RYA Senior Instructor (Seasonal)

We're looking for an RYA Senior Instructor to join our team for the March/April to October 2027 season. Based across our West London and Surrey centres, with the chance of time at our North London and Shoreham centres too, you'll still spend plenty of time on the water teaching, but you'll also lead instructor teams, run daily operations and keep sessions safe and running smoothly. We're open to shaping the role around the right person, so if it sounds like you, get in touch.

Information

Location:

South West London and Surrey (Hampton, Surbiton, Wraysbury, Guildford), with possible travel to North London and Shoreham

Type:

Seasonal (full time between March and October), flexible for the right person

Salary:

Competitive, depending on experience

Closing Date:

N/A

Start Date::

March/April 2027

Apply now

Skills:

Strong dinghy sailing and teaching skills, with the confidence to lead on the water
Good organisation and the ability to run a busy day across lots of sessions
Calm, clear decision making, especially around weather and safety
Friendly, approachable and professional with customers and staff
Able to motivate, support and give feedback to a team of instructors

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Responsibilities:

Deliver RYA dinghy sailing courses for adults and youth, from beginners through to advanced
Run daily operations at one of our centres, including session planning, staffing on the day and briefings
Act as Senior Instructor on duty, supervising instructors and assistants on the water
Lead on safety, risk assessments and following our operating procedures and emergency action plans
Mentor and develop instructors and assistant instructors, including on the job coaching
Look after equipment, boat and safety boat checks, and report maintenance needs
Be a friendly point of contact for customers, parents, schools and groups
Support group sessions, schools, holiday clubs and corporate events
Possible travel to our other centres, including North London and Shoreham, when needed.

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Experience:

Experience working as a Senior Instructor at an RYA Recognised Training Centre
Experience running daily operations at a watersports centre
Teaching dinghy sailing to a wide range of ages and abilities
Supervising and supporting other instructors
Comfortable working in a busy, varied seasonal environment

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Qualifications

Essential

RYA Senior Instructor
RYA Dinghy Instructor
RYA Safety Boat
Valid First Aid certificate

Desirable

RYA Wingsurf / Wingfoiling Instructor
RYA Powerboat Instructor (or ready to take the courses)
RYA Endorsements (Racing, Keelboat, Multihull)
SUP Instructor

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Description

We're looking for an experienced RYA Senior Instructor to join our team for the March/April to October 2027 season. Based across our West London and Surrey centres, this role sits between the water and the office. You'll still be out teaching lots of RYA courses, youth programmes and group sessions, but you'll also take charge of the day: leading the instructor team, running sessions safely and making sure everything at the centre ticks along.

We also run centres further afield at Keep Sailing North London and Keep Sailing Shoreham, so there may be some travel to support those sites when they need an extra pair of hands. It's a great way to see how different centres run and work with the wider team.

This is a great step up for a Senior Instructor who loves teaching but wants more responsibility, or for someone who has already run daily operations at a centre and wants to bring that experience to a friendly, growing organisation. You'll help develop our instructors, look after our customers and have a real say in how our sites run.

We're open to tweaking the role for the right person, whether that's the balance of teaching and management, the sites you work at or the length of the contract. If you're interested, get in contact and let's have a chat.

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About Keep Sailing

Keep Sailing is a fast-growing, not-for-profit watersports organisation with centres in Hampton, North London, Surbiton, and Wraysbury. We deliver a wide range of RYA courses in dinghy sailing, powerboating, wing sports, and paddleboarding, alongside youth programmes, group activities with schools, corporate events, and instructor training.

Our mission is simple: to make watersports accessible, safe, and enjoyable for everyone.

As we expand rapidly, we’re investing in new projects & partnerships that open up even more opportunities on and off the water. We’re building something exciting — and we’re looking for people who want to be part of that journey.

Joining Keep Sailing means more than just a job: it’s a chance to shape the future of watersports, take on new challenges, and help grow a community that inspires the next generation of sailors and watersports enthusiasts.

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