Senior Highways and Drainage Operative
| Posting date: | 02 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £33,699 to £36,363 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 February 2026 |
| Location: | Reading, Berkshire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Reading Borough Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
Reading Borough Council is looking for an experienced Senior Highways & Drainage Operative to join our Highways & Drainage Team. This is a hands-on role with supervisory responsibility, playing a key part in maintaining and improving Reading’s highways, drainage infrastructure and public spaces.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About The Role:
Based at our Bennet Road depot - 19 Bennet Road, Reading, RG2 0QX
You will lead a small operational team delivering a wide range of highways and drainage works across the borough. This includes highway repairs, drainage maintenance, street works and the installation of street furniture, ensuring all work is carried out safely, efficiently and to a high standard.
You’ll be responsible for day-to-day site activity, vehicle and plant checks, materials ordering, and ensuring compliance with health & safety and streetworks regulations. The role also involves liaising with Engineers and Highway Inspectors and contributing to the delivery of income-generating and commercial schemes.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading and supervising operatives on site
Carrying out highway repairs, resurfacing and reinstatement works
Drainage excavation, repair and gully cleansing
Installation of street furniture and traffic-related infrastructure
Ensuring compliance with Chapter 8, NRSWA and health & safety requirements
Driving and maintaining LGV vehicles, plant and equipment
Completing daily inspections, records and returns
Supporting productivity, efficiency and service delivery targets
About You:
We’re looking for someone with strong technical highways experience and the confidence to lead others on site.
You will have:
A good standard of literacy and numeracy
NRSWA Streetworks Accreditation (Excavation & Reinstatement)
Extensive experience in highway maintenance and drainage works
Experience supervising staff in a safety-critical environment
Good communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team
Technical knowledge of highways materials, plant and equipment
The ability to prioritise work and meet delivery targets
You will also have (or be willing to work towards):
HGV Class 2 licence
Mechanical excavator qualification (CITB recognised)
Supervisor apprenticeship or equivalent development
Additional requirements
Ability to work 37 hours per week plus overtime
Participation in a call-out rota (shift allowance may apply)
Willingness to deputise for the Supervisor when required
Physically fit to meet the demands of the role
You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential.
Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way.
Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.
Our offer:
We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
A wide range of flexible working opportunities
Modern working environment at the 19 Bennet Road, Reading
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
For more information on this position please contact Steve Rendell, Highways and Drainage Operations Manager – steve.rendell@reading.gov.uk
Closing Date: Monday 9th February 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Setup: In person interview at 19 Bennet Road, Reading
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About The Role:
Based at our Bennet Road depot - 19 Bennet Road, Reading, RG2 0QX
You will lead a small operational team delivering a wide range of highways and drainage works across the borough. This includes highway repairs, drainage maintenance, street works and the installation of street furniture, ensuring all work is carried out safely, efficiently and to a high standard.
You’ll be responsible for day-to-day site activity, vehicle and plant checks, materials ordering, and ensuring compliance with health & safety and streetworks regulations. The role also involves liaising with Engineers and Highway Inspectors and contributing to the delivery of income-generating and commercial schemes.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading and supervising operatives on site
Carrying out highway repairs, resurfacing and reinstatement works
Drainage excavation, repair and gully cleansing
Installation of street furniture and traffic-related infrastructure
Ensuring compliance with Chapter 8, NRSWA and health & safety requirements
Driving and maintaining LGV vehicles, plant and equipment
Completing daily inspections, records and returns
Supporting productivity, efficiency and service delivery targets
About You:
We’re looking for someone with strong technical highways experience and the confidence to lead others on site.
You will have:
A good standard of literacy and numeracy
NRSWA Streetworks Accreditation (Excavation & Reinstatement)
Extensive experience in highway maintenance and drainage works
Experience supervising staff in a safety-critical environment
Good communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team
Technical knowledge of highways materials, plant and equipment
The ability to prioritise work and meet delivery targets
You will also have (or be willing to work towards):
HGV Class 2 licence
Mechanical excavator qualification (CITB recognised)
Supervisor apprenticeship or equivalent development
Additional requirements
Ability to work 37 hours per week plus overtime
Participation in a call-out rota (shift allowance may apply)
Willingness to deputise for the Supervisor when required
Physically fit to meet the demands of the role
You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential.
Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way.
Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.
Our offer:
We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
A wide range of flexible working opportunities
Modern working environment at the 19 Bennet Road, Reading
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
For more information on this position please contact Steve Rendell, Highways and Drainage Operations Manager – steve.rendell@reading.gov.uk
Closing Date: Monday 9th February 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Setup: In person interview at 19 Bennet Road, Reading
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.