7 Outdoor learning leader jobs

Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is looking for an inspirational and experienced Director of Care to provide strategic, clinical and operational leadership across our medical, clinical and holistic care services.

This is a pivotal role within our organisation. Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team, you will be responsible for ensuring that children, young people and their families receive the highest quality, safe and compassionate care.

You will have the opportunity to shape the future direction of our care services at an exciting time in the development of Alexander Devine.

The role

As Director of Care, you will have overall responsibility for the leadership, management, quality and performance of our care services.

You will:

• Provide strong, visible and inspirational clinical leadership across all care services.
• Lead the strategic development of our medical, clinical and holistic care provision.
• Ensure services are safe, effective, evidence-based, family-centred and responsive to the needs of the children and families we support.
• Act as Joint Registered Manager with the Care Quality Commission.
• Provide strategic oversight of clinical governance, quality assurance, risk management, safeguarding and compliance.
• Ensure we are prepared for CQC and other regulatory requirements and that learning from incidents, complaints, audits and research drives continuous improvement.
• Lead and support a highly skilled multidisciplinary Care Team, encouraging a culture of reflection, development, innovation and excellence.
• Work with the CEO and wider Senior Leadership Team to deliver the charity's strategic plan and manage resources effectively.
• Develop strong relationships with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and support the development and management of commissioned services.
• Represent Alexander Devine locally and nationally, contributing to the wider development of children's palliative care.
• Champion the voice of children, young people and their families, ensuring their experience informs the ongoing development of our services.

About you

We are looking for an exceptional clinical leader who combines strategic vision with strong operational management and a genuine passion for children's palliative care.

You will be a registered nurse with significant experience in paediatric palliative care and senior-level leadership experience. You will have a strong understanding of clinical governance, CQC requirements, PSIRF and safeguarding, together with experience of leading service development and change.

You will bring:

• NMC registration as a Children's or Adult Nurse.
• Significant experience of palliative paediatric nursing.
• Senior-level experience of management, strategic thinking and service development.
• Experience of CQC compliance, clinical governance, PSIRF and safeguarding.
• Strong financial and budgetary understanding.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to communicate complex and sensitive information to a wide range of audiences.
• The ability to interpret data and use evidence to inform strategic and operational decisions.
• Excellent networking and partnership-building skills.
• A Master's-level qualification in a relevant health or leadership subject is desirable.

Most importantly, you will be an inspirational, resilient and motivational leader who can engage people, build confidence and create a culture where staff are empowered to deliver their very best.

Why Alexander Devine?

This is a rare opportunity to join a growing children's hospice charity and play a leading role in shaping the future of our services.

At Alexander Devine, our values are at the heart of everything we do: determined, empowering, valuing others, integrity, nurture and empathy. We are looking for a leader who genuinely shares these values and can translate them into meaningful action for children, families, staff and volunteers.

You will have the opportunity to work alongside a committed Senior Leadership Team, an experienced clinical team and a passionate wider charity, while building strong relationships with partners across health, social care and the children's palliative care sector.

If you are an ambitious and compassionate clinical leader who wants to make a lasting difference to children and families, we would love to hear from you.

Please note: The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.

UK Youth has launched an ambitious new strategy to widen the reach and deepen the impact of youth work and outdoor learning. At the heart of that strategy is a clear commitment: We Back Youth Work Leaders.

As our new Head of Network Development, you will turn that commitment into action.

You will lead the development and delivery of a powerful national offer that equips youth work leaders with the investment, support, relationships and connections they need to thrive. This includes leading our Grants+ approach—combining significant, multi-year grant funding with tailored organisational-development support—and developing partnerships that strengthen youth sector infrastructure locally, regionally and across the UK nations.

This role is about much more than managing a network. We are evolving towards a more relational way of working: listening deeply to youth-work leaders, understanding the realities they face, involving them in shaping our work and building relationships founded on trust, respect and shared purpose. You will ensure organisations can access the right support, expertise and opportunities—and that their insight continually shapes UK Youth’s work.

You will have the opportunity to lead the delivery of the £13 million UK Youth Fund, strengthen the resilience and effectiveness of grassroots youth organisations, and help create a more connected and equitable system of support for the wider sector.

We are looking for someone with deep knowledge and experience of youth work and the youth sector—someone who can talk the talk and walk the walk with youth organisation leaders. You will bring substantial experience of the youth work sector and infrastructure, organisational development and capacity building, alongside the strategic and operational leadership needed to deliver significant grant-making activity and complex partnerships.

You will be an inclusive and credible leader who can turn ambitious strategy into excellent delivery, bring people and organisations together, and remain focused on what youth work leaders need to succeed.

Across the country, youth workers are changing—and often saving—young lives. This is your opportunity to ensure the people and organisations doing that vital work have the investment, infrastructure and support they deserve.

Purpose of the job

The Head of Network Development will lead the operationalisation of UK Youth’s new We Back Youth Work Leaders strategic pillar. The role will turn our ambition to equip youth-work leaders with the skills, networks and confidence to deliver exceptional support into a coherent network development offer—leading our Grants+ approach of multi-year funding alongside tailored organisational development, and strengthening youth-sector infrastructure locally, regionally and across the UK nations.

Central to the role will be embedding UK Youth’s increasingly relational approach to its network: building trusted, mutually beneficial relationships with youth-work leaders; listening to and understanding their needs; involving them in shaping our support and connecting organisations to the right opportunities, expertise and infrastructure. Reporting to the Director of Network Delivery, the postholder will be responsible for translating this strategic ambition into high-quality, well-governed delivery, while ensuring that learning and insight from the network continually improve our work and contribute to securing sustainable investment in youth work and outdoor learning.

Why work at UK Youth?

Every young person deserves a youth worker. UK Youth exists to make that a reality. Our vision is a society that backs every young person - through each spark, struggle and success.

As the UK’s national infrastructure body for youth work, we strengthen and champion a diverse network of youth organisations, unlock investment, shape policy and build the evidence base for what works. At a time of growing need and inequality of access, our work has never been more important.

We are entering an exciting new phase of our strategy - focused on long-term resilience, income diversification and a transformational Capital Appeal to develop Avon Tyrrell as a national centre of excellence for outdoor learning. Joining UK Youth means being part of an ambitious, impact-driven organisation committed to strengthening youth work for generations to come.

Key responsibilities

 Portfolio leadership and delivery

• Lead the strategic and operational delivery of UK Youth’s network development portfolio, translating organisational strategy and funded commitments into clear plans, outcomes, budgets, milestones and accountabilities.

• Ensure programmes and services are delivered to a high standard, on time and within budget, with effective governance, performance management, risk control and escalation to the Director of Network Delivery.

• Mobilise new initiatives and partnerships, establishing proportionate delivery models, systems, teams and governance arrangements.

• Lead continuous improvement across the portfolio, responding effectively to evidence, partner feedback, changing needs and the external environment.

• Be a champion of UK Youth’s network across all of UK Youth’s work.

Grant making and organisational development

• Lead the delivery of UK Youth’s significant, multi-year grant-making portfolio, including the £13 million UK Youth Fund, ensuring responsible stewardship of charitable and restricted funds.

• Ensure effective management of the full grant lifecycle, including programme design, application and assessment, due diligence, decision-making, contracting, payments, monitoring, reporting, complaints and closure.

• Maintain robust and proportionate grant governance, financial controls, safeguarding assurance, risk management, data quality and compliance with funder and regulatory requirements.

• Lead an integrated organisational development offer alongside grant funding, enabling smaller youth and outdoor learning organisations to strengthen their financial sustainability, leadership, governance, workforce and resilience.

• Embed open, trusting, accessible and equitable grant-making practice, reducing unnecessary barriers while maintaining appropriate accountability.

Network and sector infrastructure support

• Develop and deliver UK Youth’s approach to engaging, connecting and supporting our national network, informed by the needs and experiences of youth work leaders and organisations.

• Create opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, knowledge exchange and access to relevant support across the network.

• Lead major initiatives that strengthen youth sector infrastructure locally, regionally and nationally, working with partners to improve the consistency, coordination and accessibility of support.

• Support regional and national partners to understand need, develop shared plans and approaches, and deliver locally relevant infrastructure and organisational support.

• Work with the Communications Team and relevant colleagues to ensure network communications are timely, accessible, coordinated and purposeful.

Experience we're after

• Substantial leadership experience within the youth sector, grounded in an in-depth understanding of youth work practice, youth work leadership and the realities facing youth organisations and their leaders.

• Experience of leading a complex, multi-year network development or comparable portfolio, translating strategy and funded commitments into successful delivery and managing significant budgets and risks.

• Experience of leading substantial grant making or onward funding activity, including governance, due diligence, financial oversight, risk and accountability.

