Driver Mentor

your Jared; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Mustard Tree in Manchester/Salford is seeking a Driver Mentor to transport goods and support community shops. You will deliver and collect stock, mentor volunteers, and ensure safe operations while representing the charity positively.

The role is physically demanding and involves working across three hubs, with emphasis on safety, teamwork, and engaging with service users, trainees, and volunteers to promote dignity and opportunity.

Qualifications

• Physically demanding role with heavy lifting.
• Excellent communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Mentor and train volunteers to build confidence and skills.

Responsibilities

• Safely and securely move stock in and out of community shops, including containers and donor sites.
• Deliver and collect stock from customers and donors, driving a van and providing high customer service.
• Load and unload the van safely and perform weekly vehicle checks.
• Mentor and train Freedom volunteers, offering support and signposting as needed.
• Return donated items to Mustard Tree and ensure proper handling.
• Maintain daily emails, participate in meetings and training, and follow safeguarding procedures.

Skills

Driving a van safely

Excellent communication

Mentoring volunteers

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION

Overview

At Mustard Tree, we’re on a mission to combat poverty and prevent homelessness, driven by our core values: Belief, Dignity, Opportunity, Diversity, and Partnership.

The need for our services is greater than ever, with unprecedented demand across Greater Manchester. As our charity continues to grow, we’re striving to become a leading force for change, creating real opportunities for people to improve their economic wellbeing.

To help us achieve this, we’re looking for a compassionate, skilled, and empowering people to join our team. If you’re passionate about making a lasting impact and want to be part of something truly transformative, we’d love to hear from you.

Role Purpose

Part of a team of Driver Mentors, you will be working across three busy hubs of operation across Manchester and Salford safely and efficiently transporting goods to various locations.

Helping to facilitate the operation of our community shops through deliveries, collections and working with the warehouse and retail teams. The role will see you interact with a wide range of people, including service users, trainees, volunteers and customers and in a variety of situations, from stock movement to charity promotion. Working closely with Freedom trainees and people using our services, this role also includes mentoring individuals on a 121 basis through providing a warm welcome, supportive conversations, signposting and befriending. This is a physically demanding role that requires heavy lifting and excellent communication skills.

Main Duties:

• Safely and securely manage the movement of stock in and out of the community shops, within containers and in and out of client or donors establishments.
• Deliver and collect stock from customers and donors, driving and operating a van safely providing a high standard of customer service always representing the charity positively.
• Load and unload the van safely at all times following health and safety guidelines.
• Ensure that dashcams are switched on and used at all times whilst driving for insurance purposes..
• Ensure the security (locking of vehicle) and safety of designated vehicles including appropriate maintenance with regular weekly checks (brakes, oil, tyre pressures) refuelling of vehicles, and report any issues back to line manager.
• Complete tip and metal runs as required, promoting effective recycling.
• Adhere to traffic laws and regulations whilst driving
• Adhere to policy and procedures, ensuring health and safety practices are followed and PPE is worn at all times ( safety boots, hi vis, gloves) by yourself and freedom volunteers
• Complete updates on tablet when jobs are completed or rejected and update van routes accordingly.
• Effectively mentor, manage and train volunteers, including on-the-job training helping to improve their confidence and skillset.
• Return all donated items to Mustard Tree once collected.
• Take responsibility for checking emails daily, personal and professional development, attending meetings and training as requested
• Complete manual handling training with volunteers
• Train freedom volunteers on the pricing system and be accountable for pricing your stock when it returns to the warehouse and place it on the retail shop floor
• Complete training packs with freedom volunteers and attend graduation ceremony.
• Maintain our Mustard Tree welcome be well presented and courteous working inline with Mustard Trees values and culture.
• Follow safeguarding and incident management policies and procedures at all times reporting any issues back to the safeguarding leads and your line manager.
• Demonstrate an open and non-judgemental attitude whilst maintaining appropriate boundaries with clients and volunteers.

General Work duties:

• Support volunteers to develop ‘work ready’ skills and behaviours i.e. confidence, punctuality, time management, communication, teamwork and initiative
• Overseeing and working within health & safety guidelines and Mustard Tree policies and procedures
• Supporting other staff and sites, providing practical relief cover for work-streams
• Take responsibility for own professional development, attending training courses as required
• Leading by example, embodying Mustard Tree cultures and values and representing the charity with external partners
• Contribute towards being an environmentally responsible organisation as part of day to day activities including recycling and supporting ‘paper-lite’ practices
• Other tasks and duties relevant to the role as required by the organisation

Role Specific Person Specification

All Staff Competency Expectations

Key information

• Employer: Mustard Tree
• Locations: Manchester, Salford
• Role Type: Fixed term
• Salary: 37.5 hours per week Temporary 12 month Fixed Term Contract
• Working Hours: Full-Time
• Working Hours Per Week: 37.5