Reactive Response - Craft Operative in Birmingham

Location: Administratively based out of Hatton locks yard, the day-to-day of this role requires travel across the West Midlands region. You will travel from your home (via company van) and report to site to carry out any relevant regional tasks. 

Hours: The post holders will be required to work an annualised hour’s system which is Monday to Friday. Overtime and possible weekend work applicable when reacting to emergency repairs that help to get our waterways open to our customers. 

Our team and opportunity

We are looking for a Craft Operative to join our reactive response team.This role ismixed trade/skills with some experience in one or more trade e.g. carpentry, metal fabrication, Bricklayer and/or Stone Mason. In our Reactive Response team, you will be working flexibly to respond to emergencies as they arise on our network. 

As a Craft Operative, you will play an important role helping us improve, maintain, and preserve our wonderful network for our customers to enjoy today and into the future. This will involve undertaking the refurbishment or repair of canal infrastructure including locks / bridges/ aqueducts / towpaths and associated equipment; working efficiently to defined safety /environmental and heritage standards at all times. 

Our Craft Operatives work an annualised hours system which includes working statutory holidays and weekends on a rota, you must be happy to work in an on-call rota. You will also be working with other staff, volunteer sand Operatives to undertake maintenance and repair works, operate assets and providing information to customers, as directed by your Team Leader. 

Flexibility is very important certain that we can respond to critical needs when they occur. Please only apply if you are happy to work on a rotating shift pattern, with some emergency call out expected.  

Location & coverage 

Administratively based out of Hatton locks yard, you will report directly to site to perform tasks. This will include traveling north to as far as Leek (Derbyshire) on the Caldon canal, west into Wales to the Montgomery canal, east to Rugby on the Oxford canal, and south to Stratford upon Avon where the Stratford canal meets the river Avon. 

See working area map here: General working area (https://canalrivertrust.icims.com/icims2/servlet/icims2?module=AppInert&action=download&id=152665&hashed=-1800135491)

See our network here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers

About the role

This is predominantly an outdoor role.  We love the outdoors at Canal & River Trust, and it' also important that as a member of the Waterway Operative team you enjoy all weathers!  Call outs, repairs, vegetation clearance and assisting the general public & towpath and waterway users doesn't only happen on the sunny days, so rain and cold is all part of the experience.  

Working in and around our canals, operating locks, boats, bridges and weirs, your role will be to provide excellent service to a variety of customers and visitors with the Safety of yourself and colleagues and all who use our waterways at the forefront of your mind. Demonstrating pragmatism, your practical mind and approach will solve issues safely as and when they occur.  As part of the Reactive Response team, you will need to be adaptable to the every day changes and emergencies that can occur.

Key responsibilities: 

• Working outside, carry out maintenance and repairs works to the waterway infrastructure to ensure network availability is maximised. Repairs will often involve sensitive heritage or environment solutions which the role will be expected to be familiar with. In some instances, the operative will be expected to complete repairs to the highest standard utilising relevant skills and experience.
• Use Bricklayer expertise to undertake the manufacture & refurbishment within a timely manner, in accordance with defined standards and agreed programmes. 
• Operate a variety of machinery, plant, tools and other equipment in accordance with Canal & River Trust’s safety standards and where appropriate support in-house maintenance.
• Undertake general housekeeping of personal equipment, workshop equipment and workspace ensuring all are maintained to defined standards.
• Timely response to customers’ queries and requirements, including responding to emergencies.
• Ensure all equipment (PPE, plant, materials etc) is appropriate for the task.
• Assist with the measurement of locks and lock gates in order to identify correct lock gate measurements for manufacture - you will be working alongside an experienced team of specialists to learn this heritage skill. 
• Understand and interpret technical drawings to translate into production. 
• Work alongside and supervise volunteers to ensure the Trust has sufficient resources to be sustainable, whilst ensuring the satisfaction of the volunteers is high.
• Operate regionally displaying the appropriate flexibility needed to deliver the nationally prioritised works programme. This will occasionally involve travelling further distances to undertake repair work.

About you

Operative skills are a minimum requirement.  Whilst it is also important that you can turn your hand to other skills which will be taught along the way, an understanding of, and high level of competence in certain disciplines are necessary.  You may have a background in the building trade, or from a specialist joinery background, where measuring, cutting and joining is all second nature to you.

Skills/Qualifications/Experience:

• Apprenticeship or equivalent qualification (or experience) e.g. City & Guilds Level II, NVQ Level II. 
• Experience handling plant/equipment in a group, e.g. chainsaw, hand power tools, fork lift truck.
• Experience of working within relevant discipline, e.g. carpentry, metal fabrication, bricklayer and/or stone mason. 
• Experience of reading technical drawings.
• Full Valid UK Driving Licence - you will need to be able to respond across the region and get to where the team need you.

If you have any questions about the role please contact CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What we offer

All our Operatives step up their salary through a salary progression plan. Starting at £28,154.

Further to salary offered, the Canal & River Trust offers a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement (increasing with years of service) and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits, all of which can be found here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits). These include:

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing with years of service to up to 30 days after 5 years, plus holiday purchase scheme.
• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us