External Work Highways Skilled Operative

Build the Roads That Keep North Yorkshire Moving – Join Us as a Skilled Operative!

 

Salary (45 hours per week): From £31,785.85 (Grade 3) + overtime opportunities
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
Location: Projects across North Yorkshire

 

Your Skills, Our County’s Future

Are you a hands-on professional with experience in highways maintenance or construction? At NY Highways, we’re expanding our External Works team and looking for skilled operatives to deliver essential projects across North Yorkshire. From vibrant towns to rural landscapes, your work will make a real difference to the communities we serve.

 

Why Choose NY Highways?

We don’t just offer a job—we offer stability, growth, and recognition for your hard work. Here’s what you can expect:

·       Permanent, full-time position with a 45-hour working week and ample opportunity for overtime and weekend working

  • A competitive salary with annual pay progression

·       Recruitment payment of up to 10% of salary at appointment is available for certain roles

·       Annual pay awards and additional performance rewards linked to successful project delivery

·       Recognition payments for exceptional performance

·       Honorarium payments for acting up or deputising for others

·       Retention payments of up to 8% of salary for up to 2 years, subject to performance, available for certain roles

  • Opportunities for career progression including a strong commitment to your training and development, including a variety of courses to support your career growth
  • Generous paid annual leave starting at 24 days, increasing to 29 days with 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays. Other types of paid or unpaid leave to support your family circumstances
  • Use of a company vehicle during the working day
  • Job stability through our partnership with North Yorkshire Council
  • A strong commitment to your training and development, including a variety of courses to support your career growth
  • Membership of the Royal London pension scheme with Employer contributions
  • Access to a variety of staff benefits including the Vivup scheme, Cycle to work schemes, access to Darlington Credit Union, Death in Service Benefit
  • Access to Occupational Health services, Health cash plan and an Employee Assistance programme
  • Supportive working environment with a range of best practice policies

 

What You’ll Do

As a Skilled Operative, you’ll play a key role in maintaining and improving North Yorkshire’s highways. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Carrying out tasks such as kerbing, drainage repairs, patching, ironwork renewal, modular paving, and installing street furniture.
  • Operating plant and equipment safely and effectively.
  • Assisting with cable detection and traffic management duties.
  • Completing risk assessments and maintaining accurate records using handheld devices.
  • Supporting excavation works, verge maintenance, and routine operations.

 

What We’re Looking For

  • Experience in highways maintenance or construction.
  • Ability to carry out a variety of skilled tasks such as drainage, kerbing, paving, and surfacing.
  • A relevant Level 2 qualification or equivalent experience.
  • Good understanding of health and safety practices.
  • Confidence using plant and equipment (training provided where necessary).
  • Flexibility to work outdoors in all weather conditions, including occasional unsocial hours.
  • Willingness to undertake further training in traffic management, manual handling, and emergency first aid.

Read the full job description here

 

About NY Highways

 

We’re a growing, commercially-minded organisation with strong public sector roots. Our partnership with North Yorkshire Council ensures job security, while our expanding private sector workstreams offer variety and challenge.  While we work closely with the Council, NY Highways is an independent business and not part of the Council itself.

 

We maintain and improve North Yorkshire’s roads, delivering everything from routine maintenance to major infrastructure projects. With a network of nearly 5,800 miles and a team of 250 professionals, we combine commercial focus with public sector values. We invest in our people and technology to lead the way in highway innovation.

Learn more at www.nyhighways.co.uk.

 

Ready to Make an Impact?

Apply today and help us build a safer, smarter future for North Yorkshire.
👉 We’re interviewing as applications come in – apply now!

 

Questions? Contact Ashley Benford (Resourcing Partner) on 07814 932 389 or ✉️ ashley.benford@northyorks.gov.uk.

Closing date: Midnight, Tuesday 21 October 2025

 

We reserve the right to remove this vacancy in the event of the position being filled before the proposed deadline. NY Highways is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff. We welcome applications from individuals regardless of age, any disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, or belief. 

We will not accept applications from agencies and can only consider applications from individuals with right to work within the UK. 

At NY Highways, safety is a core principle. We are dedicated to the health and safety of our employees and the public. To maintain a safe work environment, we enforce a strict substance misuse policy. Employees must report to work fit for duty and free from drugs or alcohol.   New employees will undergo mandatory drug and alcohol testing, with random tests conducted throughout employment. Adherence to this policy is essential for upholding our safety standards and ensuring the integrity of our operations.

External Work Highways Skilled Operative