At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and oversee prison-based workshop academies, ensuring safety and compliance while providing training.
- Company: Join Recycling Lives Services, a certified B Corp focused on social value and environmental excellence.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, healthcare support, and a chance to make a difference.
- Other info: Dynamic role with travel across the UK and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by helping prisoners gain skills and reduce reoffending through meaningful work.
- Qualifications: Leadership experience in operations, preferably in recycling or regulated environments; commitment to rehabilitation.
Location: Preston site, with regular travel to individual prison academies across the portfolio
Hours: Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week
Salary: £40,000 per annum plus car allowance
The Academies Manager is responsible for the leadership and operational oversight of our portfolio of prison-based workshop academies. These academies operate within secure prison establishments and specialise in the dismantling, processing and recycling of display equipment (e.g. monitors, televisions, screens) and other Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The role holder will ensure academies operate safely, securely, compliantly and commercially, while delivering genuine rehabilitative value: providing prisoners with accredited training, real work experience and employability skills that support resettlement and reduce reoffending. The postholder acts as the senior link between the organisation, HMPPS/prison establishment leadership, regulatory bodies and commercial partners.
The Business: Recycling Lives Services is not a typical recycling company. Since 2008, the business has been structurally built around social value, employing people from disadvantaged backgrounds, partnering with the justice system to reduce reoffending, and delivering environmental excellence at scale. The social mission is not a layer added on top of commercial activity. It is the reason the business operates in the way it does. As a certified B Corp (scoring 103.5 against a business median of 50.9), Recycling Lives Services generated £42.9m in social value in 2024, achieved a 61% reduction in CO2 emissions, and diverted 97% of waste from landfill. 15% of our team have been welcomed through our rehabilitation programmes, and only 6% of people we support reoffend — compared to a national average of over 25%. We operate UK-wide across construction, manufacturing, retail, utilities and public sector markets, offering total waste management, WEEE recycling, and specialist hazardous waste services.
What You'll Be Doing:
- Strategic & Operational Leadership: Own the overall strategy, growth and performance of the prison academies portfolio, aligning workshop capacity and output with commercial and rehabilitative objectives. Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to Academy Managers responsible for individual prison workshop sites. Set, monitor and report against production, throughput and quality targets for the dismantling and processing of WEEE and display equipment across all sites. Lead the mobilisation of new academies, including site set-up, equipment procurement, security sign-off and workforce (prisoner and staff) induction. Identify opportunities to expand the academy portfolio into new establishments or new waste streams.
- Health, Safety & Security: Ensure every academy operates to the highest standards of health and safety, particularly given the manual handling, tools and hazardous materials involved in equipment dismantling. Maintain full compliance with prison security requirements, including tool control, contraband management, staff/prisoner ratios and searching regimes, working closely with prison security departments and Governors. Own the risk assessment and safe systems of work for all dismantling and processing activities, ensuring COSHH and manual handling controls are current and embedded. Investigate incidents, accidents and security breaches, ensuring lessons are captured and shared across the portfolio.
- Rehabilitation, Training & People: Champion the rehabilitative purpose of the academies, ensuring prisoners receive accredited training (e.g. NVQs, WEEE/recycling qualifications, health & safety certifications) and genuine work experience. Work with education and resettlement teams within each establishment to support prisoners' progression, including links to employment on release where possible. Recruit, develop and performance-manage academy management and instructor staff, building a strong leadership pipeline across the portfolio. Foster a culture of safety, respect, fairness and high performance among both employed staff and prisoner workers.
- Stakeholder & Commercial Management: Build and maintain strong working relationships with Prison Governors, Heads of Business/Industries, HMPPS regional teams and other establishment stakeholders. Manage relationships with commercial clients and downstream recycling/processing partners, ensuring service levels and contractual obligations are met. Own the portfolio budget, including cost control, revenue from processed materials/contracts, and capital investment planning for equipment and site upgrades. Prepare and present regular performance, compliance and impact reports to senior leadership and external stakeholders (including social value and rehabilitation outcomes).
What We're Looking For:
- Significant leadership experience in a multi-site operations, manufacturing, recycling or waste management environment
- Experience specifically within WEEE, electronics recycling or wider circular economy operations
- Experience working within, or in close partnership with, a secure or highly regulated environment (e.g. prisons, MOD, healthcare)
- Direct experience working within HMPPS/prison establishments or the criminal justice sector
- Strong working knowledge of health & safety management, including COSHH and manual handling in an industrial setting
- NEBOSH or equivalent health & safety qualification
- Understanding of environmental/waste compliance requirements (or ability to acquire this quickly)
- Experience designing or delivering accredited training/employability programmes
- Proven people leadership skills, including managing managers across dispersed sites
- Experience of contract/client management in a B2B recycling or facilities context
- Full UK driving licence
- Experience with resettlement, education or offender management partners
- Genuine commitment to rehabilitation and belief in the value of prison work and training
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly across a national portfolio of sites
- Able to obtain and maintain enhanced DBS and prison establishment security clearance
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary plus car allowance
- 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Company pension (5% employee / 3% employer).
- Healthcare Cash Plan.*
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Free financial wellbeing support
- Cycle to Work Scheme.*
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.*
- The opportunity to work for a certified B Corp making a genuine social and environmental impact.
*Available after 12 months' service. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Academies Manager in Preston employer: Recycling Lives Services
Recycling Lives Services is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to a socially responsible mission while working in a dynamic and supportive environment. With a strong focus on employee growth, competitive benefits including a generous leave policy and access to counselling support, we foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. Located in Preston, our hybrid working policy allows for flexibility, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Academies Manager in Preston
✨Get Involved Locally
Dive into local volunteer opportunities or social initiatives. This not only beefs up your CV but also connects you with like-minded folks in nonprofits. Plus, it shows your passion for social impact, which is key for getting noticed by Recycling Lives Services.
✨Tap into Professional Networks
Join networks like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) or local charities to meet professionals in the sector. Attend events and workshops to build relationships and learn about potential openings at organisations like Recycling Lives Services.
✨Showcase Your Commitment
When prepping for interviews, be ready to speak about your personal connection to social issues. Dive into specific examples of how you’ve contributed to community projects – this will resonate with the mission-driven vibe at Recycling Lives Services.
✨Utilise Online Platforms
We’re all about making connections, so use platforms like Idealist and CharityJob to hunt for full-time roles. And of course, you should keep an eye on our website for exciting opportunities at Recycling Lives Services. Apply directly through us to stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Academies Manager in Preston
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Recycling Lives Services. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, be sure to include any relevant projects or roles that showcase your skills in social impact. Whether it's community organising, fundraising, or advocacy, highlight what you've done and the difference it's made. Don’t just list tasks; quantify your achievements and the outcomes of your efforts.
Tailor Your Documents to the Role:For a full-time role like Academies Manager, ensure your CV and cover letter specifically address the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Use their language to describe your skills and experience, making it easy for the hiring team to see how you fit into their vision.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration:Nonprofits thrive on teamwork, so make sure to emphasise your collaborative experiences. Whether you've worked in a team setting, partnered with community organisations, or facilitated group projects, highlight these experiences in your application. Show them you understand the importance of working alongside diverse individuals to achieve shared goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Recycling Lives Services
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Recycling Lives Services. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Familiarity with Relevant Tools and Practices
Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that evaluate our problem-solving skills in real-world social issues. Think about how we’d handle challenges in the nonprofit environment and prepare stories that demonstrate our critical thinking and adaptability. Role-playing with a friend could help us feel more confident!
