Job Description

Senior Instructor, or Instructor / Senior Instructor Designate: full-time from late winter / early spring 2022

Overview: Based in Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park, we are seeking a full-time Senior Instructor (“SI”) from late winter / early spring 2022.

We were recognised as ‘Best Outdoor Adventure Experience’ in the Scottish Outdoor Leisure Awards 2019, ‘Best Outdoor & Learning Centre’ in the Scottish Enterprise Awards 2018, & has also been a ‘Best Outdoor Venue’ finalist in the Scottish Hospitality Awards 2016, ’17 & ’18. The centre offers a wide range of activities, bunkhouse accommodation & a licensed cafe venue, to a wide-ranging client base. Our website will provide further insight.

Our current SI will be moving on to pastures new at end-March, & there will be a minimum 1 month crossover / handover period to enable familiarisation / training in the position, with a view to ensuring that the new SI will be suitably prepared to play an integral & ongoing role in maintaining the current high level of quality, & customer service excellence. There will also be good opportunity for the new SI to bring their own abilities, experience, energy & ideas to benefit the business.

The Candidate: Being THE BEST, we are looking for THE BEST! To be considered for this critical role, applicants must be able to demonstrate a level of qualifications that are appropriate to the range of activities offered at the centre, combined with good levels of prior experience in delivering a range of these activities. The expected minimum qualification level is:

• SPA / RCI

• Summer Mountain Leader

• Trail Cycle Leader / BMBLA Level 2

• Level 1 kayak coach / Paddlesport Instructor

• BCU Level 2 canoe coach with Moderate Water Endorsement; or Level 3 coach; or 4-star Canoe Leader with MWE; or Paddlesport Touring Leader

• White water safety & rescue

• First Aid, preferably 3 /4 day

• Full UK driving license, ideally PCV or D1/ D1E

As the SI will be responsible for the training, development, mentoring & monitoring of the instructor team, it is likely that strong candidates will also be able to demonstrate prior experience in a supervisory / training role. Also desirable will be knowledge of undertaking / formulating & managing risk assessments & operating procedures. Over-arching all this ‘technical’ side will be excellent ‘soft’ skills …. a great personality & attitude, charisma & natural people skills, a strong work ethic, including not minding ‘getting your hands dirty’, commitment, & a desire to succeed. A flexible approach to the working environment will also be required & expected, as with the majority of roles in the outdoor sector, this is not a 9-to-5 Monday-to-Friday job.

We will also consider applications from candidates that feel they are exceptional in terms of the package of soft skills, but that may have most, but not all of the technical qualifications listed above, although please note that any candidate must be SPA / RCI qualified. If we were to select such a candidate, then employment would initially be as an Instructor / Senior Instructor Designate, with a view to formal promotion to the SI role following an agreed period in which they demonstrate suitability for the role, including securing any key qualification(s) that may still be required.

The Process: If you feel that this looks to be the right opportunity for you, & you have the sort of qualities we need at Scotland’s ‘Best Outdoor Adventure Experience’, then we’d love to hear from you. As well as our website providing an initial overview of the business, we will also be pleased to have an initial phone chat with any potential candidate, especially if wishing to check if you may be suited from an Instructor / SI Designate perspective. Owner Keith Ballam can be reached direct by phone

To apply, please email a comprehensive CV, along with covering letter that clearly outlines why you feel that you are the right person to take on this critical role. As part of this letter, please include details of your current salary, &/or any expectation that you have if you were to be offered the position. Salary offered will be up to mid-£20ks, subject to the relative experience, qualifications & abilities of the successful candidate. Initial accommodation is an option, & incremental benefits would be added after successful completion of the 2022 season.

All applicants must be available to visit for an interview at a mutually convenient date in mid-to-late January. Start date will be at a date to be agreed in February, or latest early March. We look forward to hearing from you.

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