Job Introduction
BOSUN
Location: Various Neilson Beach Clubs overseas
Season: April – November
Qualifications Required: Dinghy and/or Windsurf Instructor, Powerboat Level 2 and ICC (see details below)
Eligibility: UK & EU passport holders
Salary: £800 PCM gross, plus shared accommodation, meals, flights, and an excellent overall package.
As a UK-based business operating overseas, we’re able to arrange the required visas and work permits for UK and EU passport holders to work legally in our resorts.
In a Nutshell
- Spend your summer combining watersports, practical problem-solving and beach life in some incredible destinations.
- Take the lead on maintaining and repairing the equipment that keeps our beach operation moving.
- Put your technical skills and watersports qualifications to work while remaining a hands-on member of the Beach Team.
- Share your knowledge, support other instructors and potentially travel between resorts when your expertise is needed.
About Us
For almost 50 years, Neilson has been creating unforgettable active holidays in some incredible Beach Club destinations.
From sailing and watersports to tennis, fitness, biking and much more, our guests are at the centre of everything we do.
We’re looking for enthusiastic, adaptable people with great personalities, a strong work ethic and a genuine passion for creating brilliant holiday experiences.
Our Bosuns bring something slightly different to the Beach Team. Alongside being qualified watersports instructors, they’re practical problem-solvers who help keep the equipment behind our programme safe, operational and ready for another day on the water.
About You
You’re an experienced watersports professional who’s just as happy fixing equipment as you are using it.
Practical, resourceful and naturally good at solving problems, you know your way around dinghy and windsurfing equipment and have hands-on experience with repairs, including GRP and Gelcoat work.
When something breaks, you’re the person who wants to work out why – and how to get it safely back into action.
You’re also a qualified watersports instructor, so you understand the beach operation from both sides.
You’ll enjoy sharing your knowledge with the team, helping people look after equipment properly and getting back on the water to instruct when needed.
You’ll be organised, reliable and happy taking ownership of your workload, while still being very much part of the wider Beach Team.
Role Overview
As Bosun, you’ll play a specialist role within our Beach Team, taking the lead on the maintenance, repair and ongoing care of our watersports equipment.
You’ll help keep everything safe, operational and guest-ready, diagnosing faults, carrying out repairs, managing preventative maintenance and helping the wider Beach Team understand how to look after the kit they use every day.
But this isn’t purely a workshop role. You’re still part of the action.
When operationally required, you could be delivering Dinghy Sailing or Windsurfing sessions, supporting guests on the beach and getting involved with the wider resort team.
Your technical expertise may also take you beyond your home resort, supporting other Neilson Beach Clubs with maintenance and team training when needed.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Take responsibility for the maintenance, repair and servicing of watersports equipment.
- Diagnose faults and carry out practical repairs across dinghy and windsurfing equipment.
- Complete GRP and Gelcoat repairs to a consistently high standard.
- Carry out preventative maintenance to help keep equipment safe, reliable and available for guests.
- Maintain safe, organised and professional workshop and maintenance areas.
- Monitor equipment condition and identify spare parts, repairs or replacements that are required.
- Support the Beach Team with equipment care, maintenance awareness and best practice.
- Deliver practical maintenance training and guidance to Beach Team colleagues throughout the season.
- Advise colleagues and guests on the safe and effective use of watersports equipment.
- Deliver Dinghy Sailing and/or Windsurfing instruction appropriate to your qualifications when required.
- Prepare and deliver safe, engaging watersports sessions in line with the Neilson programme and appropriate standards.
- Help maintain beach areas, racks, simulators and operational spaces to a high standard.
- Follow all company operating procedures and maintain high standards of health and safety.
- Travel between Neilson resorts when required to provide specialist maintenance or training support.
- Support guest briefings, social events, airport transfers and wider resort operations when required.
- Work collaboratively with the wider resort team and be ready to get stuck in wherever needed.
Skills & Experience
You’ll be great at this if you…
- Have hands-on experience maintaining and repairing watersports equipment.
