CEO PACK

WELCOME DEAR CANDIDATE,

Thank you for your interest in the Chief Executive Officer post at the Mountain Training Trust (MTT) and its trading subsidiary Mountain Training Limited, succeeding the current incumbent Jackie Bryson.

Jackie has steered MTT through a period of great change and we are now looking for an enthusiastic, experienced and entrepreneurial Chief Executive to build upon those foundations and lead us to more success in the future. This is a complicated and complex role because we are a complicated and complex organisation despite our size.

We play a crucial role in safety in the outdoors and in training future generations of leaders, coaches and instructors for outdoor and adventure sports. At the same time, we have some important long-standing contracts, most notably with Sport England, which includes acting as the custodian of Plas y Brenin, the iconic National Outdoor Centre in the Snowdonia National Park.

Operating a Sport England owned centre in North Wales is a conundrum. This is against a backdrop of shifting markets, changes in consumer behaviours and reducing levels of subsidy in the sports system, which all add to the challenges. Yet the opportunities for the outdoor market are unquestionable, with the most recent Active Lives Survey showing the growing role of outdoor and adventure sports in getting and keeping people active.

Insight shows that adults keeping active do so through a blend of activities and our ability to work across hillwalking, climbing, mountaineering, paddle sports and mountain biking places us in a strong position to support the outdoor sector to deliver growth.

Our financial position remains challenging as we strive to improve the charity’s long-term financial sustainability. To do this we need to generate at least £2.4m of traded turnover annually, leverage more value from our association with the Plas y Brenin brand (from improved commercial returns to fundraising) and make more of our amazing location in Snowdonia.

We need to introduce more business certainty and refresh our business model if we are to achieve our financial objectives and remain true to our core purpose. We have made a good start on which the next Chief Executive can build. This is set against a backdrop of our commitment to driving down the annual management fee from Sport England.

Our most recent set of audited accounts can be viewed here:www.mountaintrainingtrust.org/our-financial-position

Our business plan captures our aspirations for modernisation, transformation and cultural change. More detail of the plan is included in this pack. In the first 12 to 18 months in post, the new CEO’s primary focus is the implementation of this plan, in their own style, and then to draw up a new plan to safeguard the future of Plas y Brenin with the Mountain Training Trust as its custodian.

At the same time, they will provide strategic direction and leadership for all staff to support them in achieving our vision and mission while upholding our values.

Our CEO is also our ambassador with external organisations and institutions and hence a vital component of the role is stakeholder engagement within a complex and dynamic range of partners.

Currently our CEO has positive working relationships with a wide range of organisations including:

• The trustees of, MTT and the directors of Mountain Training Limited. Our three founding member bodies, the British Mountaineering Council, Mountain Training UK and Mountain Training England.

• Our key clients and customers, sponsors and supporters.

• Our key investor Sport England as well as the board of the Sports Council Trust Company and senior personnel at Sport England’s other national centres, Lilleshall and Bisham Abbey.

• Others within the network of National Outdoor Centres including Glenmore Lodge, Tollymore and Plas Menai.

• A wide range of national and local groups – from the Snowdonia National Park Authority to other adventure sport NGBs, from tourism groups to environmental organisations.

• The local community in Capel Curig and surrounding areas including landowners, managers and farmers.

Therefore, our CEO needs to be an accomplished networker, operating with gravitas as you champion the role of Plas y Brenin both near and far.

If you have got this far in the process, we expect that you are enthusiastic about outdoor and adventure sport and its associated learning, have a track record in delivering change and can demonstrate entrepreneurism and innovation in your thinking and actions.

Ideally, you will also understand the additional responsibilities that being a charity brings. You like to get things done and have the energy and drive to make our vision a reality.

In other words, you have a passion for what we do. If you can meet our expectations, then we would like to hear from you.

Sara Mogel OBEChair, Mountain Training Trust

Plas y Brenin was built in 1798 by Lord Penrhyn as the Capel Curig Inn. It provided accommodation for Queen Victoria, Kings Edward VII and VIII, and George V and was renamed the Royal Hotel in 1870. Apart from a few years of use as a mountain warfare training centre during World War II, the building remained in continual use as a hotel for over 150 years.

The Central Council for Physical Recreation acquired the site in 1955 for use as a national recreation centre, with funding from King George VI’s memorial fund. The centre was renamed Plas y Brenin, meaning ‘The King’s Mansion’, in his honour. Ever since, Plas y Brenin has been at the forefront of outdoor instruction. While the exact courses on offer have varied over the years, with disciplines as diverse as horse riding and fly fishing on offer, the main focus has never shifted from the importance of getting people active outdoors nor from the goal of playing a key part in creating a robust, sustainable and strong outdoor sector.

