Distribution Assistant

Cambridge University Hospitals; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Distribution Assistant to join the Corporate - Distribution team at Addenbrooke's. The role involves delivering goods to hospital locations, manual handling, and operating a tug vehicle for inter-site transfers.

You will work across full-time, part-time or flexible hours with a 12-week probation and a focus on safety. As part of CUH, you will contribute to reliable order fulfilment, maintain clean zones, and support NHS logistics

Qualifications

• GCSE or equivalent education required.
• ECDL (or equivalent) required.
• CILT Level 2 or higher or equivalent knowledge.

Responsibilities

• The Distribution Team are responsible for the correct and accurate delivery of orders to the corresponding location point.
• Goods are booked in and placed in zones according to the areas they need to go; attention to detail is essential.
• Keep zones and the PGI area cleared and organised; Health and Safety procedures must be followed.
• Learn to drive an Electric Vehicle tug to enable delivery of goods in cages and linen for the Trust; linen to be done daily and on rota basis.
• Manual handling of cages and large/heavy items onto a flatbed for delivery; provides a key service to the Trust to support patient care.

Skills

Communicate effectively

Teamwork

Independent working

Computer literacy

Attention to detail

Full UK driving licence

Education

GCSE or equivalent

ECDL

CILT Level 2 or higher

Job description

Main area Corporate - Distribution Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Full Time or Part Time / Flexible working hours may be considered.) Job ref 180-F-263167

Employer Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate Town Cambridge Salary £25,272 p.a. pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing Today at 23:59 Interview date 19/10/2026

Job overview

The Distribution Team are responsible for the correct and accurate delivery of orders to the corresponding location point across the hospital.

This role is manual handling intensive and aDistribution Assistant would walk a minimum of ten thousands steps per day.

Main duties of the job

The Distribution Team are responsible for the correct and accurate delivery of orders to the corresponding location point.

Goods are first booked in and then placed in the different zones according to the areas in which they need to go, so a good eye and attention to detail is key.

Keeping the zones and the PGI area cleared and organised is essential. Health and Safety is also essential and must be followed at all times.

Learning to drive an Electric Vehicle called a tug, this is to enable the delivery of goods in cages and the linen for the Trust. Linen needs to be done every day first thing in the morning by all team members then on a rota system for the afternoons, weekends and all Bank Holidays.

This is very much a manual handling post with the daily moving of cages and larger, heavy items onto a flatbed for delivery. This is a very important role within the Trust and you will be providing a key service to the Trust, so that the rest of the staff can continue to provide the patient care.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

This vacancy will close at midnight on the 4th October 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on date to be confirmed.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

As per Home Office guidelines, please be aware that, unfortunately, the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Numerate and Literate
• GCSE or equivalent education
• ECDL (European Computer Driving License) – or equivalent
• CILT (Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport) Level 2 or higher – or equivalent

Experience

• General work experience dealing with people in a demand led environment
• Experience of customer service related or similar environments
• Experience with use of computers and/or handheld electronic devices (mobiles phones, PDA’s or similar)
• Experience of Supply Chain stock control or purchasing / supply
• Experience of working within a Stock Control, Purchase, supply / logistics environment
• Experience of Purchase Order / stock control systems
• Experience of working in and alongside multi-disciplinary teams

Knowledge

• Be helpful and understanding of customer needs
• Understanding of Health and Safety in the workplace
• Manual Handling techniques

Skills

• Able to communicate effectively
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Able to work with minimum supervision
• Must be computer literate
• A well-developed attention to detail
• Full UK Manual Driving Licence

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
• Flexible to work on a 24/7 rostered basis
• Able to adapt and assist across the department as operational needs arise