Waste Site Operative

South Gloucestershire Council; Yate; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

South Gloucestershire Council seeks a Site Operative for the Yate Household Waste Recycling Centre to help residents dispose of waste responsibly and follow site procedures, while delivering friendly customer service and guiding visitors to the correct recycling areas.

You will work with the Recycling and Waste team to keep the site safe, clean and well organised, manage traffic flow, record material movements, and support your supervisor in container exchanges.

Qualifications

• Experience with customers in a waste-related role.
• Understanding of waste management and recycling practices.
• Basic health and safety knowledge, including PPE.
• Ability to perform manual handling tasks with equipment.
• Strong teamwork, calm under pressure, promoting recycling.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a clean, safe, and organised site with no overspill.
• Follow site permits, legislation, and council procedures.
• Record material movements and support container exchanges.

Skills

Customer service

Waste management

Health and safety

Manual handling

Team player

Tools

Pallet trucks

Job description

How You'll Make a Difference

As a Site Operative, you will support the safe and efficient operation of the Yate Household Waste Recycling Centre, helping residents dispose of waste responsibly and in accordance with site procedures. You will provide excellent customer service, directing members of the public to the correct recycling and disposal areas, offering guidance on site usage and ensuring materials are handled safely and appropriately.

How You'll Make a Difference

As a Site Operative, you will support the safe and efficient operation of the Yate Household Waste Recycling Centre, helping residents dispose of waste responsibly and in accordance with site procedures. You will provide excellent customer service, directing members of the public to the correct recycling and disposal areas, offering guidance on site usage and ensuring materials are handled safely and appropriately.

Working as part of the Recycling and Waste team, you will play a key role in maintaining a safe, clean and organised environment for visitors and colleagues. You will manage the flow of traffic around the site, monitor potential hazards and promote safe working practices in line with health and safety requirements. Through a proactive and customer-focused approach, you will help maximise recycling opportunities and contribute to the delivery of an efficient and effective service for local residents.

What You Will Be Doing

• It will be your responsibility to maintain a clean and organised site, ensuring materials do not overspill and the environment remains safe and presentable.
• You will ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, the public and all site users by adhering to site permits, relevant legislation and council policies and procedures.
• Maintaining accurate records of material movements will be a key part of your duties. You will also support the Supervisor and Team Leader in managing container exchanges, ensuring there is always sufficient capacity on site to segregate and store materials safely and effectively.

What We Need From You

• It is essential that you have previous experience of working with customers in a waste-related role, along with a good understanding of waste management and recycling practices, including the ability to identify hazardous or non-permitted waste types.
• You must be able to follow site rules and procedures, with a basic knowledge of health and safety, including the correct use of PPE.
• We are looking for someone who can carry out manual handling tasks, including safely lifting and moving heavy or bulky items using equipment such as pallet trucks.
• You will be a strong team player with the ability to remain calm under pressure and handle conflict or disagreements professionally. You will also be confident in advising site visitors on rules and actively promoting recycling and responsible waste disposal.

What You Need To Know

• You must be available for rota-based shifts including weekends and bank holidays.
• You will be working outside in all weather conditions, as well as on uneven surfaces, where PPE will be worn.

How a Career At South Gloucestershire Council Is Different

• What's special here is the strength of the team ethos, the support and the training.
• As part of our benefits package you will receive generous annual leave, employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work.

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

• We're providing essential services across our internal network to ensure we can fully support our community.
• We're positive and forward thinking, always looking for new and innovative ways of working work and we're ambitious about the future.

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.

We're making a difference, be part of it!