Coventry City Outdoor Education Manager

Education Entitlement and Enrichment is made up of service areas which strive to deliver outstanding services for our customers, predominately the children and young people of Coventry, including those who may be requiring access to education or alternative education provision. We ensure vulnerable children are appropriately supported; have a voice, that hopefully leads to their high achievement and excellent progress. The service is made up of a diverse range of teams all working together to recognise, support and apply innovative solutions to address the growing issues in relation to trying to educate some of our most vulnerable pupils in schools.

Coventry Outdoor Education and Activity Service (also known as Coventry Outdoors) delivers high quality learning and outdoor experiences to the children and young people of Coventry. Coventry Outdoors offers a broad range of services for schools from early years through primary, secondary, special, schools, Further Education and Higher Education as well as accommodating community clubs, faith groups, youth groups, and family and adult groups.

Our approach is to provide a world-class Outdoor Education Service that equips children and young people with the vital skills, knowledge and experiences to assist them in their transition to adulthood whilst using the outdoor environment as an integral part of their learning and development.

Coventry City Council recognises the importance of integrating outdoor education and activity programmes into education and the community. Coventry Outdoors aims to take a comprehensive approach that caters to the diverse needs of children, young people, adults, and commercial ventures. To achieve the aim is to provide a financially sustainable Outdoor Education Service through operation of a hybrid provision, including educational provision and commercial ventures.

The key areas of the focus for Coventry Outdoors are:

• Enhancing Educational Provision for Children and Young People through Outdoor Education
• Professional Development for Educational Practitioners
• Sustainability within the education sector
• Commercial activity

Delivered through a Hub and Spoke delivery model.

Coventry Outdoors currently has:

• An in city (Coventry) outdoor education offer – providing a range of Outdoor provisions across the city
• An outdoor Education Residential Centre – Plas Dol-y-Moch based in North Wales – delivering bespoke tailored adventure courses in the great outdoors, taking advantage of rivers, lakes, gorges, mountains, mines and spectacular coast within the Eryri National Park.

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

The successful candidate will have operational oversight and management of the Coventry City Outdoor Education and Activity service area.

They will have oversight and leadership of the in city Outdoor Education Service and be responsible for:

1. Leading and managing Coventry’s in city Outdoor Education Service, ensuring its continued growth, financial sustainability, and educational impact.

2. Shaping the in-city service’s business plan, aligning it with Coventry Education Service’s priorities, and delivering high-quality outdoor learning experiences and provisions.

3. Driving the commercial success of the service, ensuring financial performance meets targets while maintaining a strong public service ethos.

The Coventry City Outdoor Education Manager will liaise with the Plas Dol-y-Moch Centre and Operations Manager on key areas of Service wide development.

The role will be based in Coventry but will require travel to and some overnight stays at Plas Dol-y-Moch in North Wales as and when required.

All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

We seek an experienced, enthusiastic, and highly organised individual with a proven track record of organising and leading outdoor learning programmes across all key stage areas of the curriculum. You must be energetic, hardworking and enjoy working as part of a team.

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate:

• High level and up to date understanding of business management and leadership practice and meeting best practice and value for money principles.

• Effective leadership and management in outdoor education or leisure settings with a deep understanding of the importance of outdoor education for children and young people.
• Up to date knowledge of outdoor education in terms of curriculum, safe and effective practice.
• Relevant qualifications and training in Outdoor Education / Activity.
• Experience of designing, planning, and implementing successful programmes and provision – within an Outdoor Education context.
• Experience of managing and developing a team.
• Degree level qualification or equivalent senior management experience 5 years plus.
• The successful candidate needs to be an enthusiastic, motivated self-starter.

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

Interview date: 03 September 2025

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies