Challengers Service Manager

Are you passionate about providing fun and inclusive play opportunities for children and young people? Do you have leadership experience and a commitment to delivering high-quality services? Challengers is looking for a dynamic Service Manager to lead the development of exciting and safe play experiences for disabled children and young people in Winchester and Chichester.

Service Manager – Job Description 

BENEFITS – What is in it for you?

• Be part of an inspiring and impactful charity dedicated to enriching the lives of disabled children and young people.
• Work for an organisation that values work-life balance and maintains high expectations for outcomes—not only for those who use our services but also for our teams.
• 32 days holiday (including Bank Holidays) with extra for long service and after your first years’ service, you’ll get your birthday off. Holiday entitlement is pro-rata for part time contracts.
• Free Training – We regularly offer free training courses, including Disability and Inclusion Awareness, Medication Administration, Safeguarding, First Aid, and more!
• Free DBS – As all staff are required to have a DBS before starting, we provide this free of charge.
• Pension & Health Care Cash Plan – All staff have access to a NEST pension and a Simply Health care plan.
• Be part of a forward-thinking charity focused on inclusivity.
• Make a meaningful impact in the lives of disabled children and their families.
• Supportive team environment with growth opportunities.

About Challengers:
Challengers is a charity dedicated to breaking down barriers for disabled children, creating fun, inclusive, and safe environments where they can thrive.

Role Purpose:
You’ll lead and develop high-quality play and youth schemes, inspire a team, and ensure safe, engaging experiences for children.

Main Responsibilities:

• Oversee play and youth schemes, ensuring compliance with policies and safety standards.
• Engage with staff, ensuring safety and development.
• Manage staffing levels and training requirements.
• Support staff recruitment and retention.
• Maintain scheme budgets and efficient administration.
• Adhere to safeguarding policies and report concerns.
• Promote Challengers’ mission and collaborate with Communications.

About You:

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with disabled children in play/youth work.
• Has proven leadership skills.
• Has strong interpersonal skills with parents and agencies.
• Has flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Commitment to inclusion, diversity, and the Social Model of Disability.

Desirable Requirements:

• NVQ Level 3 / Degree or equivalent.
• Experience in staff training and development.

Challengers is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS Check and satisfactory references.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. There is no such thing as the perfect candidate and Challengers is a place where everyone can grow. We follow equal opportunities so however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day.

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The position for which you are applying potentially involves significant unsupervised contact with children and is therefore subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. This means that you must disclose details of any convictions, bindover orders or police cautions, warnings or reprimands, including those which are considered “spent” under the terms of the Act. Please use the Disclosure Form below only if this applies to you. This information will not be used to discriminate against you unfairly.

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If you have any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not "protected" as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013) by SI 2013 1198, please complete the information below and return it with your application. This information will not be used to discriminate against you unfairly. For more information on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act please click here.

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Please upload your CV here. In order to process your application we need to have a full history from your secondary education to present day, including any gaps in your study or work. Please make sure your CV is compliant with this. If you fail to provide a full history within your CV, your application may be rejected, this is due to the nature of our work with vulnerable young people, and the strict Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment Policies we must adhere to.

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Please supply full contact details of TWO people who will provide a reference for you. They cannot both be from the same place of work or education. We cannot accept applications that do not provide two references. ONE MUST BE FROM YOUR CURRENT OR MOST RECENT EMPLOYER, OR IF YOU ARE A FULL-TIME STUDENT, FROM YOUR PLACE OF EDUCATION. REFEREES MAY NOT BE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY.

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Equal Opportunities monitoring

Challengers is committed to achieving a Play and Leisure service which provides equality of opportunity and freedom from unlawful or unfair discrimination. Our policy covers all aspects of our operations, including recruitment. Please complete this part of the form. This information will be used only in order to monitor our recruitment processes and prevent unfair discrimination on any grounds.

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I confirm that the information which I have given is true and complete. I confirm that I have read and understood the DBS Code of Practice and the DBS Privacy Policy. I consent for Challengers to carry out the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service checks, and to monitor status of a check online using the DBS Update Service if this is subscribed to. I have read and understood the job description and The Challengers Approach. By submitting this application to us you are declaring your consent. Any false statements or omissions may result in dismissal.

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