Job Description

Job Profile

Post: Community Activity Co-ordinator

Reporting to: WHC Chief Executive Officer

Access to: Core WHC office and The Rum Story team, alongside specialist knowledge

and support of retained consultants and contractors in areas such as finance,

marketing, operations and facilities management

Working with: Osprey Management Group, operator of The Edge hotel and cafe

Purpose

Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners (WHC) are seeking a new recruit to take over the exciting role

of Community Activity Co-ordinator for 'The Edge', Cumbria's new Coastal Activities Centre that

recently opened on the harbourside in Whitehaven, West Cumbria.

The Edge has a unique and exciting purpose, offering facilities not just for people to make use of

while enjoying water sports and other outdoor activities but a multitude of other uses, from

community workshops to cultural events.

The building itself boasts a range of usable spaces, accessible toilets, changing rooms, drying room,

meeting room, a cafe and en-suite overnight accommodation. The location of The Edge at the start of

the C2C cycle route and on the Cumbria Coastal Way is expected to open doors to developing the

commercial aspects of a large and expanding market.

The main commercial operator is local hospitality specialist Osprey Management Group, working

with the WHC team and other partners to deliver a variety of outputs and outcomes for the benefit of

the community.

Our new Community Activity Co-ordinator role is a fixed-term post, which started just before the

centre launched and is due to finish in December 2026 but has potential to be extended, subject to

future funding. The original post-holder has been working closely with local community groups on

different uses for our new facilities at The Edge and to develop ideas to capitalise on those ideas for

the various spaces, as well as focusing on website content and wider marketing & promotions. An

unexpected opportunity to take on a permanent role locally in the maritime sector means we now

find ourselves needing to recruit again.

Could you be the person we're seeking to develop this role even further and take us to the next

stage?

The successful candidate will ideally bring - and build further - strong and lasting relationships

between all those connected with The Edge and its stakeholders. They will be responsible for

identifying and developing options for more than just the obvious community activities - from

service providers to potential users - as well as organising and overseeing events that make the best

use of the multi-functional spaces, working with a small but experienced team on the centre's wider

promotion.

The exciting 5m Edge project has been made possible with funding from Sellafield Ltd's Social

Impact Multiplied - SiX - programme and the Coastal Communities Fund.

The centre's overarching aims are to:

provide a range of leisure activities; the centre has been developed to ensure activities are not
restricted to water sports but will provide a broad range of options to attract and serve the

wider community

increase local participation in recreational, educational and cultural activities, which will
positively impact on physical and mental wellbeing

provide direct employment; given our location, most of the jobs created are being filled by
people from local communities

increase opportunities for training in outdoor adventure and exploration tourism boost visitor numbers to the Cumbrian coast; this will in turn increase visitor spend within the
local economy.

WHC is a not-for-profit organisation, responsible for safely managing and maintaining Whitehaven

Harbour and its environs for the benefit of all. We are committed to optimising our commercial

revenues in order to continually improve by reinvesting in our assets, ensuring all those assets are

managed and proactively maintained to provide a safe, sustainable and enjoyable environment and

experience for all users.

At the heart of the community, we celebrate our 400-year history to drive the future and protect the

legacy of this unique local institution.

We are proud of our core values. We will:

actively listen and put people at the heart of what we do treat people fairly and inclusively, embracing equality and diversity be honest, open and transparent in our dealings with customers, colleagues and partners stand up and take responsibility for our actions provide a safe and secure environment for all strive for continuous improvement and a better future
Key duties and responsibilities of the role

Stakeholder engagement:
o You'll be the bridge between the community and The Edge's main operator;

developing relationships and fostering seamless co-operation to ensure everyone

benefits from this exciting venture, from local residents to community groups and

larger organisations

o Craft a range of strategies aimed at hooking tourists and activity enthusiasts

o Maintain positive relationships with sponsors, funders and partners; take the lead on

regular monitoring and reporting, as required

Programme and event co-ordination:
o Identify and collaborate with providers and community groups to offer diverse

activities, catering for a variety of interests at all levels; from water sports to arts and

culture, you will get people through the doors and keep them coming back for more

o Work with external stakeholders and community groups to create a well-rounded

calendar of events that aligns with The Edge's outputs and outcomes

o Liaise with providers to organise and oversee the successful execution of workshops,

courses and events

o Oversee logistics for external workshop bookings as well as general enquiries

Marketing and PR:
o Develop and implement PR campaigns and marketing strategies to raise awareness of