• Substantial organisational development and capacity building experience, including diagnosing organisational needs and designing practical support that strengthens leadership, governance, financial sustainability, workforce and resilience.

• Experience of developing networks, partnerships or infrastructure across multiple organisations, regions or systems, with demonstrable credibility among youth organisation leaders.

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave (24 days + 3 days winter closure) plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: 29th September 2026 at 09:00

Provisional First Stage Interview Dates: 5th & 6th October 2026

Provisional Final Stage Interview Dates (in person): 9th October 2026

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

Please note CVs will be reviewed as the first stage of the recruitment process. Candidates who are shortlisted following the CV review will then have their sift questions assessed. Only candidates who meet the requirements at both stages will progress further in the recruitment process.

Centre Manager

Norbrook Youth Centre, Bordley Walk, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 0AR

Grade 6 Point 20 – 25, £30,750 - £34,303. (Full Time 35 hours, Permanent)  

Introduction

Greater Manchester Youth Federation (GMYF) is a long-established charity running vibrant youth centres across Greater Manchester. We are dedicated to raising aspirations and creating opportunities for children and young people, particularly those facing disadvantage. Our work is rooted in youth voice, inclusion, strong relationships, and high-quality youth work practice that supports young people to develop confidence, resilience, and skills for life.

GMYF also delivers outdoor education and residential experiences, including provision at Ormside Mill in Cumbria and other residential settings nationwide, as part of its wider youth work offer, working across teams to ensure young people benefit from safe, inclusive, and developmental opportunities beyond their local communities.

Purpose of Role:  

The Centre Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the youth centre and its wider community reach, with responsibility for high-quality youth work delivery and day to day centre operations, working within GMYF’s wider operational ad estates frameworks.  high-quality, inclusive local provision. The postholder is the professional lead for youth work practice and delivery within the centre, with responsibility for shaping, developing, and continuously improving provision in line with GMYF’s values, safeguarding standards, and strategic priorities. 

Reporting to the Director of Programmes, the Centre manager leads people, partnerships, and placebased development, ensuring the centre delivers strong outcomes for children and young people while contributing to the wider aims of GMYF.

Outdoor Education and residential opportunities are an integral and embedded part of the centre’s youth work offer, and the Centre Manager plays a key role in shaping, embedding, and developing these opportunities in partnership with the Outdoor Education Team to ensure they meet the local need and are accessible to young people.

This is a hands-on leadership role, balancing operational oversight with visible presence, relationship based practice, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management of Youth Work Delivery

• Provide strategic leadership for youth work delivery at centre level, including centre-based provision, outreach, and integrated Outdoor Education and residential opportunities, ensuring provision is planned, resourced and developed in response to local need, youth voice, and GMYF priorities.
• Provide clear professional leadership for high quality, inclusive youth work across centre based provision, outreach, offsite venues, and outdoor education youth work.
• Embed and champion GMYF’s youth work values, including youth voice, equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Line manage staff including Youth Work Coordinator(s), Youth Workers, cleaners, and volunteers.
• Provide supervision, appraisal, and performance management, promoting reflective practice and professional development.
• Ensure staffing structures, rotas, and skills mix support safe, effective delivery.
• Foster a positive, professional, and supportive team culture.

Safety, Safeguarding and Compliance 

• Act as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Hold overall safeguarding responsibility for the centre and linked activities.
• Ensure safeguarding procedures are embedded, understood, and consistently applied.
• Promote inclusive, restorative and trauma informed practice.
• Ensure all safeguarding and behaviour related incidents are recorded, reviewed, and followed up.
• Maintain compliance with legislation, statutory guidance, and GMYF policies.

Centre Operations, Site Management and Health & Safety  

• The Centre Manager holds responsibility for day-to-day site oversight and compliance, with additional estates support provided through GMYF’s central operations arrangements.  
• Ensure the centre meets all Health & Safety and statutory requirements, working with GMYF’s Central Team and systems to maintain compliance.
• Oversee day-to-day site issues, Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM), compliance checks, and inspections, escalating and co-ordinating works as required through organisational processes.
• Maintain oversight of building safety, security, and use of space.
• Ensure accurate records are maintained for staff, visitors, and young people.
• Ensure all off site activities, outreach, visits, and residentials are risk assessed and appropriately staffed.
• Hold overall responsibility for the safe opening and closing of the centre and the planning and oversight of fire, evacuation, and lockdown procedures, delegating operational leadership as appropriate when not on site
• Maintain good relations with neighbours and the local community.

