The coming years present many exciting opportunities in the development of the organisation. These include;

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1 THE ORGANISATION OUTWARD BOUND HONG KONG was founded in 1970 in response to the rapid changes that were impacting Hong Kong society as it transitioned into the modern global city it is today. Initially operating from a site at Tai Mong Tsai (TMT) in the New Territories, the original courses made use of the remote hills, beaches and islands to deliver transformative experiences for young adults from a range of backgrounds. OUTWARD BOUND HONG KONG IS A NON-PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATION CREATED TO HELP PEOPLE DISCOVER AND DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES, OTHERS AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM THROUGH CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES IN UNFAMILIAR SETTINGS. The past 45 years have seen significant growth, having developed a remote island base at Wong Wan Chau in the Double Haven Marine Park as well as the Ah Kung Wan training site located close to the TMT base. Given our locations, the surrounding costal waters are the most common location for our courses, although the hills of the nearby Country Parks offer impressive locations for programming at certain times of year. This association with the sea was strengthened through the early acquisition of the Ji Fung, an ocean-going tall ship, which was replaced by the 67 foot Spirit of Outward Bound 13 years ago.

2 OBHK offers courses to approximately 5000 participants each year and this is set to grow in the coming years. Our evaluation of the educational outcomes shows that the longer the course, the better the learning experience and we always try to offer authentic learning journeys for participants. However, like many organisations it is becoming increasingly challenging to engage participants on long courses and our most common course is a 5 day journey, although we also deliver 18 day and 8 day journeys through to 1 day corporate experiences. Sea kayaking allows us to make the best use of our environment and is the most common medium for course delivery. We also maintain a fleet of 4 ketches which allow us to access a wider area. Other learning elements such as climbing, abseiling, coasteering, orienteering can be delivered at various sites within our operational areas. We also maintain a high (challenge) ropes course at Ah Kung Wan centre. The past 45 years have seen huge changes in Hong Kong but the need for the work of the Trust remains as important as ever. Hong Kong s youth remain under significant pressure at school and suffer from high rates of anxiety and depression. As an urban population, opportunities to engage with the outdoors are limited. OBHK plays a vital role in preparing future generations for the challenges they will face. OBHK has a staff of approximately 80 in total, with up to 40 instructing staff. These instructors come form a range of backgrounds - through our in-house training school which trains people from Hong Kong to become outdoor educators, taking approximately 12 months and our recognised prior learning intake from overseas. At present we have staff from South Africa, UK, USA, Zimbabwe, Ireland, India, New Zealand and Australia as well as the majority of staff from Hong Kong. As a registered not-for-profit organisation OBHK has approximately 50 trustees with an Executive Committee providing governance oversight. The board is made up of influential members of society who work extremely hard on our behalf and are enthusiastic in supporting our mission. The coming years present many exciting opportunities in the development of the organisation. These include; Development of new courses for physically challenged participants, courses using the OB Peacebuilding methodology and active ageing among others Redevelopment and refurbishment of the buildings and facilities at Tai Mong Tsai main base An increase in fundraising activities that will permit independent development of courses to meet demand as it arises

3 Development of courses in collaboration with Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust that will inform the development of experiential education in Hong Kong Development of Outward Bound in China Hosting of the first Regional OB staff Symposium THE ROLE The position is pivotal in the successful running of the organisation. Working with the Executive Director and the Head of Staffing and Development, the Head of Operations role is one which sets the tone for the operations staff and therefore has a direct and significant influence on the participant experience. The Head of Operations and Head of Staffing and Development meet regularly with the Executive Director to set the direction of the school and as such the role requires a willingness to engage with wider organisational issues and act in place of the Executive Director when required. The Head of Operations works particularly closely with the following staff;

