Job title: Senior SUP Instructor

The Surrey Hills Adventure Company – The SHAC

The SHAC is an outdoor adventure organisation that does everything it can to get you outside to take some risks, have some fun and enjoy the beauty of the Surrey Hills and all it has to offer. We also strive to educate people about our local environment and help them learn how best to cohabit with nature whilst enjoying the well documented health and mental benefits. We are proud to display The Trademark Surrey Hills; an accreditation awarded by Surrey Hills Enterprises as a Mark of outstanding local provenance; quality and sustainability. The SHAC is open all year round.

Job Summary

We are hiring SUP Senior Instructors at the SHAC Lagoon in Buckland Park. We offer enthusiastic candidates the opportunity to work in a stunning location with flexibility over the hours worked. Suitable candidates are those who are both proactive and passionate about outdoor activities, including SUP and swimming.

Reporting Line

The position is the Senior staff member on duty on some occasions. Alternatively the position reports to another senior person on site. This may be the Founders, other experienced senior Instructors, or the Beach Manager. Staff must communicate to management any issues that arise.

Responsibilities and duties: Specifically for the Senior SUP Instructor

Senior SUP Instructors have additional responsibilities compared with the Junior SUP Instructors or the SUP Assistants. A Senior SUP instructor is:

Able to work at The Lagoon on their own
Capable of leading and/or running all of the SUP sessions on offer including:
- parties of up to 20 people when assisted by Junior SUP Instructors and/or SUP Assistants
- a group of 10 when supported by a SUP Assistant
- any new more technical courses such as refresher/advanced/skills
Responsible & can be relied upon to make a logical decision on issues that may arise in the absence of the Founders
Able to lead and manage the program of sessions at Dapdune or any alternative locations e.g. River safaris, Schools locations
Knowledgeable about all of the SUP kit and able to validate that it is in a functional condition
Able to advise clients on SUP kit that they may be seeking to purchase; including advising on the sale of the SHAC SUP kit that is for sale

For completion of this Job Description, detailed below are the responsibilities covered by the Junior SUP Instructors and/or the SUP Assistants:

Ensure paddlers safety by enforcing the SHAC rules (including but not limited to):

All SUP Team Members are Open Water qualified Lifeguards
Only one person per Paddleboard
Ensure the ratios of staff to paddlers are in line with the Normal Operating Procedures
Those who are new to SUP must take the Introduction to SUP and demonstrate that they can self-rescue before they are allowed on the BIG Lake
Experienced & competent paddlers must demonstrate self-rescue before they are allowed on the BIG Lake
SUP Taster paddlers and Wet & Wild sessions must stay within the Lagoon
Ensuring paddlers know to keep their distance from other paddlers and to drop to their knees in they become unsteady
Not allowing non-participating public on the beach
Ensuring under 16-year-olds are wearing a buoyancy jacket; with the option of a wetsuit if the water temperature/paddler require it
Ensure that children are appropriately supervised according to the requirements of the session
Ensuring that all paddlers are logged into the system and are wearing a numbered band

Provide guidance as a SUP Instructor:

Take any SUP session by helping the new paddlers to set up their equipment such as the board & leash, paddle, and wetsuits
Help the paddlers to launch the boards without damaging the fins
Demonstrate skills to the paddlers
Help anyone who falls form their SUP to get back onto the board, possibly by getting them to the side of the lake
Help to ensure that the participants in the session stay together so they can learn from the Lead Instructor
Guide new paddlers how to stand on the board and how best to use the paddles

Oversee paddlers safety by professionally lifeguarding:

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) on the water or land-side - keeping “eyes on the water” at all times
Wearing the uniform and dressing suitably for the weather conditions
Carrying a whistle, a radio and wearing a watch
Not becoming distracted by other staff or any one paddler
Not carrying a mobile phone whilst on duty, unless it is required to check-in participants as part of the Beach Manager responsibilities
Rotating with other SUP Team Members on duty, with a swift handover of zones
Communicating with other lifeguards and beach staff by radio
Remaining standing on the paddle board at all times; with a leash attached, and being visible unless the wind dictates otherwise, or a paddler needs assisting
Spreading out into the allocated zones and being always alert

Assisting paddlers in difficulty for any reason – Many paddlers at the SHAC are experiencing new conditions such as the first time in Open Water or are new to the cooler temperatures. We need to be aware of all their needs. At the SHAC rescues are by SUP wherever possible. The SUP Team Members will need to be able to perform a SUP rescue and communicate with the team as required including the need to contact emergency services personnel and aid the swimmer. Maintaining records of incidents that occur at the Lagoon.

Assist with other Lagoon Activities:

Set up and pack away for each session
Cleaning the beach and access ways, and equipment
Sorting/tidying the SHAC
Organising wetsuits, buoyancy jackets, booties, gloves and/or hats
Occasionally supporting the beach, checking clients.
Providing accurate information about the SHAC’s activities

Monitor Weather and Conditions

Before any SUP activity takes place, the weather must be evaluated to see if it poses any risk to the paddlers such as very high strong winds and/or thunderstorms. The decision about whether the session can take place rests with the Duty Manager or the Founders if the Duty Manager is otherwise occupied.

Skills and Qualifications

Senior SUP Instructors will have all of the skills and experience of a Junior SUP Instructor, and additionally will have at least one year of active hands-on experience of running all of the SHAC SUP sessions or the equivalent at an alternative managed SUP site:

The skills and qualification of all SUP Instructors are:

SUP Team Members need to hold a current Open Water Lifeguard qualification and possess the following skills:

Swimming and SUP – SUP team members must be strong swimmers and competent SUPers who can manoeuvre and navigate in the water even while carrying another person
Observation skills – the ability to observe and monitor paddlers and ensure safety conditions
Attention to detail - a high level of attention to detail and concentration is required throughout the shift to ensure paddler safety
Emergency response skills – if a paddler is in danger, lifeguards need to calmly assess the situation and make critical decisions to help, so require strong judgment and response skills
Communication skills – SUP Team Members need to effectively communicate with visitors, other lifeguards, and senior staff members in a respectful manner. He/she must follow the instructions of the senior person on duty
Proactive – start the session as soon after the beach has been set-up and the paddlers are ready. Offer to help Buckland Park visitors with questions they may have about the SHAC during times when you are not on duty
Reliable – offer times that you know you will be available and ensure that you attend each shift on time
Friendly personality - welcome all SHAC participants, visitors, and staff in a non- judgemental and inclusive way.

Salary

The position is self-employed and is paid via invoices at the end of each calendar month, based on an agreed hourly, or half-daily, rate. This may vary according to age and experience. Shifts begin half an hour before the session start time and conclude up to half an hour after the final session finish time.

Benefits

Flexible hours - shifts are available during all SUP sessions. These may vary according to the seasonal requirement
Option of additional hours for swimming sessions
Discount at The Reverie venue at Buckland Park
Opportunity to swim and paddle board outside of shift times in line with Company policy
On the job coaching in other activities run by the SHAC
Free entrance to Buckland Park either side of a shift
Zone 3 10% discount
Free SHAC Lifeguard uniform (upper body)