Gas Operative - Direct Service Provider in Durham

Based across our Northeast & Teesside Region, the training allowance during the 16 Week Development Programme will be a total of £10,400/£130 per day (Gross). Start date July 2026. Please note, a full UK Driving licence is required for this role. Locations can include Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, Washington, Durham, Bishop Auckland, Stockton, Peterlee, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough.

About the opportunity:

We are offering an exciting opportunity to join Northern Gas Networks' Contracting Partners – Direct Service Providers (DSPs) – who work in partnership with Northern Gas Networks to deliver the Iron Mains Risk Reduction Programme. You will be working for one of the North East and Teesside region DSPs and will complete a 16-week development programme. The employment will be directly with the DSP Contractors on a self-employed basis. You will agree the contract terms & conditions with the DSP and not Northern Gas Networks.

In this role, you will make an important contribution to NGN's programme of works by helping to deliver gas engineering and utility work across the network. This role is best suited to committed and adaptable individuals; it involves early starts, evening work and, at times, working in adverse weather conditions. Please also note that this position is with a Direct Service Provider operating on the Northern Gas Networks gas distribution network, rather than with Northern Gas Networks directly.

Northern Gas Networks delivers gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses in the Northeast, Northern Cumbria and much of Yorkshire. That is around 6.7 million individual customers. We do not generate or sell the gas, but we transport it to homes and businesses in our region through a vast network of underground pipes. In fact, we own and maintain more than 37,000km of gas pipes - enough to stretch from Leeds to Sydney and back again.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities:

• Core operational duties:
• Conduct mains and service replacement work, along with other gas distribution activities.
• Support the Team Leader with excavation, pipe laying, jointing and connections.
• Undertake driving duties, including transporting and delivering materials, tools and equipment as required.
• Safety and compliance:
• Operate mobile plant, lifting and handling equipment, tools, and mechanical equipment safely and competently, in line with training and company procedures.
• Work at all times in accordance with health and safety legislation, company standards, and codes of practice.
• Follow street works and site safety requirements, including signing, lighting, and guarding where necessary.
• Manage and dispose of waste materials correctly, in line with environmental standards and company procedures.
• Communication and professionalism:
• Communicate effectively with colleagues, customers, and members of the public to support safe, professional, and efficient operations.
• Maintain a professional, safety-first, and customer-focused approach in all aspects of the role.

16 Week Development Programme:

The development programme combines classroom-based learning from a training provider with practical, on-the-job training as part of a DSP team. On successful completion, you will receive the following qualifications:

• EUSR SHEA Gas
• NCO Network Construction Operations (Gas) Assistant
• NCO Network Construction Operations (Gas) Service Layer
• Abrasive Wheels
• New Roads & Streetworks Act NRSWA Operative
• First Aid
• Fire Control
• 360 Excavator below 10 tonne (Mini Excavator)

What the Direct Service Providers Offer:

• Collaborating with local companies delivering gas engineering works.
• The training allowance during the 16 week development programme - £10,400 total for 16 weeks/£130 per day (gross), based on a 45-hour week.
• A competitive salary upon successful completion of the Development Programme.
• If you keep working on the Northern Gas Network via a DSP continuously until March 2032, you will have the opportunity to be part of the DSP Operative Award Scheme, which offers a maximum award payment of £19,652 (subject to scheme rules).
• Qualifications within the Gas Industry on successful completion of the Development Programme.

Next steps:

Please confirm your interest in this opportunity by completing the interest form. After the advert closes, we will contact you with details of the next stage, which will be an introduction day where you can meet the Direct Service Providers and attend an interview. We expect to hold the introduction day in July 2026. We look forward to receiving your application.