4 Senior Programme Co-ordinator - the programme co-ordinators (PCs) are responsible for the day-to-day management of courses, ensuring effective support for in-field operations and liaison with clients. The PC team is responsible for ensuring the educational outcomes are planned and delivered in all courses and work with instructors to design appropriate courses. As such, the relationship with the senior PC is critical to maintaining standards and communicating with staff. Community Programs Team - working with at-risk youth, community organisations, ethnic minorities, drug rehabilitation centres etc., the community team sources and collaborates with community partners. The Head of Operations directly oversees this team given its specific characteristics, and works with funding organisations to develop new courses and confirm budgets. Operations Committee - this group of key senior staff meets regularly to ensure effective integration of staff skills and training, safety considerations, new activity and course development etc. Chaired by the Head of Operations it is critical in ensuring a collaborative approach to operations Safety Co-ordinator - the safety co-ordinator maintains oversight of all elements of safety and risk management in the organisation. An external safety committee meets quarterly, chaired by the safety co-ordinator. The line management of the safety co-ordinator, and the positive relationship that is essential to effective and affective safety culture, is a critical role fulfilled by the Head of Operations. In addition, the Head of Operations intersects with every department and as such must be an effective and open communicator, positive role-model and in many cases a professional mentor. External relationships also form a key part of the role. Working with funders to develop courses, identify budgets and comply with reporting requirements requires the Head of Operations to represent OBHK positively and professionally. Working with schools to ensure that participants are adequately briefed is essential and again, requires that OBHK is represented positively within the community. In short, the role is a broad one. However, this presents great opportunity for professional growth for the right person. Developing new activities, courses and maintaining quality and educational content means that there is significant opportunity for creativity and development. Training and professional development will be provided to ensure that this can be done effectively and the relevant support provided. THE PERSON A positive, friendly and outgoing personality will be key characteristics of the successful candidate. This positive outlook is essential in being able to engage teams of staff in developing a vibrant and dynamic organisation that its working towards meeting the strategic development plans. A desire to develop the organisation and to open up new opportunities is essential. The successful candidate is likely to be able to display ways that they have worked to develop existing organisations and have made real impact. The Head of Operations plays a key role in bringing teams together, collaborating to provide direction and then monitoring implementation. Personal relationships are therefore key to being effective in the role.

5 An understanding of experiential education and the outdoor industry is important, however, we are not looking for a specific professional profile, given the wide range of applicable backgrounds. The successful candidate will have served in a position that has significant responsibility and has allowed the candidate to develop leadership capabilities. An understanding of course design and delivery to achieve specific educational outcomes is essential. Specific activity-related qualifications and experience are not required given the requirement to oversee all elements of the operations and the opportunity to source external expert advice, but an understanding of the importance and management of risk management systems is required. While we would welcome applications from candidates with experience of Outward Bound schools, this is not essential. It is important to note that we are looking to appoint someone who has the ability and desire to continue their professional growth and ultimately take on more senior roles in the future with OBHK. THE PACKAGE Given that this is a senior role with an established organisation compensations reflects our desire to attract the right person. The package includes accommodation (including essential utilities) medical and accident insurance meals while on duty reimbursement for travel at the start and end of contract allowance for transport of personal effects terminal gratuity annual discretionary 13th month payment Remuneration will be considered based upon the profile of candidate and adjusted to ensure it is attracts the right person for the role. Given the seniority and importance of the role OBHK are offering an initial 4 year contract. Consideration will be given to candidates who reside in Hong Kong and therefore do not require accommodation on base and the salary adjusted to recognise this. However, candidates should be aware that this role requires out-of-hours duties on certain occasions and should only apply for the role knowing that this is the case.

6 LIVING IN HONG KONG Hong Kong is a vibrant and fast-moving world city. Although it has a reputation for being an urban jungle it provides a wide range of opportunities to explore personal interests. The city itself has a very active arts scene with comedy, theatre, music etc all readily available. Sporting opportunities abound with rugby, football, hockey, netball - almost all team sports you can think of! available at a range of levels. Additionally there are very active trail running and adventure racing communities, road running and triathlon events and mountain and road biking opportunities. There is a very active sailing community with plenty of opportunity to crew on boats in both local and regional races. Although our base is about an hour outside the CBD, public transport in Hong Kong is cheap and efficient and permits easy access to the opportunities in town. Hong Kong has a high percentage of land protected as Country Parks and just up the road from our base is the Sai Kung Country Park which offers opportunities for hiking, climbing, surfing and sea kayaking. The environment is surprisingly beautiful given the city s reputation for dense buildings. The local town of Sai Kung is a 10 minute bus ride from our base and provides a range of important services. Three supermarkets offer a range of goods and the market provides meat and vegetables. There is a wide range of food on offer in the restaurants, an increasing range of bars to suit all tastes. Doctors, physiotherapists,

7 dentists, choirs, fitness classes are all available and make travel into Hong Kong itself unnecessary. Sai Kung provides a community on our doorstep. Hong Kong also offers a perfect base from which to explore the region. It is possible to take the train into China from downtown Hong Kong. Taiwan and The Philippines are only a 60 minute flight away, and Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam are within 4 hours travel. Budget airlines make travel affordable. The role is a challenging one, but Hong Kong is an exciting and engaging place to live. Many people come for an adventure and stay for many years. MORE INFORMATION We are keen to ensure that the successful candidate has all the necessary information before applying for and accepting the role. Please get in touch if you require any further information about any aspect of the role, your suitability or life in Hong Kong. Applications should be sent to hr@outwardbound.org.hk before Monday 9th October If you have specific questions please get in touch with the Executive Director, Nick Cotton execdir@outwardbound.org.hk We look forward to hearing form you.