Quality, Development and Partnership Working 

• Lead centre-level self evaluation and contribute to GMYF organisational development and quality frameworks.
• Monitor outcomes for children and young people and use learning to improve provision.
• Contribute to funding bids, monitoring, and reporting.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with stakeholders including schools, community organisations, statutory services, and internal teams to support joined-up opportunities for young people.
• Represent the centre in organisational initiatives and networks.

Outdoor Education and Residential Provision

• Hold responsibility for pastoral leadership of young people accessing Outdoor Education provision linked to the centre, while the Outdoor Education Team is responsible for developing and providing outdoor education opportunities. 
• Work collaboratively with the Outdoor Education Team to plan high-quality residentials and Outdoor Activities for the young people from the centre.
• Ensure good pastoral and wellbeing leadership before, during, and after residentials.
• Act as Group Leader and drive the minibus where required and appropriate, in line with compliance regulations.
• Lead reflective reviews following residentials and outdoor education activity.

Professional Conduct and Organisational Responsibilities

• Uphold GMYF’s values, policies, and professional standards.
• Ensure conduct reflects the responsibilities of a leadership and management role.
• Maintain a strong commitment to continuous professional development and reflective leadership practice, using supervision, learning, and organisational feedback to enhance personal effectiveness and support high-quality youth work delivery.
• Contribute positively to the wider culture and strategic development of GMYF.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the role. 

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications & Professional Development

• Relevant qualification in Youth Work OR significant experience delivering youth work or related children and young people’s provision
• Commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) and reflective leadership practice
• Willingness to undertake further relevant professional or leadership qualifications and development as required

Experience

• Experience delivering youth work or similar provision in a centre based, community, or outreach setting
• Experience supporting, supervising, or coordinating staff and/or volunteers.
• Experience working within safeguarding frameworks, including recording concerns and escalating appropriately
• Experience working with children and young people facing additional barriers to participation (e.g. SEND, trauma, disadvantage)
• Experience contributing to the planning, delivery, or improvement of provision, balancing operational delivery with quality and learning

Knowledge & Skills

• Sound understanding of safeguarding, risk management, and inclusive practice within youth or community settings
• Ability to promote positive behaviour cultures using restorative and trauma informed approaches.
•  Ability to provide clear professional direction and guidance to team and colleagues
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, adaptable to young people, families, partners, and professionals
• Ability to oversee the safe delivery of centre based, outreach, and off site activities
• Ability to maintain accurate records and contribute to reports and organisational learning
• Competence in using IT systems to support communication, administration and service delivery

Leadership & Personal Attributes

• Ability to provide visible, values-led leadership within a busy operational environment
• Sound judgement and confidence in decision-making, with appropriate use of supervision, escalation and advice 
• Ability to work collaboratively within a wider organisational structure and across internal teams
• Strong commitment to equality, diversity, safeguarding, and young person-centred practice
• Resilience, adaptability, and the ability to manage competing priorities and pressures

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work flexibly, including evenings and occasional weekends
• Willingness to complete required training (e.g. First Aid, safeguarding, fire safety) within agreed timescales
•  Enhanced DBS check

Desirable Criteria

• Degree level qualification in Youth Work
• Leadership or management qualification, or experience of leading teams in a youth work setting
• Experience contributing to funding bids, monitoring, evaluation, or reporting processes
• Experience leading or contributing to centre self evaluation or quality assurance frameworks
• Experience working in partnership with schools, local services, or community organisations

Other requirements

GMYF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. An Enhanced DBS is required for this post. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

This is a UK-based post and applicants must be living in and have the right to work in the UK. If applicable, please detail your Visa status in your covering email. 

Please let us know if you need us to make any reasonable adjustments during the application or recruitment process and we’ll be happy to support you.

• Closing date for applications: 21st September 2026 @9:00am
• Formal nterview date:29th September 2026
• Young person part of interview date: 30th September 2026
• Start date: As soon as possible

Dean Farm Trust is seeking an experienced and compassionate Sanctuary Operations Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and operational management of our 32-acre animal sanctuary near Chepstow.

Home to 200 rescued animals, including pigs, cows, sheep, goats, equines and birds, Dean Farm Trust provides a home for life to animals in need. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role with animal welfare at its heart.

