Location: Field based with regular access to Devon and Southwest networks
37 hours per week (Flexible and 0.8 FTE considered)
Closing Date 22/4/2026
Skern is an established provider of outdoor learning programmes operating across two centres in North Devon: Skern Lodge (coastal) and Ultimate Adventure (countryside). With more than fifty years of experience, we are known for delivering well structured, purposeful residentials and day visits that support curriculum learning, teamwork and personal development. Both centres offer a broad range of activities, alongside classrooms, accommodation and shared spaces designed specifically for school groups. Programmes are planned and delivered by experienced staff teams, with each school supported by a dedicated Course Director to ensure clear communication and smooth delivery throughout the visit. We have a strong base of returning customers and steady year-round demand, with clear opportunities to increase occupancy in midweek and shoulder seasons across both centres. This creates meaningful potential for performance-based earnings within the Sales Partner role.
Role Purpose
To drive revenue growth by building strong local relationships and securing business that aligns with centre capacity and operational requirements. The role acts as a link between the market and centre teams, ensuring accurate handover to the Bookings Team and supporting both the Centre Manager and Commercial Manager through market insight and targeted revenue activity. With customer retention above 75%, the focus is on strengthening new business development, increasing midweek and shoulder season utilisation, and supporting sustained year-round demand.
Key Responsibilities
* Yield-Based Selling: Proactively target sectors (e.g. Schools, Trusts, Scouts, Sports Clubs) as identified by centre occupancy reports and strategic insight.
* Community Engagement and Partnerships: Establish a credible network of partnerships and community activity to drive brand awareness and identify future revenue opportunities.
* Relationship Management: Build and nurture links with youth organisations, schools and community groups at local, regional and national levels.
* Operational Bridge: Translate local / national trends into tangible, operationally sound and costed product ideas that can be presented to key stakeholders.
* Qualified Handover: Lead the transition of new business to the Bookings Team with detail and accuracy to ensure long-term retention.
* Bid & Tender Support: Research and contribute to tenders and grant-funded opportunities.
* Market Intelligence: Provide regular insight into competitor landscape, market trends and emerging themes to inform the 5-year business plan.
* Lead Generation: Proactive and regular outbound activity to Stakeholders such as Schools, CEO’s, Youth organisations etc.
KPI's
* Sales: Demonstrate year-on-year improvement in new customer acquisitions through collaboration with internal teams (Min. £500k in year one)
* Retention: Demonstrate YoY improvement in client retention in line with strategic plans.
* Lead Generation: Personally generated "Qualified" leads per month (outbound only).
* Regular travel: Networking in Devon and the South West (Approx 5 days per month).
* CRM/Response: 100% data logging in CRM and Booking Systems, 24-hour response time to all enquiries.
* Pipeline: Maintain Pipeline of at least £150k.
Person Specification
* Outdoor Sector knowledge: Understands the transformative nature of outdoor and residential education and can speak about it with authenticity and passion. Brings awareness of key competitors and wider sector positioning, using this insight to inform sales conversations and identify opportunities in the local market.
* Market Responsiveness: Able to interpret youth, education and wellbeing trends and translate them into targeted sales opportunities and product ideas.
* Commercial Acumen: Ability to analyse bed/staff levels and distinguish profitable business from low-margin opportunities.
* Sales acumen: Proven track record of generating revenue through sales activity and maintaining strong levels of customer care
* Proactive Approach: High confidence in outbound calling, networking and lead generation without prompts.
* Interpersonal & Community Engagement Skills: Experience engaging with schools, youth groups, community organisations, or similar.
* Driving License: Full Clean Driving License and ability to reach the centre and be "on the road" in Devon and the Southwest
* Enhanced DBS: Company will support this application as part of the onboarding process
* Existing Network: Existing relationships within the Southwest education, youth or community sectors.
* Bid & Campaign Experience: Experience in bid writing, campaign planning or supporting funded project proposals.
* Green Social Prescribing & Health Connections: Experience of green or outdoor based social prescribing, or the ability to connect with Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), Primary Care Networks (PCNs) or Social Prescribing Link Workers.
* Understanding of Government Trends: Awareness of current and emerging government trends and funding priorities relating to youth work, education, health and wellbeing initiatives.
* Story, Insight & Digital Engagement: Ability to gather customer stories, feedback, testimonials or simple content, and an awareness of modern engagement trends in the outdoor and youth sectors (e.g., storytelling, user generated content, shortform video), to support effective sales narratives and reinforce market positioning.
For an informal discussion please email Kirsty@skernlodge.co.uk or feel free to call on 07789 529606
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