- Have practical experience carrying out GRP and Gelcoat repairs.
- Have strong knowledge of dinghy and windsurfing equipment, components and spare parts.
- Understand watersports safety procedures and the practical demands of a busy beach operation.
- Are practical, resourceful and confident diagnosing problems and finding solutions.
- Can work independently and take responsibility for managing your workload.
- Have a strong work ethic and take pride in doing things properly.
- Enjoy sharing your knowledge and helping others develop practical maintenance skills.
- Are organised and take pride in keeping equipment and working areas safe and well maintained.
- Are adaptable and happy switching between technical work, instruction and wider Beach Team responsibilities.
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Are approachable, supportive and enjoy being part of a close-knit team.
- Have a good standard of spoken English.
It’d be a bonus if you also have…
- COSHH Risk Assessment training or equivalent.
- Abrasive Wheels certification.
- Angle Grinder training or substantial relevant practical experience.
- Additional watersports or advanced instructor qualifications.
- Broader boat repair, maintenance or workshop experience.
- Knowledge of current sailing and windsurfing equipment and industry developments.
- Previous overseas, resort, hospitality or seasonal work experience.
- Additional European language skills.
Qualifications
To join us as a Bosun, you’ll need:
- Dinghy Instructor and/or Windsurf Instructor qualification, or recognised equivalent.
- Powerboat Level 2 (PB2), or recognised equivalent.
- International Certificate of Competence (ICC), or recognised equivalent where applicable.
- Active RYA membership if your qualifications are issued by the RYA.
Alongside your watersports qualifications, you’ll need practical experience maintaining and repairing watersports equipment, including hands-on GRP and Gelcoat repairs.
We also welcome candidates with additional recognised UK and international watersports qualifications and equivalent certifications.
For further guidance, please click here: Accepted Qualifications
You do not need to have completed every required qualification before submitting your application.
If you’re currently working towards, booked onto or planning to complete one of the required qualifications before your start date, please go ahead and apply and provide details of the qualification and your expected completion date within your application.
First Aid Requirements
A First Aid certificate meeting the relevant requirements of your watersports qualification is mandatory for the Bosun role.
Your certificate must be in place by your start date and remain valid for the duration of your contract.
If your existing First Aid certificate will expire before or during the season, you’ll need to renew it before your start date.
ONLINE-ONLY FIRST AID COURSES ARE NOT ACCEPTED
For further information about Neilson’s First Aid requirements, please click here: First Aid Guidance
Commission
Alongside your monthly salary, you’ll have the opportunity to earn end-of-contract commission based on overall team income from selected extras.
What’s in it for you?
Joining Neilson is more than just a summer job. It’s an opportunity to challenge yourself, develop new skills, build confidence, experience incredible destinations, and become part of a close-knit team creating unforgettable holidays every day.
The experience, resilience, and people skills you’ll develop along the way will stay with you long after the season ends – wherever life takes you next.
Alongside the experience, you’ll get:
- A paid seasonal role in an incredible overseas destination.
- Shared staff accommodation, so you’re right at the heart of resort life and part of the team from day one.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner while on duty, so your meals are taken care of.
- Travel to and from resort, subject to staff travel policy.
- Use of selected resort facilities in your spare time, so you can enjoy the destination too.
- Friends and family holiday discounts, giving the people at home the chance to experience Neilson for themselves.
- Comprehensive training and ongoing support to help you settle in, develop your skills and make the most of your season.
- Opportunities to gain additional qualifications through the Neilson Academy.
- Career development opportunities through our Jump Up and Jump Higher programmes.
- Visa and work permit support where applicable.
- Role-specific uniform provided.
- One day off each week, plus accrued holiday.
- Emergency medical and dental insurance.
- 24/7 independent mental health support.
It’s a season that gives you more than a payslip – you’ll come home with new skills, new friends, incredible memories and an experience that stays with you long after you’ve left resort.
Please note: All Neilson Active employees are required to complete a DBS check as part of our safer recruitment process.
