At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead lifesaving operations across the South West, ensuring effective service delivery and team collaboration.
- Company: Join the RNLI, a charity dedicated to saving lives at sea.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, generous leave, and an outstanding pension scheme.
- Other info: Frequent travel across the beautiful South West coast is expected.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by leading a passionate team in lifesaving efforts.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience and strong communication skills required.
Read on to find out what you will need to succeed in this position, including skills, qualifications, and experience.
Salary: £75,191 - £88,460 (dependent on experience)
Vehicle: A vehicle will be made available to carry out your duties
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Location: Saltash, Cornwall, England
Location description: South West England - the successful candidate will need to be prepared to work and travel within the region extensively to meet the operational demands of the role and work from the Regional Base in Saltash 2-3 days per week.
Closing Date: 31-05-2026
Reference: 21554
About us
The RNLI is a charity that provides a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service, seasonal lifeguards, and water safety education and initiatives. Our lifeboat crews and lifeguards need a dedicated, professional and talented team behind them, and that is where you come in. This is your chance to join that team and help save lives every day. We’re looking for an inspiring and experienced leader to join us in leading our South West region.
Some of the benefits:
- Salary £75,191 - £88,460 (dependent on experience).
- Hybrid and Flexible working options.
- 26 days’ annual leave plus 8 Bank Holidays (increases with service).
- Outstanding pension scheme (employer contributions of up to 10% of basic salary).
- Life assurance.
- Health cashplan option.
The role
The geography for this role encompasses the coastline from Portishead around to Weymouth, including the inland region, as well as the Channel Islands. The Head of Region will give greater visibility, voice, and input into decision-making at a regional level. Responsible for the delivery of our lifesaving service, you will lead the lifesaving effort in the region, including the lifeguard service, lifeboats and water safety enabled by fundraising, asset and equipment management and over time, other support services. Responsible for a multi-disciplinary senior management team and a high number of overall staff and volunteers, you’ll be focused on ensuring effective business performance across all services. This includes reviewing potential opportunities and threats, and monitoring and analysing data and trends to track progress, measure performance and understand regional impacts. You will cultivate collaborative working with the Regional Leadership Team, building relationships, providing support and constructive challenge within the region and the wider Lifesaving Operations Senior Leadership team, as well as across the organisation. Working with key internal and external stakeholders, you will ensure that we operate in the most effective way to save more lives at sea. There will be an expectation to travel across the region and departmentally too.
About you
Already an outstanding leader with significant experience of leading change and transformation, you will be able to build strong relationships, influencing and collaborating across boundaries. You will be accustomed to following a clear operational strategy, whilst at the same time, able to be strongly autonomous in your leadership and delivery. This is a highly visible and critical role responsible for all operations within the region, therefore, you will convey the necessary credibility to influence at Board level, creating compelling proposals for budgets and resources whilst having the humility and empathy to work alongside our passionate volunteers and staff at all levels.
Experience:
- Senior leadership and influencing skills gained from leading multi-functional teams within a similarly complex organisation.
- Proven experience in formulating annual business plans, monitoring, and reporting.
- Significant financial responsibility in relation to assets and services.
- Experience of working within organisation risk and compliance frameworks.
- Ability to lead, manage, develop, and motivate teams, whilst working collaboratively with support functions and other regions.
- Expert communication skills to deliver sensitive information, internally and externally.
- Experience of change leadership and delivering programmes and projects.
As one of six RNLI regions, the South West region has 54 lifeboats, 89 lifeguarded beaches, 110 members of staff, 800 seasonal lifeguards and 2,500 volunteers, as well as a regional base in Saltash, Cornwall. Therefore, frequent and extensive travel across the South West coast of England is expected to be a key component of this role.
The RNLI supports flexibility in your working preferences. If this is the role for you, please apply via the button shown.
Safeguarding
The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out, dependent on the eligibility of the role.
Diversity at the RNLI
Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.
Head of Region - South West employer: Webrecruit - Client Branded
The RNLI is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead lifesaving operations in the beautiful South West of England from our regional base in Saltash. With a strong commitment to employee wellbeing, we provide flexible working options, generous annual leave, and a robust pension scheme, all within a collaborative and inclusive work culture that values diversity and personal growth. Join us in making a meaningful impact as we strive to save lives at sea, supported by a passionate team dedicated to our mission.
Contact Detail:
Webrecruit - Client Branded Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Region - South West
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the RNLI and understanding their mission. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their values. Practice common interview questions and think of examples that highlight your leadership skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. It’s also a chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit for the Head of Region position.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the RNLI team and making a difference in the South West region.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Region - South West
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Head of Region role. Highlight your leadership experience and how it aligns with our mission at RNLI. We want to see how you can make a difference in the South West!
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to lead change and manage teams effectively. We love seeing how you've made an impact in previous roles.
Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who embodies our values of trustworthiness, courage, selflessness, and dependability. Show us who you are and why you’re passionate about saving lives at sea!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to the right people. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our organisation there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Webrecruit - Client Branded
✨Know Your Region
Familiarise yourself with the South West region's geography and key operational areas. Understand the specific challenges and opportunities that come with leading a diverse team across such a vast coastline, as this will show your commitment and readiness for the role.
✨Showcase Leadership Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous leadership roles in detail. Highlight your experience in managing multi-functional teams and leading change initiatives. Be ready to provide examples of how you've influenced decision-making and driven performance in complex organisations.
✨Understand Financial Responsibilities
Brush up on your financial acumen, especially regarding budget formulation and resource allocation. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve managed financial responsibilities in past roles, as this is crucial for the Head of Region position.
✨Emphasise Collaboration Skills
Demonstrate your ability to build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. Prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated across departments or regions, and how you plan to foster teamwork within the RNLI to enhance lifesaving operations.
