HGV Driver

Culina Group Limited; Desborough; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Life assurance

Wellness programme

Eye care vouchers

Rewards & recognition

Retail discounts

Job summary

Great Bear, part of the Culina Group, is seeking experienced HGV Class 1 drivers to join our Desborough team. This permanent, full-time role supports a 24/7 operation, delivering palletised goods to regional distribution centres nationwide.

You will be responsible for safe, professional deliveries, completing paperwork, and adhering to tachograph and Working Time rules, with shifts Monday–Friday days/nights or 4 on/4 off patterns and hourly rates starting at £16.19 plus supplements.

Qualifications

• Valid C+E Licence.
• Minimum 12 months’ HGV Class 1 driving experience preferred; new pass drivers not accepted.
• No more than 6 points on licence; no DD or DR convictions.
• Current DCPC and Tachograph cards.
• Good understanding of Driver’s Hours and Working Time Directive.

Responsibilities

• Carry out safe, professional deliveries to customer premises.
• Complete palletised general haulage deliveries to Regional Distribution Centres.
• Support occasional driver tipping or multi-drop deliveries as required.
• Occasional night out may be required.
• Report delays or load discrepancies to Transport team at shift start.
• Complete paperwork and ensure PODs are signed and returned.

Skills

C+E Licence

HGV Class 1 experience

Points restriction

DCPC card

Tachograph card

Hours rules

Vehicle checks

Health & safety

Professional communication

Job description

Company Description

Great Bear (Part of the Culina Group) provides distribution services to FMCG clients. Customer centric service focus is delivered through a site-level empowered culture.

Great Bear (Part of the Culina Group) provides distribution services to FMCG clients. Customer centric service focus is delivered through a site-level empowered culture. At Culina we have a winning culture, we believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive... A place where you're valued, challenged, and inspired!

Job Description

We’re looking for experienced HGV Class 1 Drivers to join our Great Bear team in Desborough, supporting deliveries for key customers including a leading international chocolate and confectionery manufacturer.

This is a fantastic opportunity to secure a permanent, full-time driving role with a 24/7 operation, delivering palletised goods to Regional Distribution Centres nationwide.

If you take pride in safe driving, reliable service and professional customer delivery standards, we’d love to hear from you.

Shift patterns available

• Monday to Friday Days
• Monday to Friday Nights
• 4 on 4 off Days
• 4 on 4 off Nights

We have increased our pay rates, with hourly rates now starting at £16.19 plus shift supplements and overtime paid at hourly rate plus 30%

What You’ll Be Doing

• Carry out safe, professional deliveries to customer premises.
• Complete palletised general haulage deliveries to Regional Distribution Centres, with most deliveries completed as backdoor tip.
• Support occasional driver tipping or multi-drop deliveries depending on customer demand.
• Occasional Night out may be required
• Report to the Transport team at the start of each shift and communicate any delays, delivery issues or load discrepancies promptly.
• Complete all paperwork accurately and ensure PODs are signed and returned to the Transport Office.
• Follow company rules and procedures, including health, safety and hygiene standards.
• Manage your working time in line with the Road Transport Directive and adhere to tachograph rules and regulations.
• Complete daily vehicle checks in line with company procedure and report defects correctly.
• Take responsibility for the unit and trailer, including temperature checks where required.
• Maintain a high standard of behaviour, appearance and customer service at all times.

Qualifications

What we’re looking for

• Valid C+E Licence.
• Minimum 12 months’ HGV Class 1 driving experience preferred; unfortunately, we cannot accept new pass drivers for this contract.
• No more than 6 points on your licence and no DD or DR code convictions.
• Current valid DCPC and Tachograph cards.
• Good understanding of Driver’s Hours and Working Time Directive legislation.
• Ability to complete vehicle checks and report defects correctly.
• Commitment to on-site health and safety requirements.
• Excellent communication skills and a professional approach.

Additional Information

As part of our drive to make Great Bear a great place to work. We are proud to be an inclusive and diverse organisation where we are committed to employee development and recognising success for hard working performers.

Our dedicated learning and development programmes are open to every employee to give you the opportunity to shape your own future within logistics and continue to work in an environment where team culture thrives.

Our People are the driving force behind our success, which is why we offer a wide range of benefits which include:

• Pension scheme - We want colleagues to enjoy a comfortable retirements so we offer a great contribution of 4% employee and 4% employer.
• Life Assurance - x 2 your annual salary.
• Wellness - Via our Employee Assistance Programme we offer immediate access to a confidential telephone counselling and legal information service that operates 24 hours a days, 365 days a year.
• Eye Care Vouchers - We can provide you with substantial savings with free eye tests and discounts on prescription glasses.
• Reward & Recognition - We recognise that employees have gone the extra mile via Employee of the month and year, special recognition and long service awards.
• Everyday discounts - Via our benefit platform you will have access to over 50 retailer discounts for everyday savings!