HWRC and Plant Operative

Are you passionate about customer service and the environment?

We're looking for a reliable, safety‑focused team player to join our Household Waste Recycling Centre team. In this hands‑on role, you’ll help the public dispose of waste safely, support recycling and reuse, and ensure the site operates smoothly and responsibly.

If you enjoy working outdoors, providing great service, and making a positive impact on your community, we’d love to hear from you.

Expect to cover the following HWRC sites as part of your normal working week , Stone, Cheadle, Newcastle, Biddulph, Uttoxeter and Leek.

This role delivers a courteous, efficient, and environmentally responsible service at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). It involves supporting the safe disposal of waste, maximising recycling and reuse, maintaining high standards of health, safety, and site compliance, and ensuring all activities align with legislation, permits, and council procedures.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide friendly, professional support to the public and promote correct waste segregation.
• Encourage recycling and reuse through clear guidance and engagement with site users.
• Ensure all waste handling complies with Environmental Permits, Planning Permission, and council processes.
• Carry out site inspections, monitor container capacity, and coordinate haulage needs.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and well‑organised site environment, including traffic management and supervision.
• Follow all Health and Safety requirements, reporting accidents, near misses, and hazards promptly.
• Monitor recyclable material quality, complete required documentation, and process payments for chargeable waste.
• Support contractors and haulage teams by preparing loads safely and ensuring efficient waste removal.

You'll be a reliable, safety‑conscious team player with strong customer service skills and experience in waste or operational environments.

You'll also have:

• Experience in customer‑facing roles and preferably in waste, recycling, or similar operations.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to follow procedures accurately and work effectively as part of a team.
• Physically able to carry out manual handling tasks and operate equipment safely.
• Basic IT skills for record‑keeping and documentation.
• Knowledge of waste segregation, Health & Safety practices, and Duty of Care requirements (training available).
• Hold or willing to gain a full UK driving licence and relevant operational training.
• Reliable, professional, adaptable to outdoor working and varied hours, with a positive attitude towards sustainability.

Interviews will be held during the week commencing 9th March.

If you'd like to discuss the role further, please contact Danny Wraxton at danny.wraxton@staffordshire.gov.uk

Please note: This is a floating position. The post holder will be required to cover multiple recycling centres across the network to ensure facilities are fully staffed.

Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.