Group Shift Leader

Role:
Group Shift Leader

Location:

Isabella Road, Workington

Shifts:

Monday to Thursday 7am – 7pm, 4 day working week

Salary: £15.30 p/h plus shift allowance

The Role:

Are you an experienced team leader who enjoys being at the heart of a busy operation, getting the best from people and making sure the shift delivers?

We’re looking for a Group Shift Leader to take ownership of the day‑to‑day running of one of our warehouse shifts at our Workington battery recycling operation.

This is a hands‑on leadership role where you’ll be responsible for leading your team, organising resources and driving performance, while making sure safety, quality and compliance remain at the forefront of everything we do.

You’ll set the pace for the shift – allocating workloads, monitoring productivity, coaching your team and tackling operational issues as they arise. You’ll work closely with the wider site management team to keep the operation running smoothly and identify opportunities to make the way we work safer, smarter and more efficient.

If you’re someone who enjoys taking responsibility, leading from the front and seeing the results your team delivers, this is an opportunity to play an important role in the continued development of our Workington operation.

The Business:

Recycling Lives Services is not a typical recycling company. Since 2008, the business has been structurally built around social value, employing people from disadvantaged backgrounds, partnering with the justice system to reduce reoffending, and delivering environmental excellence  social mission is not a layer added on top of commercial activity. It is the reason the business operates in the way it does.

As a certified B Corp (scoring 103.5 against a business median of 50.9), Recycling Lives Services generated £42.9m in social value in 2024, achieved a 61% reduction in CO2 emissions, and diverted 97% of waste from landfill. 15% of our team have been welcomed through our rehabilitation programmes, and only 6% of people we support reoffend — compared to a national average of over 25%.

We operate UK-wide across construction, manufacturing, retail, utilities and public sector markets, offering total waste management, WEEE recycling, and specialist hazardous waste services.

What you will be doing:

• Lead, supervise and motivate Warehouse Operatives, setting clear expectations and providing day‑to‑day coaching and support.
• Plan and allocate workloads, resources and priorities to ensure operational and productivity targets are achieved.
• Oversee battery sorting, processing, storage, loading and dispatch, ensuring materials are correctly identified, segregated and handled.
• Monitor shift performance, workflow and resource utilisation, taking action to address issues and maintain an efficient operation.
• Ensure high standards of health, safety, environmental and quality compliance, including the safe management of damaged, leaking or hazardous batteries.
• Complete workplace inspections, monitor housekeeping standards and ensure equipment checks are carried out and defects promptly reported.
• Investigate and report incidents, near misses, non‑conformances and safety concerns, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate stock movements, operational records, documentation and reporting.
• Manage effective shift handovers and communicate operational, staffing, safety, quality and equipment issues to the wider management team.
• Lead by example and drive continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity and efficiency.

Who you are:

You’ll be a confident and hands‑on leader who is comfortable taking responsibility for both people and operational performance. You’ll be organised, safety‑conscious and able to keep a busy shift…