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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to deliver exciting outdoor learning experiences for thousands of visitors each year.
- Company: Essex Outdoors is a top provider of outdoor education, aiming to be the UK's leader in school residentials.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, professional development opportunities, and the chance to work outdoors.
- Other info: Opportunity to travel for outdoor programs across the UK and abroad.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team, inspire young people, and make a real impact in outdoor education.
- Qualifications: Must have 2-3 National Governing Body qualifications and excellent leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 22000 - 27000 £ per year.
Lead Instructor – Essex Outdoors Danbury
Permanent, Full Time
£25,081 to £26,751 per annum
Location: Danbury
Closing Date: 15th August 2025
The Role
As a Lead Instructor based at Essex Outdoors Danbury, you will be part of a team delivering high quality outdoor learning opportunities to circa 40,000 visitors per year. Responsible for leading a team of instructors, you will help to provide an excellent service to our customers and contribute to staff development, training, and ensuring compliance with health & safety and other national governing body requirements.
The Opportunity
Essex Outdoors is a leading provider of outdoor experiences to schools in the East of England and is looking to grow its customer base both within this region and across the country. Our vision is to make the Essex brand recognised as the UK leader in schools\’ outdoor residential provision through innovation and customer focus. Essex Outdoors operates within a commercially competitive environment.
The Lead Instructor will support the delivery and development of quality outdoor education programmes and NGB programs in liaison with the Essex Outdoors Manager. Taking the lead in health and safety coordination across the activity areas and maintenance of equipment and resources.
Possessing at least 2, preferably 3 national governing body qualifications and the ability to relate to, motivate and encourage young people and adults to participate in the programmes. The role will plan, develop, monitor and evaluate programmes to measure effectiveness.
Accountabilities
- Support the development and effective implementation of the outdoor programmes.
- Lead in the supervision and pastoral care of young people (and adults where necessary) in the centre, to act as a positive role model.
- Will assist the senior team with inspection and maintenance regimes, organising repairs, renewals and practical maintenance to activity equipment and apparatus to ensure a safe environment.
- Will support the senior team in ensuring compliance with the local and national Health and Safety requirements.
- Contribute to the on-going development of Essex Outdoors offer via the development of new courses, activities and training opportunities
- Develop and deliver training opportunities to meet the learning and development needs of both Essex Outdoors staff and young people such as apprentices and students on work placements.
- Support quality assurance processes, ensuring the standard and quality of delivery is maintained, recording and collating as appropriate.
- Accompany customers on visits and outings which may include outdoors activities.
- Assist the senior team in the delivery of local training and observations of practice.
- Liaise with customers and centre staff to gain new bookings, generating income for Essex Outdoors. Promoting Essex Outdoors on local and national forums and at conferences, trade fairs, recruitment events etc
- Deliver outdoor education programs to customers in remote areas of the UK and abroad.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Possesses at least 2, preferably 3 National Governing Body Outdoor Education qualifications at coach level. A D1 & D1E driving licence category is desirable.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and good knowledge in relevant professional area
- Evidence of significant experience of delivering outdoor provision and/or environmental programs.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to motivate, encourage and relate well to young people and adults.
- Good leadership skills and behaviours with the ability to motivate a diverse team to deliver shared objectives.
- Ability to organise and plan ahead and develop relevant outdoor youth work programmes in response to assessed educational needs.
- Ability to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the youth work curriculum that has been delivered.
- Experience of establishing and maintaining a safe environment for the specific activity.
Lead Instructor - Essex Outdoors Danbury, Danbury employer: Essex County Council
Contact Detail:
Essex County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Instructor - Essex Outdoors Danbury, Danbury
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Essex Outdoors' mission and values. Understanding their vision to be a leader in outdoor education will help you align your experience and passion for outdoor learning with their goals during any discussions or interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former staff at Essex Outdoors. Engaging with them can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable when preparing for your role as a Lead Instructor.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills by discussing specific examples of how you've motivated and developed teams in previous roles. This will demonstrate your capability to lead a diverse team effectively, which is crucial for this position.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience with health and safety compliance in outdoor settings. Being able to articulate your knowledge and past experiences in maintaining safety standards will be key in proving your suitability for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Instructor - Essex Outdoors Danbury, Danbury
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Lead Instructor position. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with these specific duties.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Make sure to emphasise your National Governing Body qualifications and any relevant outdoor education experience. Clearly state how these qualifications make you a suitable candidate for the role.
Showcase Leadership Skills: Provide examples in your application that demonstrate your leadership abilities and experience in managing teams. Highlight situations where you motivated others or contributed to staff development.
Personalise Your Application: Address your application to the hiring manager if possible, and include a personal touch that reflects your passion for outdoor education and working with young people. This can help you stand out from other candidates.
How to prepare for a job interview at Essex County Council
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Lead Instructor, you'll be responsible for leading a team. Be prepared to discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've motivated and developed a team in the past.
✨Demonstrate Your Outdoor Education Experience
Highlight your relevant qualifications and experience in outdoor education. Be ready to talk about specific programmes you've delivered and how they benefited participants.
✨Emphasise Health and Safety Knowledge
Given the importance of health and safety in this role, make sure to discuss your understanding of compliance requirements and any relevant experiences where you ensured a safe environment.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-life situations. Think of scenarios where you've had to adapt your plans or handle challenges during outdoor activities.