Port Operative

HEYSHAM PORT LTD; Sheerness; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 10% matched

Life Assurance

Flexible benefits package

Healthcare and wellbeing

Cycle to Work

Training & development

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

HEYSHAM PORT LTD in the United Kingdom is seeking a Port Operative to join our busy team responsible for discharging and loading a diverse range of imported goods.

You will receive training to operate equipment, work across vessel discharge, warehouse tasks, and outdoor park operations, with a strong emphasis on safety and flexible hours.

This role includes weekend and night shifts on an annualised hours contract, with a starting salary of £33,980 per year and a range of benefits.

Qualifications

• Experience in fast-paced operational environment with heavy plant and material handling equipment.
• Strong commitment to Health and Safety best practice.
• Experience working as part of a team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Carry out vessel discharging and loading activities safely and efficiently.
• Support and adapt to day-to-day priorities with Team Leaders and Managers to deliver 24/7 service.
• Be flexible to support managers and other areas of the business while following safety standards.
• Ensure compliance with safety procedures and own continuous improvement in operations.
• Be prepared for weekend and night shifts on an annualised hours contract.

Skills

Operational experience

Health and Safety

Teamwork

Interpersonal communication

Multitasking

Job description

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Port Operative

Date: 21 Aug 2026

Vacancy - Port Operatives

You will become part of an expert team of Port Operatives, tasked with discharging and loading a diverse range of goods being imported into the UK

Your Role

You will be supported and trained to obtain the skills required to carry out your role as a Port Operative. Depending upon the team, this may include manual handling equipment and vessel discharging/loading activities. You will always be required to carry out operations in a safe manner, ensuring we work effectively to satisfy all of our customers. You will be committed to working in a flexible manner to support managers, colleagues and other areas of the business within the Port, ensuring full compliance with our safety standards.

You will talk with Team Leaders and Managers on a daily basis to understand the day to day priorities, ensuring we provide an industry leading service to our customers 24/7, 365 days per year. Ensuring stock loss/damage is minimised, following safe systems of work and process instructions at all times.

Our Site

Our site covers over 360 acres and you will play an integral part in keeping the supply chain moving by facilitating the safe handling of a diverse product portfolio that includes Paper, Timber, Steel, Containers and Project Cargo.

We utilise various types of equipment including cranes, terberg tugs and specialist forklifts to deliver our customers’ requirements.

Operations could include vessel discharging work, warehouse operations, shunt driving and outdoor park operations, all covered by safe systems and specialist training to ensure you work safe and go home safe.

As a busy, 24/7 operation there is an element of weekend and night working (for which nightshift enhancement is payable). Our Port Operatives operate on annualised hours contracts of 2,340 hours per annum, not all working weeks look the same and therefore an element of flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing requirements is key in this role.

What You’ll Bring

You will have:

• experience working in a fast-paced operational environment, such as a warehouse or RDC, and will be comfortable in an environment requiring the use of heavy plant and material handling equipment
• a strong understanding and commitment to Health and Safety best practice
• experience working as part of a team
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• the ability to manage multiple tasks at any one time, ensuring deadlines are met.

A structured training programme will be offered to those demonstrating the right approach and behaviours to work in our environment.

Who Are We?

Already one of the UK’s leading port and logistics companies, we are planning substantial capital investment over the next 5 years to achieve our vision of becoming the UK’s leading port operator. We have ambitious plans to grow and transform the supply chain to benefit our customers. Our investments are decarbonizing our operations, which in turn is helping us work towards our goal of having Net Zero Port Operations by 2040. Much of our success depends on our unrivalled facilities and technology. But in our sector, it comes down to having the right talent to enable our organisation to grow

What We Can Offer You

Your career will begin with a starting salary of £33,980 per annum. Following successful completion of our probationary/training period, where you will learn and develop the key skills required for your allocated business area, your earning potential will increase in line with our skills and pay matrix. In addition to a competitive salary, we have a strong track record of developing our people to expand their skills and experience and develop their careers. Valuing and rewarding our workforce is important to us which is why we offer a fantastic range of flexible benefits to choose from, such as:

• Average of 45 hours per week, worked on the basis of an annualised hours shift pattern (equivalent of 2340 hours per annum)
• Up to 10% Matched Contribution Pension and excellent Life Assurance Cover
• Peel Ports Flexible Benefits including healthcare/wellbeing benefits (including dental treatment, prescriptions, check-ups, MRI scans and other treatments), salary sacrifice car scheme, Cycle2Work Scheme, Critical Illness insurance, Gym Membership Scheme, Retail Vouchers, plus more!
• Commitment to learning and personal development – last year we supported over 50,000 hours of training and personal development!
• We promote good physical and mental health and can provide additional support to colleagues via our Employee Assistance Programme when required