Before reading the job description below, please ensure that you meet the following minimum criteria:
- Ideally, previous experience of working in a UK based International Summer School in a similar or related role
- Ability and confidence to lead from the front and by example – you will be required to motivate and inspire a team of Activity Leaders to lead excursions off site, as well as participate in activities on and off site, such as discos, quiz nights and talent shows.
- Excellent organisational skills – you will be required to coordinate excursions/ coach bookings/ entrance fees, as well as manage your staff and adapt to an ever-changing environment.
- Ability to use own initiative and work as part of a team.
- Available to attend induction in Edinburgh (expenses paid) prior to commencement of contract
Available to work for entire contracted time (EAC cannot accommodate holiday requests during the period of time that summer school is operating)
Job Description
Title: Activities Manager
Responsible to: Centre Manager and Operations Managers
Hours: As required – minimum 39 hours per week
Summary of Main Duties and Responsibilities
The Activities Manager will be responsible for the day- to- day management of all aspects of the activity programme and will report directly to the Centre Manager. As one of the three most senior members of staff on site, you will share in the responsibility for the overall running of the centre, which requires a great deal of commitment in itself. Added to this however, your main role is to orchestrate the entertainment programme of activities and excursions for our students.
This list is by no means exhaustive but broadly covers main areas of responsibility which include:
- Taking the lead role as head entertainer – you must be willing and able to lead by example through active participation in events and activities alongside and as an example to your activity leaders.
- Managing and motivating a team of Activity Leaders
- Planning and organising day and evening activities *(see details below)
- Organising, co-ordinating and supervising all full and half day excursions *(see details below)
- Leading regular team meetings
- Drawing up staff rotas
- Organising and selling optional activities
- Advertising and promoting all activities
- Liasing with head office and local suppliers (such as coach companies) on bookings & requirements
- Liasing with venues (such as Castles, Museums etc) on bookings
- Maintaining accurate records of coaches used, optional excursions arranged, vouchers used etc
- Participating in regular management meetings and meetings with Foreign Group Leaders
- Liasing with UK Day Camp Director to enable the integration of foreign and British children in daytime activity programme, where applicable.
- Assisting the Centre Manager with the day-to-day running of the centre
*Daytime Activities
On-site daytime activities are largely sports orientated, although we are also keen to recruit Activity Leaders who can lead arts/crafts type activities for our younger students. Sports on offer include team and ball sports such as football, tennis, basketball, volleyball, rounders, squash etc as well as other activities such as aerobics, archery and quad biking. All EAC centres have fully equipped sports halls and ample playing fields, pitches etc. In addition most of our centres have heated indoor swimming pools on site.
As well as organising and participating in sports activities, the activity team will also be responsible for organising and supervising off-site visits to the local town. These will include visits to museums and galleries, castles and other places of historic interest as well as cinema visits, 10-pin bowling and ice-skating. We also offer guided sightseeing walks led by EAC Activity Leaders.
*Evening Activities
In the evening the activity team will be responsible for organising, supervising and participating in a comprehensive range of fun activities which include discos, karaokes, fashion shows, talent shows, quizzes, treasure hunts, blind date, ‘It’s a Knockout’ etc.
*Excursions
Full day excursions by coach take place every Saturday and Sunday. In addition all students go on a half-day excursion during the week (usually Wednesday afternoon.) The activity team will be responsible for the welfare of all students and Group leaders on the trip. This includes making sure all students are on the coach, ensuring the group and the Group Leader know the itinerary for the day including meeting points and coach departure points etc, leading the group on a guided tour, taking students to the pre-booked venue (castle, museum etc) and accompanying them around it.
General Responsibilities
It is expected that activities are largely lead and supervised by Activity Leaders (and occasionally teachers when on a morning-only teaching programme). Whilst we appreciate that the Activity Manager cannot physically be present for every activity and excursion organised, he or she is expected to ensure that every organised event is appropriately planned for, staffed and equipped for operation. In addition the Activity Manager must ensure that Activity Leaders are organised and fully aware of their role within each activity. Finally the Activity Manager is expected to lead by example. This is not an office based role!
Pastoral Duties
As one of the Senior Members of staff you share the overall responsibility for the pastoral care of our students on site. Consequently, EAC will provide your accommodation and full board free of charge.
In order to ensure continued overall supervision, whilst ensuring appropriate rest for Senior Staff, the Centre Manager will be expected to timetable your own pastoral duties and those of the Director of Studies (and, where applicable the Camp Director and/or Assistant Camp Director) to ensure that one senior member of staff is officially on duty each night in addition to 2 non-senior staff members (ie: Teachers and Activity Leaders).
Pastoral Duties will vary from centre to centre, but will generally include, for example:
- Helping group leaders to settle students
- Dealing with any problems or emergency situations
- Dealing with any accommodation problems
- Helping to ensure that students are in their accommodation and not elsewhere on the campus unauthorised.
Lunchtime duties may also be required in some centres and Activity Leaders will normally cover these – with the assistance from teachers if necessary.
As well as submitting your application online, please email your CV to websitejobs@eacworld.com.