Brenscombe’s instructor team is made up of a fantastic group of seasonal instructors
We are a small and friendly organisation with a lot of experience in delivering outdoor activities in a range of contexts. Brenscombe is one of three outdoor centres on the South Coast owned by Activate Outdoors. The other centres being Portland Outdoor Centre and The New Forest Outdoor Centre. The centres are closely linked by being owner managed and the staff working across all sites.
Working for Brenscombe
Brenscombe is a bustling residential outdoor education centre located in the Isle of Purbeck, on the south coast of sunny Dorset, a mecca for adventurous activities in the UK. We offer a wide variety of outdoor activities that take full advantage of our surrounding countryside, from the stunning coastline to the rolling Purbeck hills.
We offer residential stays for children and adults at our converted farm centre, sleeping up to 160. Big enough to offer a full variety of activities while remaining small enough to ensure high-quality experiences. Through the school summer term, we work predominantly Monday to Friday delivering school multi-activity residentials, offering both onsite and off-site activities. We truly believe in the value of outdoor education and the importance of immersive outdoor experience in real environments. We offer participants the chance to truly engage and build a connection with the environment.
Outside of term time we also deliver Corporate Team Development programmes, family activities and DofE residential programmes. A season with us is full of variety!
Brenscombe Outdoor Centre has two sister centres; New Forest Outdoor Centre and Portland Outdoor Centre. You will have the opportunity to visit each centre and use their facilities. Each centre has its own character and feel with its own variety of activities and clientele. Although predominantly based at Brenscombe the opportunity to work at the other sites during the season only provides more opportunity to broaden and develop your skill set.
At Brenscombe, instructors can expect to really use their awards while developing skills and experience, whether that’s running climbing sessions on the Jurassic Coast sea cliffs, paddling around the unique islands of Poole Harbour or helping clients develop and push themselves at our offsite woodland Ropes Course.
2027 Season Vacancies
Programme Coordinator
Join our small passionate team at Brenscombe Outdoor Centre, a welcoming place where outdoor education and adventure come to life through real experiences in real environments. If you’re someone who thrives on creating memorable experiences and values quality, safety, and customer care, this role offers a unique chance to make a real impact in a beautiful environment.
January - November 2027
About the Role
As Programme Coordinator, you will be the heart of our customer care, ensuring every booking is handled smoothly throughout, an advocate for the quality of the customer experience. You’ll work closely with the Centre Manager, Chief Instructor and the seasonal instructional team to provide exceptional service, maintain high standards, and foster lasting relationships with our visiting groups. Your role is essential in supporting the centre’s operation and helping us grow by delivering outstanding outdoor experiences.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage all administrative tasks post-booking, including processing group information, arranging accommodation and issuing invoices.
- Coordinate logistics by liaising with delivery, catering, housekeeping teams, and external contractors.
- Engage with group leaders during visits, gathering and responding to feedback to enhance customer experience and build high quality customer relationships.
- Ensure smooth day-to-day running of the centre’s programmes, promoting excellent customer service and professional standards.
- Support the instructional team to align programme delivery with customer expectations and quality standards.
Additional responsibilities
- Act as part of the centre’s duty management team.
- Act as part of the centre duty instructor team during our shoulder season.
- Contribute to identifying opportunities for improving programme quality.
Additional responsibilities for an appropriately qualified candidate
- Deliver our full range of activities, working with a variety of customer groups, supplementing our seasonal Instructor team where necessary.
- Assist with staff training, mentoring, and monitoring to foster team development.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for an organised, enthusiastic and proactive person to join our team and play an important role in the day-to-day running of our centre. You may have a background in outdoor education centres, administration or a similar environment, but what’s most important is that you’re organised, approachable and enjoy keeping things running smoothly. You’ll be confident managing a varied workload, balancing competing priorities and communicating effectively with a wide range of people. Strong IT skills and excellent written, email and telephone communication are essential, while at least three years relevant experience would be an advantage.
This is an exciting opportunity for an outdoor professional looking to broaden their experience and gain a deeper understanding of the wider operation and administration of an activity centre. Equally, it would suit an experienced administrator who is looking for a role beyond the traditional office environment and wants to be part of an organisation creating fantastic opportunities and experiences for young people.
Desirable qualifications for a candidate with an instructional background include a 16 hour Outdoor First Aid certificate, Paddlesports Leader Award and Rock Climbing Instructor award. Other relevant outdoor leadership awards, such as Sea Kayak or Canoe Leader, ERCA Traditional High Ropes Instructor award and Archery GB Instructor award will all be of benefit. Experience working with diverse client groups, including SEND and adult training programmes, plus a genuine passion for outdoor education, will make you stand out.
Above all, we want someone positive, customer-focused and with a strong desire to deliver great hospitality and high-quality experiences, ready to help our centre thrive.
What We Offer
At Brenscombe, you’ll be part of a supportive and energetic team dedicated to quality beyond instruction. We provide opportunities for professional growth and involvement in a variety of programmes. You’ll work in a stunning outdoor setting while gaining diverse experience in a dynamic environment, in addition to:
● Competitive salary, £28,000 to £30,000 per annum, reflective of your experience and qualifications
● 28 days paid holiday annually
● Enrolment in Activate Outdoors workplace pension scheme
● Funding and support for personal training and development
● Opportunity to obtain the ERCA Traditional High Ropes Instructor qualification
● A busy and exciting working atmosphere with plenty of opportunity to build on your experience
● Access to trade discounts on outdoor kit
● Access to facilities across the organisations three centres
Seasonal Outdoor Education Instructors
We are looking for experienced, enthusiastic and hardworking Outdoor Instructors to join our 2026 team.
In return for your hard work, we offer:
- Monthly salary + paid holiday
- Affordable onsite accommodation in a beautiful location
- Funding and support for personal training and development, including CPD training days
- Opportunity to obtain the ERCA Traditional High Ropes Instructor qualification
- A busy and exciting working atmosphere with plenty of opportunity to develop your skills
- Predominantly Monday to Friday working through school term time
- Access to facilities across the organisation including a bunkhouse in North Wales
March - September/October 2027
Qualities we are looking for:
- A strong work ethic
- Team player
- Enthusiastic about the outdoors
- Desire to progress and develop your own skills and qualifications
Essential qualifications:
- 16-hour First Aid certificate
- Prior experience working with young people
- BC Paddlesport Instructor or UKCC level one Paddlesport Instructor
- RCI training
Desirable qualifications/skills:
- RCI qualified
- Higher level watersports qualifications
- ERCA Ropes Course Instructor
- Archery GB/GNAS
- NRSA Rifle Shooting
- Lowland Leader Award or above
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- Bushcraft experience
Brenscombe is an equal opportunities employer and we are eagerly seeking applications from all sectors of society.