Centre Manager – Residential Outdoor Education Centre (Preston Montford)

The Vacancy

Do you have the leadership skills to run a busy residential centre and inspire a team to deliver outstanding outdoor learning and adventure experiences?

We’re looking for you to join our Environmental Education Charity as our new Centre Manager.

• Permanent full-time contract
• Starting salary is circa £40,375 per annum
• Excellent benefits package, including generous annual leave, life assurance and health & wellbeing support
• Work in a stunning location, with nature on your doorstep every day

Work with purpose

At the Field Studies Council, our mission is to create outstanding opportunities that inspire everyone to engage with and care for the environment.

Every role plays a vital part in making that happen. As our Centre Manager, you’ll lead the day-to-day management, performance and development of the residential learning centre, ensuring exceptional experiences for every visitor while helping deliver our charitable mission.

This is a varied, hands-on role where you’ll:

• Lead and motivate a multidisciplinary team, ensuring the centre operates safely, efficiently and delivers an outstanding experiences for every visitor.
• Recruit, develop and support colleagues, overseeing induction, training and professional development while supporting our commitment to being an Investor in People.
• Drive commercial performance by maximising occupancy, managing budgets, growing income and identifying opportunities to diversify revenue, including through our Hire A Canoe operation and other leisure and adventure activities.
• Build partnerships with local and regional organisations and contribute to funded projects that support our charitable mission.
• Care for the learning location, overseeing the buildings, grounds and estate while improving environmental performance in line with our Carbon Net Zero and Nature Recovery Plan.
• Take operational responsibility for the successful running of a busy residential learning location, including participating in the centre’s duty and on-call rota to ensure support is available whenever visitors are on site.

Please refer to the vacancy pack on our website for full details of the responsibilities of this position.

Where you’ll be based

Field Studies Council Preston Montford is a vibrant and welcoming residential learning centre set in the beautiful Shropshire countryside, close to Shrewsbury. Surrounded by woodland, open countryside and the River Severn, it provides an inspiring setting for outdoor learning and adventure.

As a +Adventure location, Preston Montford offers a wide range of outdoor experiences alongside our residential learning programmes, including our Hire A Canoe operation.

Working here means being surrounded by nature and part of a passionate team that helps people discover the joy of learning and adventure outdoors.

Who we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced operational leader with a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and a track record of successfully managing teams and services.

You’ll have experience working within a residential, leisure, hospitality, education, outdoor learning or similar customer-focused environment and be confident managing budgets, developing people, building partnerships and driving continuous improvement.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do, and we are looking for someone who shares them. Let’s learn and grow, inspire action for the environment, work as a team, and deliver great service.

If you think this role sounds like it would suit you, we would love to hear from you! Your benefits whilst working with us will include:

• 28 days annual leave + bank holidays
• 2 extra loyalty days dependent on length of service
• Life assurance 5 x your annual basic salary
• Health and Wellbeing Support App for you and eligible family members to access remote GP appointments, mental health consultations, physio plus financial & legal support
• 24-hour Counselling Helpline Service
• Cycle to work and EV schemes
• Discounts and cashback opportunities
• Flexible working options where roles permit
• Quality learning and development opportunities

The closing date for receipt of your completed application is 16 August 2026.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we’re in receipt of sufficient applications. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.

1st interviews are scheduled to take place online in the week of 24 August 2026 with 2nd interviews at Field Studies Council Preston Montford in the week commencing 31 August 2026

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by email.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and we expect all team members to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will only be confirmed following the successful completion of rigorous pre-employment checks, including appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

The Company

We want to create a world where everyone feels connected to the environment so they can enjoy the benefits it gives and make choices that help protect it.

As an Investors in People charity, we realise that to achieve our vision we need diverse teams of staff who have a wide range of skills, a real passion for the work of the charity and pride in their role within it. No matter what role you perform at the Field Studies Council, everyone can make a difference and every role is vital to delivering our mission and vision… if this inspires you, we would love to hear from you.