Mate – Challenge Wales
Position – Full Time
Location – Home Port Penarth (near Cardiff) although the boat sails around the UK and the role holder may be joining the boat in other ports.
Salary – £28,082 (pro rata)
Closing date – 29th March 2025. Interviews will take place through last week of March and first of April. Position to start early-mid May 2025.
Challenge Wales provides transformative youth work using its 72-foot ex-round the world racing yacht Challenge Wales.
We now have an exciting opportunity for a Mate to join the team. This is initially for our sailing season (starting May and finishing November 2025) but does have the potential option to extend it (subject to funding) to 2026/2027.
The Mate is a key role supporting and assisting the Skipper in delivering the services of Challenge Wales and is expected to take an active role in keeping Challenge Wales in a safe and seaworthy condition at all times. But it isn’t all sailing and the Mate has an important role behind the scenes with assisting and leading some of the maintenance tasks; some will be ongoing maintenance during the sailing season while other maintenance is focussed around an annual refit so a practical mind is useful.
Tasks & Responsibilities
You will be involved with:
• Taking over from the Skipper should they be incapacitated
• Safely navigating and operating the vessel under the direction of the Skipper
• Assisting the Skipper in passage planning
• Assisting the Skipper with ensuring the vessel and its equipment are maintained in a safe and seaworthy condition at all times and in accordance with Challenge Wales’ Planned Maintenance Programme
• Undertaking safety checks
• Supporting the skipper with safety, discipline, morale and welfare of volunteers and clients
• Maintaining good relations and communication with all volunteers
• Victualling the vessel within budget and following Challenge Wales’ financial and purchasing procedures
• Co-ordinating any feedback paperwork
• Admin tasks such as liaising with ports, writing trainee reports when required and providing any feedback to sponsors
• Running the deck in a Mate role and leading young people and clients in sailing tasks
• Leading some tasks linked to accreditation as guided/supported by Youth Development Officer
• Ensuring every opportunity is taken to promote the social and personal development of the young people onboard
• Lead training activities with volunteer crew
• Co-ordinate maintenance activities in conjunction with the Skipper around the winter refits
• Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
• Championing the brand and raising the profile of the charity
The above list is not meant to be comprehensive.
Personal Specification
The successful candidate will (when applying):
• Have a valid ENG1
• Have RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
• Have a Commercial Endorsement
• Be an excellent role model
• Good leadership skills, people management and ability to lead in a positive way
• Have the ability to work on their own initiative
• Be energetic enthusiastic, hands-on, proactive and willing to work hard
• Possess very good communication skills both verbal and written, be compassionate and able to understand the needs of others
• Experience of managing diverse groups of young people
• Be a team player
Essential for completing Mate assessment:
• Safeguarding Training (Challenge Wales can organise this for you free of charge)
• Level 2 Food Hygiene (MCA Approved) Challenge Wales may be able to organise this for you at cost.
Desirable:
• Experience of larger outdoor/adventure organisations
• Have experience of sail training
• Have experience of larger boats (e.g. similar to a Challenge 72)
• Experience in a similar role
• Skipper experience
• MCA / RYA Radar
• RYA Cruising or Yachtmaster Instructor qualification
• A Welsh speaker (written/oral)
TO APPLY: Please email your CV and a supporting statement showing how you meet the role requirements.
Position is typically three weeks on and one weeks relief in rotation during the sailing season. In Winter this will often revert to working 5 days out of 7 during the week.
22 days leave + UK Bank Holidays (Pro rata) plus CPD opportunities to support the role and future progression.
Contact: Vicky Williams
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 02920 704657
Website: www.challengewales.org