Lead Plant Operator

McCarthy Recruitment; Castle Cary; On-site; GBP 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking a Lead Plant Operator for an outdoor processing site in Castle Cary, England. This role involves overseeing day-to-day operations, managing a team, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. The ideal candidate should have experience in plant operations and a strong practical background. The position offers a salary of £38,500 per annum and opportunities for overtime and career advancement into leadership roles.

Benefits

Salary of £38,500 per annum

Overtime opportunities

Permanent, full-time position

Hands-on operational role

Opportunity for leadership

Qualifications

• Experienced plant, process, or site operator within waste or recycling environments.
• Proven ability to lead and coordinate teams effectively.
• Strong understanding of health and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily site operations ensuring safe and compliant practices.
• Coordinate workflow and allocate tasks to meet production targets.
• Oversee material movements and resolve operational bottlenecks.

Skills

Experience with waste or recycling operations

Leadership and team coordination

Health and safety compliance

Ability to work outdoors

Job description

Overview

We are recruiting for a Lead Plant Operator to support and coordinate day-to-day operations across a busy, outdoor processing site. This role involves overseeing activities across green waste, composting, wood processing, and similar operational areas, ensuring work is carried out safely, compliantly, and efficiently at all times.

Working as part of a small, hands-on team, you will help drive productivity, maintain high housekeeping standards, support site compliance, and coordinate workflow and material movements. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced operator who enjoys outdoor, practical work and is ready to step into a more leadership-focused position.

Ideal Candidate

• Experienced plant, process, or site operator, ideally within waste, recycling, aggregates, composting, or similar processing environments
• Proven ability to lead by example, coordinate small teams, and maintain operational efficiency
• Confident working outdoors in a hands-on, physical role
• Experience completing site records, logs, checks, or weighbridge documentation
• Strong understanding of health and safety, compliance, and safe systems of work

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily site operations, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient working practices
• Coordinate workflow, allocate tasks, and support the achievement of production targets
• Oversee material movements, resolve bottlenecks, and minimise site downtime
• Maintain accurate records including logs, checks, reports, and site documentation
• Support site management with planning, toolbox talks, contractor supervision, and general operational duties

What\'s On Offer

• Salary of £38,500 per annum
• Overtime opportunities
• Permanent, full-time position
• Outdoor, hands-on operational role
• Opportunity to step into a leadership-focused position within site operations

Commutable From

Castle Cary, Shepton Mallet, Wincanton, Bruton, Yeovil, Frome, Street, Glastonbury, Somerton, and surrounding areas.

How to Apply and Equal Opportunity

If you\'re an experienced Lead Plant Operator or senior plant operator with strong practical skills and the ability to guide a small team, we\'d love to hear from you. Apply now for immediate consideration.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

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