Head of Learning and Volunteering

The Royal Yachting Association, based in Hamble, near Southampton, is the National Governing Body for all forms of recreational, competitive and professional boating. It represents dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sportsboats, windsurfing, inland cruising and personal watercraft.

Head of Learning and Volunteering

Salary: £57,000-65,000 pro rata per annum, depending on experience

Part Time: 28 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Location: Hamble, Southampton (hybrid working)with national travel; flexible/field-based working as required

The Mission: Supporting a Thriving Workforce

As part of the RYA’s ambitious goal to drastically grow participation in sailing and boating, we are seeking to evolve how we develop the people who deliver our sport. We are looking for a visionary Head of Learning and Volunteering to build an environment where coaches, race officials, and volunteers are supported to enter, progress, and thrive. You will ensure that the individuals powering our network have the tools, recognition, and confidence to make sailing accessible and engaging for everyone.

What You Will Do

• Architect the Pathways: Collaborate closely across the organisation to drive the strategic development of learning pathways for coaching, race officiating, and other crucial volunteer roles.
• Empower the Network: Ensure that qualifications, development opportunities, resources, and support are coherent, accessible, and aligned to the needs of clubs, classes, events, and wider delivery partners.
• Supercharge Learning Approaches: Radically strengthen how learning is shared across the organisation, improving progression routes and building a more confident, capable, and highly recognised volunteer workforce.
• Champion Inclusivity: Provide clear evidence that our learning and volunteering opportunities are continuously becoming more inclusive, representative, and accessible to all demographics.
• Drive Recognition & Retention: Foster strong volunteering recruitment and retention across targeted parts of the sport, ensuring positive engagement with recognition and awards so that every contribution is deeply celebrated and valued.
• Deliver Measurable Impact: Improve the clarity, accessibility, and take-up of learning pathways and CPD across priority disciplines, resulting in stronger workforce confidence and highly positive partner feedback.

Who You Are (Essential Qualifications & Experience)

• An Impactful Educator: You have a strong track record of leading or delivering learning, workforce development, or volunteer development activity that yields measurable, real-world impact.
• A Collaborative Leader: You excel at working hand-in-hand with volunteers, partners, committees, and complex networks to tangibly improve support, capability, and engagement.
• A Systems Thinker: You are highly experienced in developing comprehensive frameworks, resources, programmes, or pathways that actively help people progress and perform effectively in their roles.
• A Qualified Professional: You hold a relevant degree or professional qualification in sport, learning, workforce development, volunteering, management, or a related field (or possess equivalent relevant senior experience).
• Growth-Mindset: You lead by example, demonstrating clear evidence of your own continued professional development relevant to this leadership role.
• Ready to Connect: You hold a valid driving licence and are prepared to travel to support and understand our diverse delivery network.

The RYA offers a range of benefits which include:

• 36 days holiday including public holidays
• Birthday day off
• 10% RYA contribution to a personal pension scheme
• Free life insurance
• Discounts platform for retail, entertainment, holidays & gym membership
• Free charging point for electric vehicles whilst on your working days at the office
• Social Events
• RYA Membership
• Optional Team Sailing Days

The RYA is committed to equality of opportunity.

As an equal opportunity and disability confident employer, we celebrate and welcome diversity in all its forms and believe that a diverse workforce boosts innovation, productivity, and creativity. As an Inclusive employer, we are also committed to prioritising inclusion and creating a truly inclusive workplace.

We are dedicated to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion and strive to be an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves. We would particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse candidates who are currently underrepresented at the RYA.