WORK WITH US

We are an AALS-registered Approved Activity Provider for DofE Bronze, Silver and Gold Award expeditions, seeking to expand our Expedition Leadership team. We are a group of people who enjoy working with youngsters and also appreciate the outdoor life (rather than macho types who begrudgingly instruct kids so they don’t have to work indoors!) Our founder is a former teacher and Scout Leader, so while we’re a business we’ve very much emerged from a volunteer ethos and the quality of the young people’s experience is a priority.

Current Vacancies

Operations Manager

Outspark is seeking an experienced, enthusiastic, and highly organised Operations Manager to lead our small but brilliant and dedicated team. At the heart of the organisation, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operations, ensuring that all Outspark expeditions, trips and programmes run smoothly, safely, and efficiently.

You will lead teams of outdoor instructors and regularly take charge in the field by leading expeditions. You will oversee trip documentation, administrative processes, and maintain consistently high operational and safety standards. While you will work within well-established systems, processes, and procedures, you will have the autonomy to manage day-to-day decisions, resolve challenges on the ground, and ensure that operations are delivered to the highest standard. This is a hands-on leadership role that combines operational oversight, team management, and direct involvement in the delivery of Outspark programmes whilst being supported by a team of experienced colleagues. Along with the Managing Director, Business Development Manager and Deputy Operations Manager you will share responsibility for innovation and growth. 

Download the full Job Description and Person Specification HERE

Season Expedition Leader

We are looking for enthusiastic and hard-working individuals to join our small team of Expedition Leaders to help us develop, grow and work with our customers with greater continuity. You will be supporting the Operations Manager and Deputy Operations Manager to deliver a successful year of bookings. You will be primarily leading expeditions but also working as an instructor on expeditions lead by others. 

As the expedition leader,  you will be responsible for receiving the expedition paperwork and kit, preparing accordingly and delivering the planned expedition with a team of instructors. 

Download the full Job Description and Person Specification HERE

Freelance Instructors

Instructors typically work between four and twelve weekends with us each year. Our expeditions are led by staff who have worked with us many times, supported by instructors who are a mixture of full-time outdoor freelancers, teachers who have often run DofE in their own schools, and Scout Leaders and others with outdoor and youth work experience who enjoy passing on their enthusiasm for the outdoors. Our founder is a former teacher and Scout Leader, so while we’re a business we’ve very much emerged from a volunteer ethos and the quality of the young people’s experience takes priority over commercial considerations.

For youth organisation leaders and those who have a current DofE role at their own school, it’s also an opportunity to pick up new ideas for running successful expeditions. Many of our instructors choose only to work for us in this context as they feel valued and enjoy working with like-minded people. We usually eat a good communal dinner on the Saturday of expeditions.

You need to be able to work independently, training a group of young people at Bronze or Silver standard in all aspects of expedition skills and contributing to the remote supervision of expeditions (checkpointing, troubleshooting etc.), under the overall direction of one of our highly experienced leaders. You’ll have good rapport with young people as well as strong navigation skills that you are able to share effectively with novices.

Pay is £160/day + expenses for lowland work or £170 for ML remit. We work mainly in the Chilterns, Ashdown Forest, Dorset, South Downs and Essex with occasional expeditions in South Wales, Forest of Dean and further afield.

Please email CV and contacts of 2 references to our Operations Manager alex@outspark.co.uk, or ring our founder Jason Buckley on 07843 555355 if you have any questions. If there’s a good fit both ways, we’ll arrange to meet over Zoom, do the requisite checks, and then there will be an opportunity for some inductions early in the season, paid at the normal lowland rate, where you’ll be able to work with some young people on their Bronze DofE.

We are looking for people who anticipate being able to commit at least four expeditions during the year for the dates we need staff.