Reuse & Waste Recycling Operative

Job Description

Organisation: Leicestershire County Council

Work Location: Various RHWS sites

Salary: £24,804 - £24,999 per annum(based on annualised hours averaging 37 hours per week, subject to a pending 3.3% 2026/27 pay award). This position is subject to a non-contractual market premia of £0.80 per hour plus a monthly retention payment of £75 per month after successful completion of probationary period.

Working Hours: 1686.4 hours per annum

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 20th September 2026

Interview Date(s): TBC

Do you enjoy working with people and looking after the environment?

Leicestershire County Council is looking to recruit Reuse & Waste Recycling Operatives at its Recycling and Household Waste Sites (RHWS). Candidates must be self-motivated, hard-working, willing to learn and have good customer care skills.

Four positions are available, working full time:

• Position 1 - Usually based at Kibworth RHWS & WTS and Market Harborough RHWS (plus one other RHWS). This position will be on four days on, two days off working pattern with start times from 8.45 and finish times up to 7pm, averaging approximately 32.5 hours per week during the winter (October to March) and 41 hours per week during the summer (April to September).
• Position 2 - Usually based at Coalville RHWS, Lount RHWS or Shepshed RHWS. This position will be Thursday to Monday working pattern with start times from 8.45 and finish times up to 7pm, averaging approximately 32.5 hours per week during the winter (October to March) and 41 hours per week during the summer (April to September).
• Position 3 - Melton Mowbray RHWS WTS, Mountsorrel RHWS or Loughborough RHWS & WTS. This position will usually work Sunday to Wednesday every week, with start times from 8.45 and finish times up to 7pm, averaging approximately 32.5 hours per week during the winter (October to March) and 41 hours per week during the summer (April to September)
• Position 4 - Usually based at Oadby RHWS WTS or Whetstone RHWS & WTS (plus one other RHWS). This position will usually work Sunday to Wednesday every week, with start times from 8.45 and finish times up to 7pm, averaging approximately 32.5 hours per week during the winter (October to March) and 41 hours per week during the summer (April to September)

For all positions, Bank Holidays that fall within working patterns could be mandatory but paid as double time).

About the Role

Successful candidates will be responsible for identifying, assessing, and charging residents for their chargeable waste, assisting members of the public in the safe disposal of their waste, and delivering a high-quality service under challenging financial times.

About You

To apply for this post, you must:

• A good understanding of waste Health & Safety.
• Good communication skills and the ability to handle all customers in a polite and professional manner.
• The ability to converse with ease with customers and provide advice and information in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• Basic IT skills
• Ability to travel to locations across the county as required.

In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and to delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of these commitments as part of the selection process.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer.

Interested in Flexible Working?

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.

For more information or an informal discussion, please contact:

Melanie Wilson (Waste Operations Officer)

Telephone: 07947 912827

Email: Melanie.wilson@leics.gov.uk

Or

Luke Capell

Telephone: 07928 399301

Email: Luke.Capell@leics.gov.uk

How to Apply

At Leicestershire County Council we’re looking for top talent from all walks of life. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your background - we care about what you bring to our organisation, not just what’s on your CV. That’s why we’ve designed a recruitment process that’s fair, accessible, and focused on potential. And with benefits that support people at every age and stage of life, we make sure you can thrive - both personally and professionally.

If you share our passion to make a difference for the people of Leicestershire, we’d love to hear from you. Click the apply button to submit your application, ensuring that you upload a supporting statement (maximum 500 words) that explains how you meet the criteria listed in the ‘About You’ section above. Without this information, we won’t be able to assess your suitability for the role, and your application will be rejected. For tips on how to write your statement, see the How to Apply section on our career site.

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

If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raising a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support.

By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.

About us

About Leicestershire County Council

At Leicestershire County Council, we're committed to making a real difference in people's lives. Our aim is to work with communities and partners to deliver public services that make Leicestershire the best possible place to live and work for everyone.

Our employees play a key role in supporting this goal and helping us deliver the vital services we provide to the people of Leicestershire. Whether you're starting your career or looking for your next challenge, you'll find a place with us where your ideas are valued, and your work has purpose.

For further information on what it’s like to work for us and the benefits we offer, please refer to the following:

Our Recruitment Process
Our Organisational Values
Our Employee Benefits
Working for Us