Highways Operative

Number of Vacancies:

1

Time Type:

Full time

Worker Type:

Regular

Proposed Interview Date:

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Hours of Work:

37

Hiring Manager:

Gareth Northey

Contact Number:

01482 615720

Job Description Summary:

This is a Full Time, Permanent Position.

Hull City Council is seeking committed and hardworking Highway Operatives to join our Highway Operations team. Working as part of a skilled team, you will be involved in the construction, maintenance, and repair of roads, footways, drainage systems, kerbing, and other highway infrastructure across the city.

The role offers varied and rewarding work, including operating tools and equipment, carrying out highway maintenance activities, responding to emergency situations, and helping to ensure the safety of road users and the public. You will work outdoors in all weather conditions and contribute to delivering high-quality services that keep Hull's highways safe and accessible.

We are looking for reliable team players with a strong commitment to health and safety, a proactive approach to work, and the ability to work flexibly, including occasional evenings, weekends, and emergency call-outs where required. Previous experience in highways, construction, civil engineering, or a similar environment would be advantageous depending on the grade applied for.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

Grade 3-5: Assisting as an individual and / or part of a team in the construction, maintenance and repair of footways, verges and carriageway and other highway related items.

Grade 6: To lead, supervise, mentor, train and support a team of road workers undertaking the safe and efficient delivery of maintenance and construction of improvement schemes for roads, footways, drainage, including surfacing to agreed standards and prescribed timescales, contributing to the overall defined programme of work activity, ensuring that all work streams are fully compliant with safety requirements and works are executed to the highest standards.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Grade 3

1. Statutory Obligations - To comply with the current legal and regulatory requirements of the Highways Act, New Roads and Street Works Act, Health and Safety Act and other relevant legislation, codes of practice, stated safety policies, procedures and guidelines to ensure highways are fit for purpose and there is safe access, passage and efficient management of the highway.

2. To assist other road workers, as appropriate to ensure the timely completion of highway maintenance works, promote a positive image of the Council, participate in approved training as appropriate to the trade, and other duties as may be requested by supervision and which are of a similar nature.

3. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy.

4. To excavate by hand or powered tools existing footways, verges and carriageways, kerbing, channels and drainage. To lay kerbs, channels and pipes, resetting ironwork and gully drains as well as to lay, spread (by hand / rake), level, and compact stone, coated materials, concrete, and bituminous material etc. to line and level in accordance with specifications, all under supervision.

Grade 4, all of the above plus:

5. To excavate by hand or powered tools existing footways, verges and carriageways, kerbing, channels and drainage.

6. To adjust / install highway ironwork and other street furniture as required.

7. To lay kerbs, channels and pipes, resetting ironwork and gully drains as well as to lay, spread (by hand / rake), level, and compact stone, coated materials, concrete, and bituminous material etc. to line and level in accordance with specifications.

Grade 5, all of the above plus:

8. To check and detect underground services; sign, barrier and cone to guard and protect the highway maintenance works in accordance with the requirement of the Health and Safety at Work Act and New Road and Streetworks Act with particular regard to the safety of colleagues and the travelling public.

9. To respond to emergency situations and carry out work as directed in order to reduce the impact on the public and the environment.

10. To use hand and powered tools, operate specialist equipment, and small and large plant, including using tools for detecting underground services, TractAir and other compressed air equipment in accordance with operating instructions, hire agreements and safe working procedures, and to keep these in safe condition, checking that equipment remains fit for purpose, and notifying the supervisor when damaged or requiring routine maintenance.

11 To be the recognised site operative in accordance with the new roads and street works legislation

Grade 6, all of the above plus:

12. To support the Highway Operations Supervisor and the highways’ management team in all aspects of service delivery to ensure risks, quality and environmental issues are identified to drive productivity and promote efficiencies throughout all activities, and that these are managed to meet the right first time approach and performance targets.

13. To lead and actively participate in a team of road workers carrying out highway maintenance and construction activities using appropriate skills, knowledge and experience, including interpreting and use of specification / site drawings, operate hand and powered tools to carry out general construction tasks, including setting out, excavating, resetting ironwork, installing road signs, undertaking kerb and drainage works, laying aggregate, bituminous and concrete materials and pavers, and undertaking site clear up ensuring a timely completion of works.

14. To keep records, complete all necessary paperwork and update on-line systems to ensure that all materials are accurately measured, ordered and used in a safe and efficient manner.

15. To ensure all labour, plant and materials are correctly recorded, that it is used in accordance with the specification, and with minimal waste, and that plant and equipment is kept safe, secure and in good condition, including responsibility for daily maintenance .

16. Act as mentor provide on-site training to other less experienced road workers as directed and be responsible for the training of construction skills to Apprentice road workers. Brief gangs via tool box talks and safety briefings.

17. To ensure that the gang is provided with correct PPE, materials and traffic management equipment for the planned work, erecting, maintaining and removing appropriate signs and barriers, and that all follow safety rules and safe working practices for self, colleagues, pedestrians and vehicles.

18. To respond to emergency situations and carry out work as directed in order to reduce the impact on the public and the environment.

19. Communicate and liaise with public utility service companies to locate and protect their equipment in order to allow the work to be carried out safely and limit disruption promoting a positive image of the Council, and with co-workers, contractors, the emergency services, the police, the general public, clients and customers over work programming.

20. Occasionally, act as a temporary Highway Operations Supervisor in the absence of a designated supervisory office for this service area. Be the recognised site supervisor as required in accordance with the new roads and street works legislation.

21 Interpret technical drawings, bill of quantities and able to carry out basic setting out for line and level.

NC4288.Highway Operative.docx

Compensation Grades:

GRADES 3, 4, 5, 6

Pay Ranges:

£24,796.00 - £32,061.00

Job Classifications:

3- Not Politically Restricted - Designated As Not Politically Sensitive (Politically Restricted Posts), Casual - (Travel Allowance Policy), No - (Childcare Disqualification Requirement), No - (Statutory Post)

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:
- A competitive salary
- An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
- Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
- Supportive and forward-thinking culture
- Great career development opportunities

Please ensure that you complete and submit your application by midnight prior to the closing date. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria against the person specification as listed in the job description.

We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

We reserve the right to amend the dates associated with this advert, which may include closing the advert early where required.

The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process.