Wakefield Hub Manager

The successful applicant will be responsible for the day-to-day running of our inspirational work in
Wakefield – helping disabled people to access and enjoy the countryside. You must be an inspirational
team player with a great capacity for personal creativity and flair. The role is a roughly
40:60% split of hands-on-get-stuck-in activity delivery, with administration time allowed for Wakefield
Hub development. You would manage three members of staff (2.4 FTE) and work alongside adults with all sorts of disabilities in all weathers, and in all manner of countryside settings. There would be a need to work one
weekend each month, plus some evening work. We can (we hope!) guarantee you find the work
fun, well-respected and rewarding.

The job includes minibus (and occasionally trailer) driving. Thus, it is desirable that
candidates have a D1+E entitlement. Your job will involve some administrative duties, so some
familiarity with computers is essential.

The role would suit a countryside, recreation or disability professional who is energetic,
hard-working and able to work unsupervised.

Please send a detailed covering letter and your CV to [email protected] by 5pm on
13th August 2024. 

JOB PROFILE: WAKEFIELD HUB MANAGER

JOB PURPOSE: Responsibility for Open Country’s work in Wakefield.

RESPONSIBLE TO: Chief Officer (also Open Country Trustees)

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Day-to-day running of the Wakefield Hub.
2. Line management responsibilities for Wakefield Hub staff (currently 2.4 FTE).
3. Co-ordinate Wakefield Hub volunteer recruitment, training and resourcing.
4. Publicise and promote the Wakefield Hub. Liaise with stakeholders.
5. In partnership with the Open Country fundraising team, work to ensure the long-term future
   of the Hub through contributing to fundraising.
6. Produce an interesting and enjoyable programme of Countryside Activities.
7. Co-ordinate and lead up to two weekday activities per week.
8. Lead up to two weekend activities each month.
9. Undertake general Wakefield Hub administrative tasks, including managing petty cash and
   other receipts responsibly.
10. Undertake training as required, in particular ILM, MiDAS, Safeguarding and First Aid.
11. Abide by all our policies, paying particular attention to Health & Safety.
12. Undertake whatever duties are allocated by the Trustees and Chief Officer, to ensure that
    Open Country offers a high quality and caring service at all times.

OPEN COUNTRY – BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Open Country was established in Harrogate in 1990, as a three-year pilot project. Its remit was
to help anyone with any disability, be it learning or physical disability, sensory impairment
or mental health issue, to access and enjoy the countryside. After the initial three years were
over, such a level of expectation had been raised among local disabled people that we have
continued ever since! Over the intervening years, we have expanded our activities, so that we
currently have over 25 activity clubs working in Harrogate, Barnsley, Ripon, Selby, Wetherby,
York and of course, Wakefield! This year we will launch our third hub on Teesside.

Our countryside activities include walking, tandem cycling, outdoor pursuits, wildlife study,
nature conservation work parties and countryside outings. Our activities now welcome around 550
people, most of whom have disabilities, on roughly 10,000 people/activity days annually.

Through our Countryside Advice Service, we are involved with the dissemination of
information, training and advice on countryside access. We have produced six Breakfree
packs, detailing local accessible walks and cycles. We have also produced Countryside
Directories for Disabled People for North, West, East and South Yorkshire, Lancashire,
Teesside, County Durham and Wakefield. With these publications, Open Country truly has regional
influence in the field of disability and countryside matters.

For a small charity, we punch well above our weight! For example, we have received the
Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service and visited No.10 Downing Street!

Our Wakefield Hub has been running since September 2017 and at present we support over 150
disabled adults around the wider community to access and enjoy the countryside through a range
of popular activities including adapted cycling, conservation work, walking, wheelchair trips
and adventure sports. We have an office in Horbury and an operational base at Thornes Park,
just south of Wakefield city centre.

Since 2004, Open Country has been a Company Limited by Guarantee (05155859) and a Registered
Charity (1107331). We have two Patrons – Air Commodore Simon Bostock and Lord Willis of
Knaresborough and a board of 8 proactive Director/Trustees. There are 15 other staff posts
(12.4 FTE) and we are heavily reliant on our 150 fantastic volunteers, including almost 50 in
Wakefield district.