The Role 😊
The Castle is recruiting internally for an Instructing Team Lead.
The Instructing Team Lead is responsible for the day-to-day people management, support, coordination and operational consistency of the Instructor Team, ensuring that instructors are confident, well-supported and working in line with The Castle’s standards, procedures and values.
This role includes responsibility for overseeing CCC functionality, coordinating day-to-day instructor cover, supporting last-minute staff changes, and ensuring courses can run safely and effectively. As an Instructing Team Lead, you will also deliver courses and may be required to step in to deliver sessions in emergency situations where cover cannot reasonably be arranged.
A key part of the role is writing, reviewing and implementing clear procedures and guidance for the Instructor Team, making sure these are understood, followed and embedded in everyday practice.
You will be supporting the Instructing & Courses Manager by taking responsibility for the day-to-day management and coordination of the Instructor Team. This allows the Instructing & Courses Manager to focus on the strategic development of the department, including course development, product development, business planning, safeguarding oversight and wider departmental oversight.
This is a Team Lead role with a balance of people management, course delivery, operational coordination and procedural work. It requires flexibility, including weekend working, as the balance between office-based duties and teaching hours may vary depending on business need, staffing levels, course demand and departmental priorities.
Inclusivity Statement 🩷
The Castle values inclusivity and encourages you to bring your whole self to work. We understand the importance of work-life balance and will do all that we can to support a healthy one. As a growing business, we’re here to encourage you to develop and pursue your professional and personal aspirations. It’s talent that matters to us and we encourage applications from people irrespective of their gender identity, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status or caring responsibilities. Please let us know if you need accommodations during the application process.
We’re looking for an enthusiastic team member to join us 37.5 hours a week (evening and weekend work required).
This is a full-time permanent role with a starting salary of £35,000 – 37,500 (FTE) (depending on experience).
Main duties & responsibilities ✨
People Management and Team Support
- Provide day-to-day line management, guidance and support to the Instructor Team.
- Act as the first point of contact for instructors in relation to day-to-day queries, expectations, standards and ways of working.
- Support instructors to understand their role, responsibilities and expected behaviours.
- Hold regular check-ins and one-to-ones with instructors, ensuring any concerns, support needs or development areas are identified early.
- Support the onboarding and induction of new instructors, ensuring they understand The Castle’s expectations, procedures and standards.
- Identify training needs within the Instructor Team and work with the Instructor Manager to agree appropriate support or development.
- Encourage a positive, respectful and professional team culture.
- Support team communication, including updates, briefings, meetings and follow-up actions.
- Liaise with HR where informal support, conduct, performance, attendance or wellbeing concerns arise.
- Support informal performance management where appropriate, ensuring concerns are addressed fairly, consistently and in line with company procedures.
- Escalate more serious or formal matters to the Instructor Manager and/or HR as required.
Procedures, Standard and Implementation
- Write, review and update procedures, guidance documents and standard operating procedures relevant to the Instructor Team.
- Responsible for the rota creation and updating of the relevant systems.
- Ensure procedures are clear, practical, accessible and aligned with The Castle’s operational requirements.
- Support the implementation of new or updated procedures, ensuring instructors understand what is changing and what is expected of them.
- Monitor whether procedures are being followed consistently in practice.
- Identify gaps, inconsistencies or areas of confusion in current procedures and propose improvements.
- Work with the Instructor Manager to ensure procedures support safe, consistent and high-quality course delivery.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date instructor reference materials, checklists and team guidance.
- Support instructors to apply procedures consistently across different courses, sessions and customer groups.
- Gather feedback from instructors on how procedures are working in practice and suggest improvements where needed.
Day-to-Day
- Support the smooth day-to-day running of instructor-led activities.
- Ensure instructors are prepared, briefed and clear on expectations for their sessions.
- Monitor day-to-day standards of delivery, customer interaction, professionalism and safety awareness.
- Support consistency across the Instructor Team in how courses, sessions and activities are delivered.
