Waste & Grounds Assistant

Transformation Unit; Salisbury; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

Annual leave 27+ days

Onsite facilities

Job summary

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Band 2 Waste & Grounds Operative based at Salisbury District Hospital. The role is permanent, full-time (37.5 hours per week) with varied duties across waste management and grounds maintenance in a 22-hectare site.

The post involves driving electric vehicles, manual handling, and outdoor work, with weekend solo duties and a commitment to safety, biodiversity and patient care across the hospital campus.

Qualifications

• UK Driving Licence (Cat B)
• Good level of fitness for manual handling and outdoor work
• Experience in waste or grounds work beneficial
• Competency in spoken/written English
• Basic numeracy and keyboard skills

Responsibilities

• Operate and support waste transport and handling duties across the site
• Carry out grounds-maintenance duties on a 22-hectare site
• Assist with waste transfer and recycling activities
• Follow health and safety and COSHH guidelines

Skills

UK Driving Licence (Cat B)

Physically fit

Manual handling

Grounds maintenance

Waste management

Fork lifts Truck Operator Licence

Tug driving experience

Tools

Electric vehicles

Flat-bed truck

Job description

Main area Waste & Grounds Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (37.5 hours per week - five days a week worked over seven days) Job ref 269-SFT10051

Employer Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust Town Salisbury Salary £25,272 per annum pro rata if part time Salary period Yearly Closing 12/11/2026 23:59

Band 2

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Job overview

Please note: We are unable to provide sponsorship for this position.

If you enjoy working outdoors and being part of a small, friendly team, this varied role could be ideal. Work is managed on a rotational basis and staff value the mix this brings. One week you may be driving an electric tug transporting and handling Domestic Waste; another collecting Clinical Waste; or managing recyclable materials in the Waste Transfer Store and loading the outside compactor. In contrast, another week will be spent outdoors carrying out grounds-maintenance duties across our 22-hectare hospital site.

Our rural, elevated grounds support a rich chalk-grassland habitat featuring orchids such as pyramidal, common spotted and the rare bee orchid, alongside wild thyme, marjoram and many other species. The team plays an important role in conserving this landscape, contributing to the hospital winning the 2022 New Forest Award for supporting biodiversity.

Main duties of the job

Applicants must hold a UK Category B driving licence to operate our electric vehicles and flat-bed truck. A good level of fitness is required for manual handling (with aids), extensive walking and the use of varied machinery and tools. After full induction and competency checks, some weekend solo working is required.

You’ll need competency in spoken/written English, basic numeracy and keyboard skills. Waste-management training and local induction are provided. Knowledge of Health & Safety, Manual Handling and COSHH, plus experience in waste or grounds work, would be beneficial.

Please see attached Job description and person specification for full details of roles and responsibilities.

Working for our organisation

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust (SFT) is part of the Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Hospitals Group, alongside Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust. Together, we are committed to delivering outstanding, sustainable healthcare through collaboration, innovation and excellent patient care.

With a history spanning more than 250 years, SFT combines a proud heritage with a forward-looking approach to healthcare. We employ more than 4,000 staff, provide around 470 beds and deliver acute, specialist and regional services across Wiltshire and beyond.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where colleagues feel valued, developed and empowered to reach their potential. Flexible working helps colleagues balance work and personal commitments while meeting the needs of patients.

We offer NHS benefits including the NHS Pension Scheme, generous annual leave, staff discounts and onsite facilities.

Salisbury offers an exceptional quality of life, combining a historic city with beautiful countryside, access to the south coast and excellent transport links. Find out more at Experience Salisbury.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached Job description and person specification for full details of roles and responsibilities.

If invited to interview, candidates will be expected to have read both the Job Description and Advert thoroughly, so as to ensure a meaningful conversation.

Person specification

Qualification & Skills

• Work experience in Waste Management or Stores Environment
• Ability to read & write in the English Language
• Basic numeracy skills
• UK Driving Licence (Cat B Manual)
• Physically fit to be able to walk long distances & undertake physically demanding tasks
• Work experience in Grounds or Gardening
• Site Knowledge of SDH
• Fork Lifts Truck Operator Licence
• Tug Driving Experience on a large busy site
• Evidence of employment in similar role

We offer excellent benefits that help make SDH a great place to work. Take a look at our Employee Value Proposition (EVP) for more detailed information https://www.salisbury.nhs.uk/media/2lfatov2/employee-value-proposition-document-v12-final.pdf These include but aren't limited to:-

• Holiday starting at 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years for Agenda for Change staff
• Holiday entitlement for Medical and Dental staff starts at 27 days for Junior/Senior Clinical Fellows, Specialty Doctors and rises to 32 days after 5 years. Consultant entitlement starts at 32 days and rises to 34 days after 7 year.
• Access to a career average revalued earnings pension scheme
• Life assurance if a member of the pension scheme
• An extensive Health and Wellbeing offer to help you deal with life's challenges
• Exclusive deals and discounts websites saving you money on everyday purchases, treats for the family, eating out and utility bills for home
• Cycle to work scheme
• Uniform provided (where required)
• 40% bus discount exclusive to SFT employees (period tickets only)
• On site Day Nursery and Holiday Play scheme
• On site health and fitness club
• On site car parking (fees and restrictions apply)
• Opportunities to get on - take advantage of our ongoing learning opportunities and training, to help you achieve the job and career you want.

Please note - Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship (or will need sponsorship at the end of a current visa eg those with graduate visa's) should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.

We continue to encourage and support our staff to participate in the seasonal respiratory vaccination programme in order to protect themselves, colleagues and their patients.

GETTING TO WORK

We offer parking on site at Salisbury District Hospital, a daily charge applies. We encourage our staff to utilise other green methods of getting to work such as cycling or walking where possible, and our Trust is well connected through the bus services to the city centre and other areas.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY

We are committed to making Salisbury an inclusive and welcoming place for every single staff member, regardless of who they are and where they come from. Equality sits at the heart of everything we do, and we ensure that all employees have equal opportunity to develop, to apply for promotions and to work flexibly.

The Trust actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, martial status and age.

OTHER INFORMATION

If this job requires you to have DBS check to enable you to properly fulfil the requirements of the job, on appointment, you will be required to replay the cost of obtaining a DBS check and this amount will be reclaimed in instalments from your salary. Many staff use the DBS update service at a cost of £16 per annum but you need to sign up for this via their website.

Please read the job description and person specification carefully and ensure that your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience required.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

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Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Name Andy Hyatt Job title Security & Car Park Manager Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01722336262 Additional information Thank you for your interest.Email Andy Hyatt in the first place or call after 2pm to discuss any particular aspect of this role. 01722 336262