At a Glance
- Tasks: Maintain and repair the UK's historic canal and river infrastructure while working outdoors.
- Company: Join the Canal & River Trust, dedicated to preserving waterways.
- Benefits: Starting salary of £26,315, competitive pension, and increasing holiday entitlement.
- Other info: Opportunities for progression and a supportive team environment.
- Why this job: Make a visible difference in your community while enjoying hands-on work outdoors.
- Qualifications: Practical skills, basic literacy and numeracy, and a full UK driving licence required.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
Join Our Team: Operative (Calveley) Opportunity. Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive. We’re excited to welcome a new Operative to our Direct Services team. This role helps maintain, repair, and preserve the UK’s historic canal and river infrastructure. The role is hands-on, outdoors, and essential to keeping waterways safe, accessible, and operational. The Direct Services team delivers the essential, on-the-ground work that keeps our waterways running - from planned maintenance and construction projects to emergency repairs and heritage restoration. They combine skilled trades, practical know-how and a real passion for the outdoors to repair infrastructure, respond to urgent issues, and look after the place’s communities love. Their work makes a visible difference every single day.
Working Hours & Travel
This role works under an annualised hours system and typically operates 5 days out of 7, which may include weekends and statutory holidays. At times, operational demands may require working more than 5 days within a 7-day period. You will also be part of a 24-hour operational standby rota, providing emergency cover when needed. New starters will only join the on-call rota once they are fully trained and confident in the role. You’ll be based in Calverley (CW6 9JW) and will travel across the North West region, with occasional work supporting neighbouring areas.
Role Overview
As a Operative, you’ll undertake essential construction work and help maintain and repair vital canal infrastructure, fit and refurbish lock gates, and collaborate with specialist teams. Your work will support our commitment to safety, heritage, and environmental standards and help keep canals open and alive.
Key Responsibilities
- Working outside, carry out maintenance and repair works to the waterway infrastructure, to maximise network availability.
- Provide customer service through operation of the Trust’s assets (e.g. locks and bridges) in a safe and timely manner.
- Undertake key duties associated with the maintenance of the waterway and waterside e.g. towpath improvement work from repairs to litter removal.
- To protect the natural and historic environment associated with the waterways by ensuring their consideration during all works.
- Provide a first level of response for reactive works to ensure the safety of customers and the availability of the network, participating in an on-call rota as required.
- Work alongside and lead volunteers, to deliver high quality works, maintaining and building on our high levels of volunteer satisfaction.
- Support asset inspections, identify and report any structure failures, breaches, damage or pollution incidents to Area Operations Manager or Engineers.
- Undertake work in a productive and efficient manner delivering the work to the correct standard and agreed programme.
- Assist in the planning of all work to ensure the correct equipment, materials and plant resources.
- Always display the Trust values and behaviours, linked to professionalism and inclusion.
About You
We welcome individuals with practical skills and a willingness to learn. Whether you come from a specialist background, your experience and enthusiasm will help you thrive in this role.
Skills & Qualifications
- A strong focus on doing high-quality work and taking pride in the standards you deliver.
- Confidence communicating with the public — you’ll be a friendly, respectful representative of the Canal & River Trust.
- Basic literacy and numeracy skills (e.g., Maths and English at GCSE level or equivalent).
- Hands-on experience in practical or construction tasks, including the safe use of tools and equipment (such as chainsaws and site plant).
- Relevant health & safety competencies or certifications for operating tools, plant, and equipment safely.
- The ability to read and understand technical drawings.
- A full, valid UK driving licence.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
We offer a starting salary of £26,315 with opportunities for progression. Enjoy a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits.
Construction Operative in Northwich employer: CANAL & RIVER TRUST
Join the Canal & River Trust as a Craft Operative and become part of a dedicated team that makes a tangible difference to our beautiful canal network. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer competitive salaries, a robust pension scheme, and increasing holiday entitlement, all within a supportive work culture that values practical skills and a passion for the outdoors. Based in Crickhowell, you'll enjoy the unique advantage of working in a picturesque location while contributing to the preservation of our heritage and environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Construction Operative in Northwich
✨Join Construction Networks
Get yourself involved in local construction networks or industry events. They often have job boards, and networking can lead to unadvertised positions. Plus, it’s a great way to meet potential future colleagues!
✨Show Off Your Skills on Site
If you’ve done any hands-on work, whether it's through internships or personal projects, make sure you can showcase it. Consider volunteering for local construction projects or getting involved in community build days; it’s a solid way to demonstrate your skills and build connections.
✨Utilise Construction Job Sites
Don't just rely on the big job boards. Look at niche construction job sites—many companies prioritise these for full-time roles. Apply through these sites, but don’t forget to reach out directly to companies you admire, like CANAL & RIVER TRUST, to express your interest!
✨Tailor Your Application for Full-Time Roles
Make your application stand out by tailoring it specifically for full-time positions. Highlight how your previous projects align with the company's work. At StudySmarter, we encourage you to demonstrate your commitment and long-term interest in the industry when applying for roles like Construction Operative at CANAL & RIVER TRUST.
We think you need these skills to ace Construction Operative in Northwich
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:In the construction industry, it's essential to highlight any hands-on experience you have. Whether it’s past projects you've worked on or specific roles you've held, make sure your CV emphasises your practical skills and contributions to construction sites.
Include Certifications and Qualifications:Don’t forget to list any certifications relevant to construction, like CSCS cards or other safety qualifications. These can really set you apart from other candidates and show that you’re serious about health and safety on-site.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Construction:When writing your cover letter for a construction role, focus on your problem-solving capabilities and teamwork. Construction relies heavily on collaboration, so mention how you’ve worked successfully with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
Adapt Your CV Format to the Field:Ensure your CV is clear and easy to read, with sections dedicated to skills such as project management, technical abilities, and site supervision. Construction roles often require a blend of technical know-how and soft skills, so make sure both are highlighted effectively.
How to prepare for a job interview at CANAL & RIVER TRUST
✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Since this is a full-time position, be ready to discuss any previous construction projects you've worked on. Bring a portfolio or have detailed descriptions that highlight your role, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them—this’ll show you’re not just book-smart but also practically savvy.
✨Understand the Team Dynamics
Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
✨Prepare for On-the-Spot Problem Solving
Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
