You will ensure that bookings are staffed with the correct ratio of instructors, including yourself. You will need excellent communication skills to deal with a variety of people, including customers, teachers, parents, children, young people, vulnerable adults, and other Wildwood staff. You will also oversee the upkeep of the Saxon village maintenance and the wider resources of the department. Working with the Director of Park Operations and the Director of Finance, you are responsible for the overall financial wellbeing of the department, ensuring that all aspects of expenditure and income are in keeping with budgetary expectations. Along with all other managers, you will be included on the Park Duty Manager rota. Core working hours are 09:00 until 17:00 with an unpaid half an hour for lunch. This post is 37.5 hours per week over 5 days. The job will involve overtime, including some evening, weekend and bank holiday working as part of your normal duties. You may be required to occasionally travel between parks.

This job involves undertaking duties which include the following health, safety and wellbeing considerations:

• Regular use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
• Use of machinery / tools
• Lone working
• Conflict resolution
• Pressure to meet key deadlines such as might be integral to high profile projects
• Use of company vehicle

Mandatory Training For This Role Includes:

• Enhanced DBS check
• Manual Handling
• Equality & Diversity
• Safeguarding Level 2
• GDPR / Data Protection Awareness
• Fire Safety Awareness
• Ladder Safety
• Cyber Security
• First Aid
• Customer Service
• Food Allergen Awareness
• Animal Escape

Skills, Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

All Wildwood staff are passionate, committed, and resourceful. To succeed in this specific role, you will be a natural leader, well organised and be a great team player.

Essential

• Teaching qualification; PGCE/PGCAP equivalent or relevant experience.
• A ‘can-do attitude’, confident to complete tasks independently and efficiently without supervision, whilst also knowing when to delegate.
• Good verbal and written communication skills, with experience of producing formal education programmes and report writing.
• A pragmatic problem solver, able to quickly adapt and find solutions under pressure.
• Excellent organisation and time management skills.
• Competent and accurate data entry.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google equivalent.
• Demonstrate a genuine love of British wildlife and belief in Wildwood’s Mission; to protect, conserve, and rewild British wildlife.

Desirable

• Experience of managing budgets and knowledge of financial systems and processes.
• Experience of working in a charity or similar role.

Why work for Wildwood

Wildwood is a native species conservation charity established in 2002 to push the boundaries of innovative conservation and rewilding. We work with nature to fight the biodiversity crisis, to halt the extinction of species and to create resilient habitats in which nature thrives. We focus on nature-based solutions to return native species and recreating truly wild spaces. Wildwood has a proud culture of respecting and valuing all colleagues. Our people are integral to our success; their expertise enables us to achieve our ambitions, their professionalism creates strong collaborations, and their integrity upholds our organisational values.

Employment Package

• Annual salary of £31,000
• Annual leave allowance of 30 days a year, including statutory holidays
• Workplace pension auto enrolled after three months
• Inclusive and family-friendly working policies
• Training & development opportunities
• Selection of staff benefits including discounts
• Free or reduced price entry to BIAZA accredited zoos and aquariums

Apply For This Job

If you are interested in applying for a vacant role at the Wildwood Trust, please submit your CV and a covering letter. Be sure to include the following information:

• Name, address, contact telephone number, email address
• Personal Statement
• Full employment history
• Education / training history

You should include personal a statement of the relevant skills and experience that you believe you will bring to the job, paying careful attention to the requirements of the role outlined in the job description. Any gaps in employment should be explained. You should give two referees to whom we can approach for a confidential reference, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. References will only be taken up for those candidates chosen for interview or, with regard to current employer, on offer of contract. Be reassured we will always seek your consent prior to approaching referees. Applications will not normally be acknowledged. If you have not received a response within four weeks, we regret your applications has not been successful. Applications should be emailed to jobs@wildwoodtrust.org, or alternatively can be posted to Recruitment, Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ.

Interview & Selection Procedure

Interviews and selection tests will be held by arrangement at Wildwood, Wealden Forest Park, Herne Common, or via an online platform if appropriate. The selection process will depend on the seniority of the role, but may include interviews, presentations, selection tests, informal discussion, and tours. Appointments are subject to confirmation after a six-month probation period, followed by regular development reviews.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Wildwood is committed to fair recruitment practices. No person shall be treated less favourably than another on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, ethic or national origin, religion, colour, age or disability. As an equal opportunities employer, applicants for staff vacancies shall be shortlisted for interview and appointed purely on the grounds of their suitability for the post as laid out in the advertised job description. Please be advised Wildwood operates a no smoking policy in the park and in its offices.