Civil Operative

CIVILS OPERATIVE Clean Water and Wastewater Networks • Northumbrian Water DEPARTMENT / FUNCTION Operations / Networks Delivery REPORTS TO Team Leader / Site Supervisor LOCATION Northumbrian Water operating region (North East England) CONTRACT Permanent • Full time HOURS 50 hours • Mon–Fri CLIENT Northumbrian Water Group (NWG)

Purpose of the role

To carry out safe, high-quality excavation, installation, repair, reinstatement and associated groundworks on Northumbrian Water clean water and wastewater assets. Working as part of a civils crew under the Team Leader, the Operative delivers planned and reactive work to Northumbrian Water specifications, street works legislation, hygiene requirements and company SHEQ procedures.

Context

Northumbrian Water supplies water and wastewater services across the North East of England. Delivery includes planned capital and maintenance work and reactive repair, often in live highways, private land and operational sites. The Civils Operative is a hands‑on member of the crew, responsible for the quality of their own work, safe working around buried services, and a professional standard with customers and the public.

Key accountabilities

• Carry out excavation, trench support, pipe laying, jointing, connections, repairs and backfill on water mains, services, sewers, rising mains, chambers, manholes and associated assets.
• Install, repair and replace ironwork, covers and frames, chambers, ducting and minor civil structures to specification.
• Undertake highway and private‑land reinstatement, including bituminous, concrete, flagged and landscaped finishes.
• Support mains isolations, commissioning, chlorination and hygiene arrangements in line with the Disinfection Code of Practice and clean‑water protocols.
• Operate plant and equipment within competence and permit conditions, including excavator and dumper where ticketed, compaction plant and hand tools.
• Use abrasive wheels, cutting and grinding equipment only when trained and authorised.
• Locate and avoid buried services using safe digging practice and HSG47 principles, including CAT and Genny where trained.
• Identify and report defects, uncharted apparatus and network risks to the Team Leader.
• Respond to reactive and emergency work, including bursts, collapses, flooding, dangerous apparatus and out‑of‑hours call‑out when on rota.

Health, safety, environment and quality

• Work to the safe system of work, risk assessment, method statement and permits briefed by the Team Leader.
• Help set out and maintain barriers, signing, lighting and guarding in accordance with NRSWA / Safety at Street Works and Road Works.
• Work safely in excavations and, where trained, support confined‑space activities under a written safe system of work.
• Use correct manual handling techniques and mechanical aids; do not lift beyond capability.
• Protect live services, the environment and water quality; control silt, fuel, spoil and waste.
• Stop work and report immediately if conditions are unsafe, a service is struck, or a near miss occurs.
• Leave a clean, secure and compliant site at the end of each shift.

Customer and records

• Represent the company and Northumbrian Water professionally on customers’ property, in the highway and on operational sites.
• Complete personal timesheets and support site records, photographs and materials returns as directed.
• Follow instructions from the Team Leader and raise issues early if the job cannot be completed as planned.

Essential requirements

• Experience as a civils, utilities or groundworks operative, ideally on water, drainage or highway works.
• Ability to work safely as part of a small crew on live sites and in public areas.
• Valid CSCS card (or equivalent).
• Full UK driving licence; ability to travel across the Northumbrian Water region and attend standby / emergency call‑out.
• Physically fit for manual work and prepared to work outdoors in all weather.
• Reliable, safety‑focused and willing to work flexible hours including early starts, weekends and a standby rota.

Desirable tickets and qualifications

• NRSWA / Street Works (Operative or Supervisor as appropriate to the role)
• Confined space (City & Guilds or equivalent)
• Excavator ticket (CPCS / NPORS or equivalent)
• Dumper ticket (CPCS / NPORS or equivalent)
• Manual handling
• Abrasive wheels
• First aid
• HSG47 – Avoiding danger from underground services (CAT and Genny / service avoidance)
• EUSR National Water Hygiene / Blue Card and SHEA Water.
• Experience on Northumbrian Water or another UK water company network.

Behaviours and competencies

• Puts health, safety and water quality first and will speak up if something is wrong.
• Takes pride in workmanship and leaves sites tidy.
• Works well in a team and follows briefings without cutting corners.
• Calm and polite with customers, even on reactive or disruption‑related jobs.
• Willing to learn Northumbrian Water specifications, hygiene rules and new tickets.

Working environment

The role is predominantly outdoor and physically demanding. Work takes place in live highways, excavations, operational treatment and network sites, and private property, in all weather. The post holder must be fit for manual work, prepared to work in muddy, confined or hygienically controlled conditions, and able to wear required PPE including hygiene clothing on clean‑water tasks.

Additional information

A full occupational driving assessment, drugs and alcohol screening, and baseline health surveillance may be required. Training will be provided on Northumbrian Water systems, specifications and hygiene protocols where these are not already held. The employer reserves the right to amend duties in line with operational need across AMP programmes and reactive networks contracts. This job description is not exhaustive. The post holder will be expected to undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the level and nature of the role.

Join us at United Infrastructure and be part of our mission to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the complex infrastructure needs of the UK. Here at United Infrastructure, we invest in our people and firmly believe that our workforce is our most valuable asset. A driving force for success and the core to achieving our vision of creating a connected and sustainable future, our team is the heart of our organisation. Are you looking to be part of an exciting journey within an evolving business? Want to learn something new, every single day? Then you’ve come to the right place.

A fast‑paced, diverse, and hugely ambitious business, we welcome challengers, innovators and people who embrace change. Establish yourself in a creative environment that champions freedom of expression, and supports you in your personal and professional development – because together, we achieve more. Ready to take the next step in your career? United Infrastructure operates a direct sourcing model and does not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies. Any CVs submitted without prior agreement will be considered a gift and the candidate will be deemed to have been introduced directly. No fees will be payable in these circumstances

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