Programme Manager and Development Coordinator - Leeds

Basecamp Adventure Trust

Location: Gipton, Leeds
Salary: : £25,000 - £31,000
Closes: 5/12/24

 

Programme Manager and Development Coordinator at Basecamp Adventure Trust

This unique hybrid role offers a rare opportunity to make a real and significant impact on the lives of vulnerable young people and on the development of a dynamic, startup charity. It’s an exciting opportunity to make a real impact and contribute meaningful change to the future of our work. We are welcoming applicants at all levels of experience – whilst experience matters and is important, we are driven by finding someone with the right core skills and fundamental belief in the work we do.

The role demands a unique combination of skills. You’ll be a capable Programme Manager (or at the very least an aspiring one with a strong desire to step up from your current youth experience), with an understanding of the role outdoor adventure can have in supporting health and wellbeing and underpinning personal development.

In addition to this, you’ll be comfortable in an office environment, and will be passionate about the work that goes into growing the charity. We’ve got big ambitions and are looking for additional support to get our corporate fundraising, marketing, communications and events up and running, and are looking for someone to help coordinate, support and shape these alongside our Head of Programmes and Development. We are proud to be very much a people-led organisation, so it’s possible that your own strengths and experience may sway the specifics of the role.

 

Title: Programme Manager & Development Coordinator

Reports to: Head of Programmes & Development

Hours: Full-time 5 days (37.5 hours) a week

Salary: £25,000 - £31,000, dependant on experience

Location: Old Fire Station, Gipton/Adventure Residentials. You will primarily be based out of our office at the Old Fire Station in Gipton, but the role also incorporates a fair bit of travel. You will be running 6 x adventure residentials a year, delivering workshops in schools and attending meetings and visits across Yorkshire and the Lake District. The role will be split between normal office working hours and longer hours on event/residential days. It is expected that at least 2-3 days a week will be spent in the office when we’re not on residential.

Transport: The role will require access to a car.

Start Date: We will accommodate the start date depending on the individual’s situation, but we are looking to get someone in for December/January.

Annual leave: 22 days + bank holidays + 1 x day off per Adventure Residential (to account for extra hours worked).

 

Basecamp Adventure Trust delivers 1-year adventure and personal development programmes to young people in Leeds that face barriers to thrive. Through a combination of skills workshops, exhilarating adventure trips and a deeply relational approach, we challenge, celebrate and inspire young people to discover a newfound sense of confidence, resilience and self-belief, and to explore new possibilities for themselves. Our programme spans the academic year of Year 8, in which groups of 30 young people take part in 6 themed modules, comprising of 6 skills workshops and 6 2-night adventure residentials.

 

Programme Manager (≈50%) We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic and capable Programme Manager who not only has the ability to directly work with and support young people, but can lead a team, has an acute eye for detail and organisation, and a creative, dynamic approach to problem-solving. The Programme Manager role takes up around 100 days a year, with the days being weighted unevenly across the months of the year.

 

Development Coordinator – (≈50%) We are a rapidly growing charity and are now looking to start developing our brand and diversifying our income streams through different types of fundraising. We’ve got big ambitions and are now looking for additional support to get our corporate fundraising, marketing, communications and events up and running, and are looking for someone to help coordinate, support and shape these alongside our Head of Programmes and Development. We are proud to be very much a people-led organisation, so it’s possible that your own strengths and experience may sway the specifics of the role.

 

The Role

Programme Manager Role & Responsibilities

The Programme Manager will have ownership and oversight of 1 cohort, comprising of 2 schools and 30 young people. Responsibilities include:

• Acting as the key point of contact to organise, deliver and oversee the Basecamp Core Programme to 1 cohort of young people, including managing residential trips, school workshops and other supporting sessions throughout the year’s programme (e.g. Taster Days, Graduation etc) (April – June).
• Set the tone and ethos of our organisation to the highest standards on all delivery.
• Attending and managing all of the cohorts’ Adventure Residentials. These events are exhausting, immersive and rewarding experiences that require high energy, a lot of ‘crisis-management’ and a good dose of resilience!
• Coordinating Adventure Youth Coaches, Volunteers, Instructors and School Supporting Staff on residential, as the main point of contact.
• Ensuring the highest standards of support, safety and safeguarding across the programme, in line with Basecamp’s ethos, policies and procedures.
• Managing disciplinary action as required if a situation is escalated higher than Adventure Youth Coaches or Volunteers.
• Facilitating creative, arts and games-based workshops in school.
• Onboarding young people onto the programme, working in collaboration with schools to ensure our referral criteria are met and we have the information we need.
• Carrying out direct work with young people to help support their needs and fulfil Basecamp Adventure Trust’s aims.
• Providing ongoing feedback to young people, parents, carers and schools, through email, Whatsapp and handwritten cards.
• Supporting the effective monitoring of the programme and measurement of young people’s developmental outcomes using the Outcomes Star.
• Promoting take up of the Young Leader’s Programme.
• Creating, collating and buying any resources needed for a Basecamp session or trip, in line with allocated budgets and needs.
• Working with partner organisation such as schools and instructors/activity providers, to ensure the Basecamp mission is consistent and everybody has the smoothest experience possible and to build the Basecamp ‘brand’ to an extent that the schools want to keep working with us and value the work that we do.
• Taking the lead with day-to-day administration and management of the programme. This will include maintaining a database, producing written communications and reports, information leaflets, booking and negotiating with providers, and an array of detailed record keeping.
• Contributing to organisational planning and development, including supporting the development of further opportunities for young people (e.g. BYLP and Basecamp Voices).
• Supporting the fundraising operation through providing feedback, reports or event support.
• Adopting a relation-led approach that not only makes young people feel seen, heard and valued but our team and partner organisations too.