We do this by developing instructors, leaders, guides and coaches to the highest possible standards - from volunteers to those working professionally in the industry. In particular, we excel in the delivery of qualifications at the top end of the mountaineering, paddle sports and mountain biking pathway. This delivery is critical to the development of a sufficient number of well trained, valued and experienced elite instructors and coaches – who then train and educate others, as well as being expert advisors for the outdoor industry.

Our unique knowledge and expertise derived from working across the three key adventure disciplines is recognised nationally and internationally and valued by our partners. We are frequently requested to contribute to a wide range of NGB strategic, technical and development groups. Thus, Plas y Brenin is ‘no ordinary activity provider’. We are a national resource for the outdoors, operating to the highest standards for over 60 years.

Plas y Brenin is geographically, politically and metaphorically at the heart of the outdoor sector, developing the people that develop the outdoor sector. Our centre base in Snowdonia is a hub for the outdoors, with outdoor practitioners, industry experts, academics, and policymakers meeting to share ideas to develop the outdoor sector.

To find out more about what Plas y Brenin does, please refer to the website at: www.pyb.co.uk

ABOUT PLAS Y BRENIN, THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR CENTRE

ABOUT PYB

Plas y Brenin, the Mountain Training Trust (MTT) and Mountain Training Limited (MTL) are inextricably linked.

Since 1997, Plas y Brenin has been operated on behalf of Sport England by MTT and MTL. In fact, MTT and MTL were founded specifically to operate the National Centre and in doing so to ensure the continued delivery of world-class training. This remains at the core of everything we do to this day.

The current contract with Sport England runs until 2026.

MTT’s charitable objectives are:

1. The advancement for the public benefit of education and training (in conjunction where appropriate with other bodies or persons) in skills:

• For the conduct of safe walking, running, canoeing, climbing, orienteering, mountaineering, skiing, mountain biking and other recreational activities generally practised in the outdoors or in sea, hill, cliff and mountain environments;

• For the conduct of safe activity in the outdoors or in sea, hill, cliff and mountain environments

2. The promotion of the provision of facilities:• For recreation or other leisure time occupations;• For the benefit of the general public in the interests of social welfare and with the

object of improving their conditions of life

3. Such other objectives as shall be exclusively charitable under the law of England and Wales as the Directors shall decide.

The MTT Board of Trustees are volunteers, who, working with the CEO, set the strategic direction to ensure these charitable objectives are met.

More information on MTT and its Board can be found at: www.mountaintrainingtrust.org

MTT’s trading subsidiary is MTL, which delivers our non-charitable activities and has its own board. Any surpluses made by MTL are gift aided to MTT to support its charitable objectives.

MTT / MTL employs approximately 85 people and has an annual turnover of £3.3 million.

ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN TRAINING TRUST AND MOUNTAIN TRAINING LIMITED

ABOUT MTT & MTL

We will use our National Centre association to provide and promote sector leadership, either individually or as part of wider networks. We unashamedly focus on excellence in instruction and performance and in bringing our passion and enjoyment of outdoor sport to everyone we meet.

If we are to promote excellence in all that we do, then we must achieve the following:• Continually motivate, challenge and stretch ourselves and others to do better• Be world class in everything we do, at every stage of the customer journey• Inspire individuals, businesses and organisations and the communities with whom we work

to achieve more than they thought possible• To be the employer of choice• To have exemplary governance• Communicate productively with past, present and future stakeholders.

OUR VISION– to get more people active outdoors

OUR MISSION – to provide inspirational leadership and training in the outdoor sector through innovation, creativity and the use of iconic locations to ensure customers receive the best possible experience

OUR VALUES – come from the ethos and traditions of our founding members and the outdoor sports we practice.

INTEGRITYWe set the highest ethical and professional standards at all times. Everything we do is consistent with what we say and believe.

RESPECTWe respect our customers, each other and the environments in which we operate.

EXCELLENCEWe are passionate about delivering superior experiences and take great pride in delivering this. We constantly learn from all that we do and develop the ideas, innovations and practices that help us improve and lead our sector.

TEAMWORKWe encourage individual ownership yet work as a team. We value the expertise, individuality and contribution of all colleagues, working in support of each other and readily share good practice in pursuit of shared goals.

