This full-time role is a brand-new position created due to the growth of Foxhangers. It provides a unique opportunity for the right candidate to make a genuine difference and be involved in the management of a successful, niche, family-run canal holiday business. With a committed, experienced, and loyal team of staff, this is an exciting opportunity for a person with a broad set of engineering and managerial skills.

With a strong engineering focus, the Hire Fleet Manager will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the Foxhangers fleet of narrowboats, upholding excellent customer service standards, and ensuring our quality hire boat handover procedures are fully maintained.

In this important role, you will be required to be hands-on as well as assist in the planning and direction of a small team of engineers and operatives. You will be responsible for ensuring that the Foxhangers hire boats are checked and maintained to the highest standard during every turnaround day and in providing a comprehensive handover to new hirers.

A confident and articulate manner is a necessity. Attention to detail, strong mechanical and practical skills, and the ability to communicate and liaise with a small team are essential for the boat maintenance area of the role. Previous experience in maintaining and manoeuvring boats is essential. A working knowledge of the UK canal system would be a distinct advantage.

With the support of the Business Engineering Manager, you will have the following responsibilities:

• Engineering – coordinating turnaround work, specialist repairs, and call-out operations.
• Ensuring appropriate stock control for the hire fleet is maintained.
• Project managing refits and general winter maintenance.
• Providing technical support and acting as a role model and mentor to your team.
• Ensuring compliance of vessels with engineering and legislative standards.
• Water-based customer service (overall standards and presentation of boats, handover process, and customer debriefs).
• Providing general boat maintenance to private vessels.
• Deputising for the Wharf Supervisor when required.
• Ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of staff and customers.
• Manoeuvring and mooring narrowboats.
• Checking the standards of work of the engineering and maintenance team.
• Providing breakdown and on-call assistance to the hire fleet as part of the on-call rota.
• Performing slipway/docking works to vessels out of the water.
• Sourcing specified materials and services and liaising with external suppliers as necessary.

An interest in boating, waterways, and the great outdoors would, of course, be ideal, but don’t be put off applying if you have been a landlubber so far in your life!

Key Attributes and Capabilities Required:

Technical:

• Diesel engine mechanical experience with fault-finding and maintenance skills.
• AC & DC electrical knowledge.
• Plumbing knowledge and fault-finding skills.
• Good narrowboat handling skills (RYA Helmsman preferred/training available).
• A good standard of education is expected including a current driver’s licence.

Managerial:

• Has drive and energy to inspire others, and happy to be ‘hands-on’ as required in a small business.
• Confidence to lead teams, delegate tasks, provide constructive feedback, and liaise with customers.
• Pro-active, self-motivated individual with exceptional project management, time management, and organisational skills.
• Leads by example, principled, and respectful.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Health & Safety aware.

Personal:

• Organised and proactive, with the ability to work on own initiative, prioritise jobs, and work under pressure to tight deadlines.
• Good attention to detail.
• Good team player – prepared to muck in on any given task.
• Flexibility in working hours – holiday businesses are busiest during changeover days of Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
• Fit and relatively agile.
• Comfortable working in outdoor surroundings in all weather conditions.

Typical turn around day for the Hire Fleet Manager 

• Participate and lead (where required) the turn-around day running schedule meeting.
• Coordinate and oversee all mechanical checks and repairs across the fleet.
• Set out turn around gear and equipment.
• Welcome back returning hire vessels and crew.
• Plan and implement vessel movements and allocation of staff tasks.
• Make sure all vacated vessels are manoeuvred to suitable moorings for turn around works.
• Ensure toilets are properly pumped out on returned vessels and freshwater tanks filled.
• Lead with delegation of internal & external checks of the boats (non mechanical checks).
• Assess whether all vessels full turn around has been completed to an excellent standard. Organise and co-ordinate any outstanding jobs.
• Welcome new groups of holiday makers before they board their booked vessel.
• Show new groups onto their booked boat and complete the full handover procedure which includes boat and lock demonstrations.
• Clear away all turn around gear and equipment at end of day and ensure wharf is clean, tidy and safe.

Non-Turn around days

• Working within a team of engineers and other trades providing specialised marine services for privately owned craft.
• Managing hire fleet maintenance and planning preventative fleet maintenance.
• Stock control and purchasing of technical fleet inventory.
• Managing Health, Safety, Welfare and Environmental improvements.
• Site maintenance and repair work.
• Assisting the Boat Building team.

Hours

• 40 hours per week.
• Split between 5 days Monday to Saturday.  Saturday working and on call requirements to be set out by a rota.
• You will also be a member of the on-call team during the holiday season.

What we offer in return:

 A salary in the region of £28,000 to £36,000 based on your experience and the range of skills and competences you can offer

• A beautiful working environment right on the Kennet and Avon Canal
• The chance to be part of a passionate team
• Pension Scheme
• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Free onsite parking
• A mooring with preferential rates