Depot Assistant/Baler Operator

West Suffolk; West Suffolk; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Generous pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee discounts package

Cycle to Work scheme

Rail and bus discounts

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Abbeycroft Leisure discounts

Culture of learning

Job summary

West Suffolk Council is advertising a full-time Depot Assistant/Baler Operator role in West Suffolk. The role covers depot duties including repair and cleansing of bins, baling cardboard into large mills, and general depot housekeeping. Experience with forklift and telehandler is preferred in a busy waste-transport environment.

The post offers a salary starting at £28,153 to £29,542 per annum, 37 hours per week, and a comprehensive employee benefits package. Closing date is 15 November 2026.

Qualifications

• Experience operating forklift/truck and telehandler.
• Experience in a busy vehicle/transport environment.
• Experience in a waste industry environment.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Repair and cleansing of returned wheeled bins.
• General housekeeping of the depot.
• Baling of loose cardboard to mill-sized bales for onward sale.

Skills

Forklift experience

Telehandler experience

Waste industry experience

Work under pressure

Organised

Attention to detail

Job description

Job title Depot Assistant/Baler Operator Job reference R1872 Date posted 28/10/2026 Application closing date 15/11/2026 Location West Suffolk Salary Starting salary £28,153 - £29,542 per annum plus excellent employee benefits package Contract type Permanent Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Department Waste Operations Attachments Blank Job description

About the role:

West Suffolk council continues on a journey of ambitious change and are committed to being more commercial. We have a vacancy for a full-time Depot Assistant to supplement the Depot team.

Ideally, you will have experience in operating a forklift truck and telehandler. You will have worked in a waste industry environment, with experience of working in a busy vehicle / transport environment.

Duties for this post include repair and cleansing of returned wheeled bins, general housekeeping of the depot and baling of loose cardboard to provide mill sized bales for onward sale.

What you will need:

The drive and desire to improve the service we deliver, along with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, be highly organised, with an attention to detail and accuracy are all vital for this role.

Why work for us?

Our benefits include:

• Holiday entitlement of 25 days, increasing to 29 days after 5 years (pro rata if part time) plus bank holidays (with an option to buy up to 10 extra days each year subject to approval)
• Generous pension scheme – contribute between 5.5% and 6.8% (depending on your salary) and the council will contribute 16.4%
• Life assurance – a payment of three times your annual salary
• access to a unique employee benefits package which includes discounts and cashback on supermarkets, high street shops, holidays, mobile phones, electrical goods, savings and loan schemes and many other products and services
• Salary sacrifice benefits including Cycle to Work scheme, Tusker Leased Car Scheme and SmartTech (buy the latest tech products interest free and repay through your monthly salary)
• Rail and bus staff discounts
• A range of Health and Wellbeing initiatives including an employee assistance programme
• Discounted membership at Abbeycroft Leisure centres
• A culture of learning inspiring staff to focus on continuous learning

For more information:

For an informal discussion and further information please contact Andrew Hobbs, Senior Business Development Advisor, on 07939 808222.

Closing date: Sunday 15 November 2026

Interview date: To be confirmed

West Suffolk Council has been rated in the top 10 district councils for climate action (Climate Scorecards 2023) and as a member of UK100 has demonstrated its commitment to a rapid transition to Net Zero with Clean Air in our communities. The council has declared a climate and biodiversity emergency and is committed to working towards net zero emissions by 2039.