Highways Operative - WMF3154e

The Cumbria County Council; Penrith; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pension scheme

Enhanced annual leave

Perks and discounts schemes

Job summary

Westmorland and Furness Council is recruiting Highways Operatives for our Highways Service in Penrith. You will perform a wide range of highways maintenance and construction tasks, operate small plant and assist in traffic management on single and dual carriageways.

The ideal candidate will hold a full UK Driving Licence, have experience with plant and equipment, and show commitment to safety, performance and quality.

Qualifications

• A full UK Driving Licence is essential, as well as experience in a relevant field with the use of plant and equipment associated with the role.
• This is a customer focused service, so personal conduct is key, as is good levels of communication.
• Travel across Cumbria and surrounding areas is expected.

Responsibilities

• Carry out highways maintenance, construction and related works using small plant.
• Assist in traffic management on single/dual carriageways.
• Ditch clearing, ground maintenance, minor drainage works, and small civil structure repairs.
• Support out-of-hours emergency and adverse weather response teams.
• Assist Team Leaders in inspection and repair of the highway network and respond to service requests.

Skills

Driving Licence

Plant & Equipment experience

Communication skills

Customer focus

Adaptability

Job description

Job reference REQ00000020386 Date posted 17/09/2026 Application closing date 11/10/2026 Location PENRITH Salary 29,542.00 to 30,515.00 Package Blank Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Attachments Blank

Job description

Location: Skirsgill, Penrith
Contract Type: Permanent

About this opportunity

We are looking to recruit Highways Operatives to our Highways Service. The right candidates will be hard-working, experienced and committed, as the service we provide continues to grow and develop, and we are looking for people who can ensure all work activities are carried out with a focus on performance, safety and quality.

You will be responsible for a wide range of highways maintenance and construction type work operating and working with various small plant, including: highway repair & construction, traffic management on single/dual carriageways, ditch clearing, ground maintenance, minor drainage works, and small civil structure repairs. In addition to this you will be assisting on the out of hours emergency and adverse weather response teams. You will also provide support to Team Leaders in the inspection and repair of the highway network and by responding to service requests.

Who we are looking for…

The successful candidates for this role will be driven, flexible and have a high level of attention to detail, ensuring all work is completed to the expected quality. A full UK Driving Licence is essential, as well as experience in a relevant field with the use of plant and equipment associated with the role. This is a customer focused service, so personal conduct is key, as is good levels of communication.

We are also looking for people who can adapt well to the demands of the service, who can travel throughout Cumbria and surrounding areas.

What can we offer you!

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site. Our benefits | Careers (westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk)

Would you like to find out more?

For further information about this role, such as responsibilities and essential criteria please view the below attachments:

• Post Specification
• Role Profile

Please note: If the Post Specification for this vacancy states that a UK driving licence is required, non-UK driving licences with entitlement to drive vehicles in the UK will also be accepted.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

We also offer guaranteed interviews to Armed Forces personnel and veterans and those in care or care experienced and under 24 years old (someone who has been looked after by a local authority at any point, for any length of time, e.g. foster care, residential care, or under the guardianship of a local authority) that meet the essential criteria for the role.