General Operative, Trades ​/ Skilled Labor

Balfour Beatty has an exciting opportunity for a Highways Operative to join our UKCS Living Places team based in Horncastle, Lincolnshire
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As a Highways Operative, you will play a vital role in maintaining and improving the local highway network, helping to keep communities connected and safe. Working as part of a dedicated operational team, you will undertake a wide range of highway maintenance activities, contributing to the delivery of essential infrastructure services across the region.

This is a hands‑on role offering a varied workload, where no two days are the same. You will work on projects ranging from drainage and footway improvements to asphalt works, vegetation clearance and excavation activities, all while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality and customer service.

As a Highways Operative, your responsibilities will include:

• Carrying out a broad range of highway maintenance activities safely, efficiently and to a high standard.
• Undertaking drainage works, kerb laying, footway improvements, vegetation clearance and asphalt repairs.
• Completing excavation and trenching works, including the use of specialist equipment where required.
• Working within Balfour Beatty’s Zero Harm culture and ensuring health and safety remains the top priority at all times.
• Reporting close calls, good practices and safety observations.
• Ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, company procedures and quality standards.
• Operating and maintaining plant, tools and equipment safely and effectively.
• Monitoring and organising materials and resources to support project delivery.
• Following work programmes and completing tasks right first time.
• Supporting winter maintenance and emergency response activities, including out-of-hours work when required.
• Building positive working relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders.
• Acting as a professional ambassador for Balfour Beatty at all times.

We are looking for motivated individuals who take pride in their work, put safety first and are committed to delivering high-quality results.

• Full UK driving licence.
• Strong commitment to health and safety.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Honest, reliable and able to act with integrity.
• Flexible approach to working hours, including overtime and shift work when required.

While not essential, the following qualifications and experience would be advantageous:

• Highway maintenance, construction or groundworks experience.
• NRSWA accreditation.
• CSCS Highway Maintenance card.
• Confined Space training.
• EUSR Excavation qualifications.
• Class 1 or Class 2 LGV licence.
• Driver CPC qualification.
• Winter service experience or NVQ.
• Telehandler training.
• Vacuum excavation experience.

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

Balfour Beatty Living Places works in long‑term…