CAN-DO We take a positive approach to the situations and challenges we face. We are determined to work out a way to get things done in accordance with these values.

MTT’S PURPOSE

In 2016 we developed a five year business plan that charted how we could safeguard the future of Plas y Brenin with the Mountain Training Trust as its long-term custodian. To achieve this, transformation required reform on several levels, including changes to the business model. The plan is both ambitious and achievable, providing an overview of indicative activities, proposed site developments and the identification of associated business transformation activity.

The business plan received the backing of not only the MTT Board, but the key investor Sport England / Sports Council Trust Company and the founding members, the British Mountaineering Council, Mountain Training UK and Mountain Training England.

Since 2016, the focus has been working to strike a balance to ensure: • Contract compliance and delivery of sport development outcomes• Financial sustainability • Remaining true to the MTT charitable objectives.

We are making progress and the direction of travel is pleasing. We have safely run a complex and busy centre, excelled in contract audits, maintained our high customer rating and high quality instruction and continued in our efforts to transform our business. This is a demanding set of requirements and cultural change takes time.

STRATEGIC POSITION: AN OVERVIEW OF PROGRESS

CURRENT AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE• Continuing to develop a fit for purpose charity and trading subsidiary, with robust legal,

governance and financial policies and practices• Ensuring continued contract compliance, retaining our excellent safety record• Creating more business certainty for our instructional offer – blend of B2B (growth)

and B2C (stabilised), with clarity on margins, volumes and returns. Doing some things differently.

• Growing Sport Development services and delivery – cost /benefit analysis with clear rationale for continued draw from the contract

• Maximising use of the site – seeing upturn in facility usage• Seeing returns from the PYB brand• Achieving top-line revenue growth• Controlling our cost base• Strengthening the connection between capital activity and business plan growth

PLAS Y BRENIN - 2019/20 PRIORITIES

SPORT DEVELOPMENT SERVICESSector Leadership / Setting Coaching Standards and Development of Qualifications /

Workforce Talent Development / Role Model

Sport Facility Use

Retail & Kit Hire

Commercial Partnerships and Activities

Hosting of Events,

Meeting and Functions

Bar & Catering

B&BFundraising

FACILITIES, COMMERCIAL & FUNDRAISING

UNDERPINNED BY THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF GOVERNANCE

TO CREATE A ROBUST, SUSTAINABLE AND STRONG OUTDOOR SECTOR.

QUALIFICATIONS & CERTIFICATION

NGB Awards

First Aid Awards

SKILLS COURSES

For individual development,

for qualification progression,

to gain skills to operate in

the outdoors

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Contributing to and

development/delivery of CPD

across multiple

disciplines

GUIDED ADVENTURE AND SOCIAL EVENTS

For individuals and groups,

using our unique destination

and skilled staff

SPECIALIST SERVICES

Safe working practice

in outdoor environments.Advisory and consultancy

services.Leadership

and team development

SPORT DEVELOPMENT DELIVERY

LEADING TO A FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE CHARITY USING CREATIVE, IMPACTFUL AND

INSPIRATIONAL MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITY

Using the PYB brand and National Outdoor Centre

descriptor

WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSINESS PRACTICECustomer focus / use of

insight / new ways of working / efficiency gains / improved

cost controls / robust performance monitoring

/ evidencing impact

SECURING CAPITAL INVESTMENT For small scale site

improvements and building upgrades

• Provision of a comprehensive programme of NGB and skills-based courses to a wide range of audiences, from elite coaches to those working directly with community and youth groups. Over 2,000 individuals signed up to take a course with us, with an additional 900 clients being instructed via private centre bookings. (If you include private instruction, this goes up to over 1,200)

• Strong performance from private centre courses and safety / rescue work, both giving good increased levels of contribution to our core operating costs. The best course performers (in terms of uptake and volumes) were the International Mountain Leader, Mountain Leader summer courses and weekend discover kayaking courses.

• Provision of direct support to Mountain Training, the BMC, British Cycling and British Canoeing, attending a range of technical and development groups focused on coaching standards, safe working practices and workforce development.

• Hosting, organising and contributing expertise for a number of successful CPD and training events.

• Driving income from sales of unused bedrooms via a 3rd party website.

• Controlling our cost base including more accurately tracking activity levels.

• Further development to a costing model, which enables us to identify the level of contribution per activity / event / service / product to core operating costs.

