JOB DESCRIPTION

POST DETAILS

Job Title: Head of Paddlesport
Directly Responsible To: Director of Outdoor Training and Education
Directly Responsible For: Paddlesport instructional team.
Contract: Permanent
Hours of Work: Full-time, 260 days per year.
Salary: £43,000

Scope of the Job

The Head of Paddlesport is responsible for leading Plas y Brenin’s paddlesport
instructional programme, ensuring innovation, quality, and safety standards are met
while contributing to wider programme delivery, including outreach projects and
Embark expeditions.

The postholder will be a highly qualified BCAB (or equivalent) Coach and BCAB Tutor,
with appropriate First Aid and safeguarding qualifications. They will act as a role model
within the centre and wider community, ensuring excellence in paddlesport instruction
and course directing.

A key focus of the role is people management. The postholder will lead, develop, and
motivate the paddlesport instructional team, working closely with other Heads of
Department, Director of Outdoor Training and Education and HR to proactively manage
performance, coaching, mentoring, appraisals, and any people-related issues. They will
create a high performing, engaged, and resilient team while ensuring adherence to
organisational policies, values, and standards.

The role also includes financial accountability for the department, including managing
budgets to ensure resources are used efficiently. Ensure collaborative working with the
Director of Instructional Function, tracking performance/spend/budgets etc. through
regular reviews alongside Finance. Departments Heads are expected to work closely
with the Finance Director and relevant Directors in developing their annual budgets.
Budget holders are responsible for ongoing adherence to approved budgets, proactively
identifying and escalating any variances or risks that may move spend outside agreed
parameters.

November 2025

Heads of Department must also maintain effective systems for recruiting, retaining,
developing and motivating employees, ensuring that managers with people-
management responsibilities understand and fulfil their obligations. In addition, each
department is required to maintain an accessible archive of its financial activities for
audit and reporting purposes.

Regular reporting to Directors is essential. Departments must prepare and submit
accurate and timely financial and administrative reports for inclusion in quarterly
Director reviews.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & People Management

•  Lead and manage the paddlesport instructional team, ensuring delivery

excellence and development of people.

•  Drive talent development, succession planning, and performance management,
partnering closely with HR and Director of Outdoor Education and Training.

•  Provide coaching, mentoring, appraisals, and conflict resolution to direct

reports.

•  Resolve complex people and operational challenges at a departmental level,

ensuring decisions align with organisational values and objectives.

Strategic & Departmental Oversight

•  Define and implement the strategic vision for the paddlesport programme,
ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and long-term goals.

•  Oversee departmental planning, resource allocation, and operational budgets to

deliver financial sustainability and maximise organisational impact.

•  Monitor departmental performance through KPIs, financial reporting, and

operational metrics, driving continuous improvement.

•  Ensure the paddlesport function maintains sector-leading standards in safety,

quality, and governance.

Finance & Resource Management

•  Own the departmental budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and

alignment with strategic priorities, partnering closely with Finance.

•  Approve significant departmental expenditures and resource investments to

support programme growth and sustainability.

November 2025

•  Optimise resourcing, recruitment, and workforce planning within budgetary

constraints.

•  Assist with the Development of the annual departmental budget in conjunction

with the Finance Directors & Directors

•  Provide monthly budget updates; submit quarterly financial & administrative

reports to Directors

•  Budget holders ensure the ongoing adherence and management of budgets,

highlighting issues that may cause budgets to move outside agreed parameters
highlighting any issues of concern to the Director.

•  Maintain the archive of departmental financial activity.

•  Maintain systems for the recruitment, retention, development, motivation and

management of employees, ensuring those with people management
responsibility are aware of their responsibilities.

•  Authority to approve overtime, travel expenses up to £X; authority to approve

training spend within budget

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

•  Represent Plas y Brenin externally with BCAB, national governing bodies,

funders, professional associations, and key partners.

•  Build and maintain strategic relationships to enhance the centre’s reputation,
influence sector policy, and identify opportunities for growth, innovation, and
partnerships.

•  Provide expert paddlesport advice to the Director of Outdoor Activities and
Senior Leadership Team on departmental performance, risk, and strategic
opportunities.

•  Ensure the department adheres to governance, regulatory, health and safety, and

risk management requirements.

•  Lead on safeguarding and organisational risk within the department, fostering a

culture of accountability, professional excellence, and continuous improvement.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience

Essential

•  BCAB (or equivalent) Coach and BCAB Tutor Status in multiple disciplines.

•  Extensive experience as a paddlesport coach and leading/planning expeditions.

•  First Aid and Safeguarding qualification.

November 2025

•  Substantial people management experience, including appraisals, performance

management, mentoring, coaching, and conflict resolution.

•  Operational experience and financial acumen, including managing departmental

budgets and working effectively with Finance.

•  Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to a leadership role in

a National Centre.

•  Strong knowledge of safety management procedures and industry standards in

paddlesports.

•  Demonstrable experience of raising standards, delivering innovation, and

achieving results.

•  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to engage effectively with

a wide range of stakeholders.

•  Meets DVLA minimum requirements for driving a minibus, holds a full driving

licence for at least 2 years and aged 21 or over.

•  D1 entitlement on driving licence (able to drive minibus up to 16 passengers).

•  D1+E entitlement (for towing trailers, if required).

Desirable

•  Additional outdoor qualifications (e.g., WCMI, MCI, ML, RCI).

•

ILM or Business Management (or equivalent) qualification.

•  Safeguarding Level 3.

•  Welsh language skills.

November 2025