The Sanctuary Operations Manager will lead our on-site team, working through our Team Leaders to ensure the Sanctuary operates safely, effectively and to the highest standards of animal welfare. The role will oversee staffing and rotas, volunteer development, recruitment and training, budgets and resources, facilities and maintenance, land and pasture management, health and safety, compliance, contractors, projects and the operational delivery of Sanctuary events and activities.

We are looking for someone with strong leadership and people-management experience who is confident managing a busy operational environment and developing both staff and volunteers. You will need to be organised, practical and able to balance the immediate demands of running a sanctuary with longer-term planning and improvement.

This is an important appointment for Dean Farm Trust as we strengthen our operational structure and build a sustainable future for the Sanctuary. The successful candidate will work closely with the Director and Trustees while taking real ownership of Sanctuary operations and providing strong, consistent on-site leadership.

A genuine commitment to animal welfare and to the values of Dean Farm Trust is essential.

Please read our full Candidate Pack before applying. It includes the complete Job Description, information about Dean Farm Trust and further background on why we are recruiting for this role now.

Lead a pioneering national mental-health service for young people, rooted in nature and underpinned by strong clinical practice.

We are seeking an experienced Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to lead its development, accreditation and quality across the UK.

Salary: £57,528–£64,750 full-time equivalent (£34,517–£38,850 0.6 FTE) depending on experience 
Hours: 22.5 hours per week / three days per week
Contract: 18-month fixed term, with intention to extend subject to service growth and funding
Location: Hybrid, with travel to Dose of Nature locations and member organisations across the UK

Dose of Nature is a mental-health charity improving mental health and wellbeing through structured, evidence-informed engagement with nature.

We are developing a Young Person Memberships service for young people and young adults under 25. We will train and support trusted organisations to deliver the Dose of Nature model in their communities, providing the clinical framework, accreditation, supervision, quality assurance and evaluation needed for safe, effective and consistent delivery.

About the role

As Young People’s Clinical Service Lead, you will establish, deliver and grow this new service. Working with our Head of Clinical and Memberships Operations Lead, you will turn our clinical model into a scalable national service while protecting its quality, safety and integrity.

You will lead the clinical assessment and accreditation of member organisations; develop training and competency frameworks; provide supervision and consultation; establish governance, safeguarding and risk arrangements; monitor outcomes and quality; and build trusted relationships with NHS, voluntary-sector, youth-service and community partners.

About you

You will be a current HCPC-registered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist, with a doctoral-level qualification and experience broadly consistent with an NHS Band 8a role.

You will bring:

• Substantial post-qualification experience supporting young people or young adults experiencing mental-health difficulties;

• Strong skills in psychological assessment, formulation, intervention, clinical decision-making, safeguarding and risk management;

• Experience providing clinical supervision, consultation or reflective practice to other practitioners;

• Experience designing or delivering clinical training and assessing practitioner competence;

• Experience of developing, implementing or improving a clinical service; and

• The confidence to work across organisational boundaries, maintain clear clinical standards and help build a new national service.

• Experience in CAMHS, young-adult mental health, voluntary-sector provision, clinical governance, quality assurance, accreditation or partnership-led services would be valuable.

We offer hybrid and flexible working, employer pension contribution, pro-rata annual leave, professional supervision, CPD support and approved travel expenses.

Dose of Nature is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. This post is subject to enhanced DBS clearance, references, verification of qualifications and HCPC registration, and eligibility to work in the UK.

Please download the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying.

As a Lead Gardener at Southern Hospice Group, you will play a vital role in shaping and maintaining welcoming, peaceful outdoor environments that offer comfort, reflection, and calm for patients, families, and staff. Our hospice grounds provide a highly varied and rewarding setting, from propagation in the polytunnel to kitchen gardens, wildflower meadows, woodland walks, wildlife ponds, private contemporary patient gardens, and expansive green spaces.

In this role, you will take both a hands-on and supervisory position, leading garden staff and volunteers while maintaining the highest horticultural standards across all areas. Your work will directly contribute to wellbeing, offering a strong sense of purpose, pride, and job satisfaction.

You will be responsible for planning and coordinating workloads, ensuring compliance with health, safety, and environmental standards, and working collaboratively with the Grounds Manager to deliver high-quality outcomes. Alongside practical gardening duties, you will guide and support volunteers and corporate groups, creating a positive and well-organised experience for everyone involved.

If you are an experienced gardener with strong leadership skills, a passion for horticulture, and a desire to make a meaningful difference, this is a rewarding opportunity to combine responsibility, creativity, and purpose.