• Continued improvement to our governance, using the principles of Tier 3 compliance from the UK Sport / Sport England Code of Sports Governance.

• A successful re-brand and launch of a new website.

• Continued improvement to how we interact with our customers and clients.

• Continued modernisation of our financial policies and processes, legal practices and ways of operating.

• Opening of the newly refurbished Bryn Engan hub as a self-contained, high quality teaching and accommodation environment, essential to growing a number of products, including our leadership development product, Mountain Biking offer, rescue offer and elite training hub offer for teams / groups. We are nearing completion of the installation of a new climbing wall.

• Continued with building life-cycle works including essential replacements / upgrades to the building management system – vital given we operate a repairing lease contract.

Thus, firm foundations have been laid and the new Chief Executive will inherit an organisation that is making progress towards the longer-term sustainability of the charity. This is a natural transition point for their appointment.

We have a great staff team, an enthusiastic Board that is fully engaged, and a supportive investor in Sport England. Within all this background there is scope for an incoming Chief Executive to make their mark, continue with a programme of change and in doing so, write the next successful chapter of this iconic organisation.

IN 2018/19, MTT’S AREAS OF SUCCESS INCLUDED

ROLE DESCRIPTIONChief Executive of the Mountain Training Trust, Mountain Training Limited and Plas y Brenin

PURPOSEThe Chief Executive provides overall leadership and direction to the Mountain Training Trust’s activities and its subsidiary bodies. They are responsible for the management of Plas y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre. They will inspire and continue the development of transformation within the Trust alongside securing its future through income generation, commercial activities and contractual arrangements. They will be the champion of and ambassador for outdoor sport locally, regionally and nationally. They will lead on ensuring the maintenance of the reputation of Plas y Brenin for excellence in learning and for high standards in safety.

RESPONSIBILITIES

LEADERSHIP• Lead change in and growth of the work of the Trust. • Provide leadership to develop and continually reinforce the vision, mission, culture and

values of the Trust.• With the Board, establish financial and non-financial performance targets and drive the

organisation to achieve these targets.• Motivate a high-performing staff team by attracting, retaining, mentoring and coaching

managers who have credibility throughout the organisation.• Ensure the Trust contributes to the well-being of the communities in which it functions.• Set the ethical tone of the organisation.• Inspire and empower staff to meet the goals of the Trust.

STRATEGIC PLANNING• Through active engagement with key stakeholders, develop and annually review a strategic

plan to achieve the Trust’s mission and recommend the plan to the board for input, review and approval.

• Implement the strategic plan and report to the Board on progress and agreed key performance indicators.

• Identify new products, new events and initiatives that will increase participation in the outdoors and secure the future of the Trust and its work.

MANAGEMENT• Continue the transformation of business practices and approaches, leading the cultural

change agenda. • Oversee the development of robust business, operational and delivery plans linked to

the strategic plan. Monitor and review their progress and report to the Board on their implementation.

• Be responsible for the financial health of the Trust creating an environment for entrepreneurship whilst upholding the values of the Trust.

• Undertake effective delegation to ensure staff are fully utilised and allowing them to fulfil their potential.

• Ensure fund raising is undertaken in a manner that upholds the values of the Trust.

CEO ROLE

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION• Understand the outdoor market to ensure the development of new opportunities drawing

on robust market intelligence. • Drive new commercial revenues and form new partnerships to enhance the Trust’s long-

term sustainability.• Anticipate trends (social, economic, political, technological, environmental and regulatory)

that potentially impact the business and respond appropriately.• Ensure the maintenance of relationships with existing customers.• Effectively manage the relationships between the Trust and key stakeholders, including its

founding member organisations, seeking input on key issues from them.• Maintain excellent communication throughout the organisation.• Be innovative in creating business growth in all areas of the Trust’s work.• Serve as the primary spokesperson and representative for the organisation working with

others where appropriate.

ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS• Develop and maintain a strong organisation with the right people in the right positions to

implement the strategic and operational plans.• Implement a performance management system throughout the organisation and undertake

performance management of senior personnel.• Ensure strategies, systems and staff development activities are appropriate to attract and

retain the right people to implement the strategic and operational plans.• Ensure there are appropriate succession plans in place for key posts.

GOVERNANCE• Communicate in a timely way with the Board on material matters affecting the organisation

and particularly on matters reserved for the Board.• Communicate regularly with the Chair and other board members and ensure the Board

is being provided with the accurate information necessary to fulfil its legal duties and responsibilities and to make good decisions.