The Edge among local and national audiences, perhaps even international

o Represent WHC and raise awareness of the centre at tourism events, trade shows,

community gatherings and festivals to build partnerships and increase visibility

Financial oversight:
o Manage a small budget for the first year of subsidised community activities, ensuring

financial sustainability

o Provide regular, robust scrutiny of funded activities to ensure best practice and value

for money

o Work with the CEO and wider team to monitor and report on performance against

grant funding milestones to meet all compliance requirements and objectives

Collaboration:
o Work closely with The Edge's main operator to ensure smooth access to facilities for

community groups, demonstrating seamless co-operation between all parties

Sustainable use of the facility:
o Ensure The Edge thrives not just today but for years to come. Work with the CEO,

wider staff team and volunteer Board of Commissioners to identify opportunities to

support the provision of community activities beyond the current programme

o Develop credible bids for submission by WHC to seek revenue funding so that a

programme of activities from The Edge can tackle many of the common barriers to

engagement and participation and be accessible to all, not just those with the right

equipment already or who can afford to pay for themselves; it is important to us that

these activities are as sustainable as possible without relying on commercial income

o Support the CEO in ways to extend the fixed term of the role and help the wider team

to implement strategies that guarantee long-term success of the centre

o Optimise the use of facilities, from outdoor spaces to indoor community areas, and

from the cafe to the hotel, all with the aim of achieving long-term sustainability

Monitoring and reporting:
o Work with the CEO to evaluate the impact of the project; this could be through data

capture to support a robust impact assessment, ongoing monitoring, or independent

evaluation with in-depth analysis, to report on The Edge project's aims, objectives,

outputs and outcomes; providing tangible evidence of the benefits of the current phase

and in turn opening doors to further funding

Person specification

Essential

Proven experience in community engagement and event planning Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills Creative and resourceful with a passion for outdoor and indoor recreation and community
development

Effective marketing and promotional skills with an ability to develop and execute successful
marketing campaigns

Strong presentation skills Experience of budget management and financial responsibility Keen networker, excellent relationship-building and the ability to collaborate effectively with
diverse stakeholders

Effective management of time and resources Passion for WHC's Vision and culture Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and comfortable with core social media platforms Full, clean driving licence
Desirable

Self-motivated Flexible/adaptable to changing business needs Ability to identify new opportunities An understanding of the relationship between WHC, its key partners and all the stakeholders
that support its day-to-day operations

Use of own vehicle for commuting and travel Interest in Whitehaven's history and heritage Emergency First Aid at Work training Fire Marshal certificate Safeguarding training Knowledge of the Ports & Marine Facilities Safety Code (PMSC) and associated Guide to
Good Practice

Headline terms & conditions

Contract: Fixed term appointment until December 2026 (subject to start date; option to extend if

further funding secured)

Salary and hours: This position has a fixed, funded salary of just over 25k pa. We are initially

seeking commitment for 28 hours a week but may consider less if we believe we have the right

candidate. If you are interested but could only offer three days a week, for example, please still apply

and use your cover letter to state how you would ensure quality of delivery and be able to support the

wider team in achieving the publicly funded outputs and outcomes

Start date: Successful candidate to start immediately or as soon as available

Annual leave: 25 days plus all statutory bank holidays for full-time employees; pro rata for others

Probation period: Three months (during which the notice period on either side will be one week)

Notice period: Two full calendar months

Pension: WHC operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme through Nest

Working arrangements: We are a seven-day operation. The majority of our full-time employees

work five days a week with 1hr unpaid lunch break each day. Weekend and occasional evening work

is likely, and some weeks the post-holder may be expected to work outside of their contracted hours.

Where additional hours are worked, time off in lieu will be given.

WHC is responsive to flexible working requests and will take a collaborative approach to finding the

right solution for the individual, The Edge project and the wider organisation.

Location: Based at WHC's main office in Whitehaven and around the wider estate; there will also

be opportunity to travel within Cumbria and potentially further afield.

Additional employee benefits: Staff discount in The Rum Story shop; free parking on most WHC

car parks.

Application information

How to apply: Please submit your CV and a covering letter, addressed to CEO Deanne Shallcross,

to Lynn Denvir, Office Administrator for Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, 27 Lowther Street,

Whitehaven, CA28 7DN or email lynn@whitehavenhc.org.uk

Deadline for applications: 10am on Tuesday 11th November 2025.

Interviews: Likely to be Thursday 20th November 2025 in person at our offices in Whitehaven.

Please mention when applying if this would be a problem for you.

Further information: If you have any questions or would like an informal discussion about the role

before applying, contact our CEO Deanne Shallcross by emailing deanne@whitehavenhc.org.uk or

calling 01946 590515.

Start date: Immediately, or as soon as successful candidate is available.

Equal opportunities statement: WHC are committed to promoting equal opportunities in

employment. All job applicants receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender

reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic

or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (protected characteristics).

We are required by law to ensure all employees are entitled to work in the UK. Prospective

employees, regardless of nationality, must be able to produce original documents before employment

starts, to satisfy current immigration legislation.

Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 13 months

Pay: Up to 25,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 28 per week

Work Location: In person