- Coordinate day-to-day instructor cover, including responding to short-notice absence or staffing gaps.
- Work with the Bookings Team and Duty Managers to resolve immediate delivery issues where possible.
- Deliver courses as part of the role and maintain practical involvement in instructing activity.
- Step in to deliver courses in emergency situations where required, appropriate and within competence.
- Identify and address minor operational issues as they arise.
- Escalate wider operational, safety, staffing or course-related concerns to the Instructing & Courses Manager.
- Support effective communication between the Instructor Team, Bookings Team, Head Coach and other relevant departments.
- Help ensure that operational changes are clearly communicated and embedded within the Instructor Team.
CCC Functionality, Cover and Course Delivery
- Oversee CCC functionality from an Instructor Team perspective, ensuring instructor-related systems, processes and communication support effective course delivery.
- Support the CCC enrolment process by managing applications, responding to enquiries, and sending relevant course communications.
- Monitor day-to-day instructor staffing and identify gaps, risks or issues that may affect course delivery.
- Coordinate last-minute instructor cover where absence, sickness or operational changes create gaps in delivery.
- Liaise with the Bookings Team, Duty Managers and Instructing & Courses Manager where cover issues may affect customers, courses or operational delivery.
- Step in to deliver courses in emergency situations where cover cannot reasonably be arranged and where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
- Deliver courses as part of the role, maintaining current practical understanding of course delivery, customer experience and instructor requirements.
- Support the smooth running of courses by ensuring instructors are briefed, prepared and clear on expectations.
- Ensure course delivery issues are communicated promptly and followed up appropriately.
- Identify recurring cover, scheduling or delivery issues and raise these with the Instructing & Courses Manager.
- Support practical improvements to course delivery based on instructor feedback, customer feedback and operational experience.
Training, Development and Quality
- Support the ongoing development of instructors through feedback, coaching and practical guidance.
- Observe instructor practice where appropriate and provide constructive feedback.
- Help instructors build confidence, consistency and professionalism in their role.
- Support the use of agreed training materials, checklists and guidance documents.
- Work with the Instructor Manager to identify opportunities to improve training, course delivery and customer experience.
- Support the Instructor Manager with the rollout of new courses, products or ways of working, particularly where these require instructor training or procedural change.
- Encourage reflective practice and continuous improvement across the team.
Working Pattern and Balance of Duties
The role requires flexibility between office-based duties and teaching hours. The balance will vary depending on business need, course demand, staffing levels, projects and departmental priorities.
At times, the role may require a greater focus on office-based duties, including people management, procedure writing, implementation work, staff communication, meetings, administration and coordination. At other times, the role may require a greater focus on teaching, practical course delivery, staff cover and operational support.
As an Instructing Team Lead, you will be expected to work weekends as part of the role, in line with the needs of the Instructor Team and course delivery. The balance of office-based duties and teaching hours should be reviewed regularly with the Instructing & Courses Manager to ensure the role remains manageable, effective and aligned with departmental priorities.
As an Instructor Team Lead, you will be responsible for the day-to-day people management and procedural consistency of the Instructor Team. The Instructor Manager remains responsible for the wider strategic management of the department, including departmental direction, course and product development, business planning, budgetary oversight and management of the Instructor Team Lead and Bookings Department.
As an Instructor Team Lead, you will be expected to escalate formal employee relations matters, significant operational risks, safeguarding concerns, strategic decisions and wider departmental issues to the Instructor Manager and/or HR as appropriate.
Sustainability
You will carry out your duties in accordance with the Castle Sustainability Policy, promoting sustainable practices to customers, and ensuring that we use our resources efficiently and with awareness of the impact of energy usage.
How to apply ✍️
Please submit a CV and Cover Letter outlining why you are interested in this role, and how you believe your skills and experience make you a good fit.
Deadline: 24th August at midnight.
If you have any questions or accessibility requirements, please contact HR@caslte-climbing.co.uk.