• Ensure that the organisation has appropriate governance policies in place and that these are regularly reviewed by the Board.

• Ensure all Board committees have appropriate remits in place and that these are regularly reviewed by the Board, as well as assisting these committees to fulfil their remits.

RISK MITIGATION• Ensure the establishment and maintenance of systems to identify, mitigate and manage

risks within the framework endorsed by the Board.• Ensure the accuracy, completeness, integrity and disclosure of the organisation’s financial

statements through appropriate policies, procedures and internal controls.• Ensure the organisation complies with all legal, regulatory and contractual requirements.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL• Proven ability to lead organisational and cultural change.• Evidence of success in business development and the building of productive commercial

relationships with companies and/or with individual consumers.• Experience of leading and developing a senior team to deliver strategic and operational

plans.• Evidence of success in motivating people, brokering collaborative working relationships and

working with a wide range of organisations.

DESIRABLE• Graduate or graduate level education in a relevant discipline and/or a professional

management qualification.• A track record of success in the leadership of adventure sport organisations.• Experience and knowledge of fundraising, grant application and commercial revenue

generation.• Experience of senior management in a charitable organisation with a trading subsidiary. • Experience of working in an organisation with a diverse range of activities and services.• Experience of a relevant outdoor or adventure sport.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

ESSENTIAL• Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to communicate and present complex

ideas and issues to a variety of audiences.• Excellent networking skills, with an ease of engaging with diverse stakeholders, clients and

customers who may have competing priorities. • A resilient and inspirational leader with an open and dynamic style. • An analytical, numerate and disciplined thinker who can assess challenges and develop

effective solutions in a timely manner.• High levels of negotiating skills within a variety of contexts.• A prompt and assured decision maker, considering the wider strategic implication and

overall impact of those decisions.• Politically and commercially astute.

DESIRABLE• Welsh language skills. • Ability to deal with the media and an understanding of social media.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES• Committed to best practice• Open to innovation and continual improvement of organisations, staff and themselves• Motivated, enthusiastic and resilient• Creative thinker• Inclusive• Entrepreneurial• A sense of humour• A passion for the work of the Trust and the outdoors.

TERMS AND CONDITIONSCompetitive salary, commensurate with successfully discharging the requirements of this role. The post is permanent and full time with 25 days holiday plus an additional allowance of 8 days in lieu of public holidays per year. There is a contributory pension scheme.

The post is based at Plas y Brenin, Capel Curig, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0ET, but will involve working off site on many occasions.

Confirmation of appointment is dependent upon a satisfactory completion of an enhanced DBS check and receiving two appropriate references.

The post is subject to a six-month probationary period.

HOW TO APPLYThe Chief Executive will be selected on the basis of a combination of a written application, a series of activities and an interview. To apply for the role, please provide the following:

• An up-to-date CV.• A supporting statement that addresses the criteria in the role description explaining your

motivation for applying for the position of Chief Executive. This should not exceed four pages.

• The names and contact details (email addresses and telephone numbers) of two referees who we may contact after the short-listing stage (please note we will not take up these references without advising you first).

• An indication of when you would be available to commence employment should you be successful in your application.

• An indication of your salary expectation for this position.• Your completion and return of our Voluntary Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form. This is

a voluntary and not compulsory invitation for information which will be used for monitoring purposes only. The form can be found here.

The closing date to receive your application is midnight on Thursday 30th May 2019. Please email it to neil.worthington@pyb.co.uk

If you would like a brief informal discussion about the role, please contact our current CEO at jackie.bryson@pyb.co.uk. Short-listed candidates will be given the opportunity for a longer discussion at a later date.

The selection activities and interviews will take place over two days on Thursday June 20th and Friday June 21st 2019 at Plas y Brenin.

Accommodation is available for the nights of Wednesday June 19th and Thursday 20th if required. Expenses will not be paid.

Short-listed candidates will be informed by 12.00pm on Wednesday 5th June 2019. Applicants who do not hear from us by this date may assume that their application has not been successful.

If you have a disability, please indicate in your application whether you need any specific assistance or adjustments to enable you to undertake the selection process.

PARTNERSAFFILIATIONSNETWORKSSTANDARDS

Mountain Training Limited is a registered company limited by guarantee with the Registrar of Companies (company number 03284963)

Mountain Training Trust is registered as a charity with the Charity Com-mission (charity number 1064023) and as a company limited by guar-antee with the Registrar of Companies (company number 03250981)