 

Development Coordinator Role & Responsibilities

We are looking for someone to support our Head of Programmes and Development in diversifying and developing our brand and fundraising income streams, with corporates and individuals. The right candidate will see this as an exciting opportunity to help grow and shape the future of a charity, having lots of job variety and getting their ideas heard. We don’t necessarily need ‘experienced fundraisers’ but rather people with the right skills to help get it off the ground. You would be supporting the team with all manner of the following:

• Marketing
• Community management
• PR
• Social media
• Event-planning
• Networking & Research
• Administration

We’re proud to be a small, people-led organisation so it is possible that this aspect of the role will be to some extent dictated by your skillset.

 

Person Specification

The postholder will play a key role in both organisational and direct delivery work. They will be a brilliant ‘all-rounder’ who can go from speaking to a group of 30 children in a muddy field, to being comfortable in strategy meetings in the office. They will be passionate about the outdoors and about the office work that helps develop a small charity.

They will have an excellent understanding of the issues facing young people today and how their life experiences, circumstances and inequality of opportunity can affect their ability to thrive and reach their potential, as well as relevant experience of working with vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. We are looking for someone with a sharp eye for detail, strong organisation skills and excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

 

Essential Skills and Experience:

Experience working with young people

• Demonstrated experience working with disadvantaged or vulnerable young people with empathy and compassion
• Proven understanding of the issues impacting young people today, including socioeconomic challenges, and mental health considerations
• Sound understanding of safeguarding and commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people

Programme Management

• Experience coordinating, supporting or delivering programmes for young people
• Ability to coordinate various resources, partners, manage logistics, and ensure smooth programme delivery
• High-level organisational skills
• Strong eye for detail and ability to multitask/notice multiple things going on at once and effectively deal with them

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Strong ‘relationship builder’ who is able to connect with young people, parents, teachers, and various external partners
• Confident hosting and taking to groups, and setting a positive, encouraging tone
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with an emphasis on creating professional yet personable written materials and reports

Adaptability and Problem-Solving

• Flexible approach with the ability to adapt to a variety of settings, from office environments to outdoor residentials
• Strong problem-solving skills, especially in high-energy or challenging settings, with a positive mindset
• Resilience and a good sense of humour, suited to working in a dynamic and sometimes unpredictable environment

Admin and organisation

• Proficiency in standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Office or Google Workspace) and database management
• Ability to manage programme-related admin, including record-keeping, communication and evaluation

Passion for the Outdoors and Adventure Activities

• Sound understanding and appreciation for the role outdoor adventure can have in supporting health and wellbeing and underpinning personal development.

Development Coordination

• Basic experience or strong interest in supporting fundraising, marketing, or PR efforts.
• Willingness to engage in community and corporate outreach
• Willingness to contribute creatively to organisational development and bring fresh ideas
• Understanding of social media and using various social networks to promote and build brands

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Experience in fundraising, marketing, event-planning or PR
• Knowledge of corporate fundraising or experience in creating and managing community-focused events
• Knowledge/experience of basic graphic design software such as Canva
• Experience in facilitating workshops to young people
• Experience in planning or running residential events to young people
• Outdoor knowledge/familiarity with the Yorkshire Dales & Lake District

Personal Qualities:

• Enthusiasm: You’ll be passionate about the work we do as a charity through both hands-on and office-based work and will want to be part of it’s journey and growth.
• Empathy and relational skills: You’ll be committed to a people-centered approach, demonstrating empathy, patience, and the ability to make young people and partners feel valued and respected.
• Detail-oriented: You’ll have a keen eye for detail to ensure safety, quality, and consistency in our delivery.
• Self-motivated and proactive: You’ll be able to manage time effectively, take initiative, and will enjoy the dynamic nature of a start-up charity that works with young people.

Other requirements:

• Willing to work flexible hours and work in outdoor environments/take part in outdoor activities
• A full driving licence and access to your own vehicle
• A satisfactory enhanced DBS check
• Satisfactory references

How to apply

Please apply by Thursday 5th December by submitting a CV and Covering Letter to [email protected]. We will process applications as soon as they come in, offering first an interview, then an assessment day, followed by a final interview with our trustees.

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