Cleaning Operative - Building Cleaning Team
| Posting date: | 13 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £26,035 to £26,862 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 February 2026 |
| Location: | Reading, Berkshire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Reading Borough Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
We’re looking for a reliable and responsible Cleaning Operative to join our Building Cleaning Team on a full‑time basis (37 hours per week). This is a mobile role, requiring you to travel between multiple sites across Reading to help us maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. As you’ll be driving a Council vehicle as part of your daily duties, a full UK driving licence is essential. If you take pride in your work, enjoy being on the move, and have an eye for detail, we’d love to hear from you.
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
Working pattern Monday to Friday (6.00am to 2.00pm with occasional weekend work on a rota).
This will be a mobile cleaning role, visiting a number of sites around Reading between the hours of 6.00am to 2.00pm. Free parking for your personal car will be provided at Reading Borough Council offices, this is where you will collect the work van and crew. DRIVING LICENCE REQUIRED.
As the Cleaning Operative you will be required to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene within Reading Borough Council properties in accordance with service and/or client specifications, to ensure and provide a clean, safe, and hygienic environment, to help ensure an effective and efficient operation of cleaning services.
Duties will include:
To provide the highest level of cleaning service as instructed by Cleaning Operative Supervisor in line with the service and/or client specifications and maintain the standards.
To provide a range of general cleaning services to a wide range of facilities, including toilets, offices, meeting rooms and housing stocks etc by washing, mopping, dusting, polishing, vacuum cleaning and sweeping, as appropriate.
To follow all relevant Health & Safety rules and guidelines, e.g. wearing protective clothing in accordance with COSHH.
To report maintenance issues promptly to Cleaning Operative Supervisor.
To maintain an adequate stock of consumables in washrooms and breakout areas.
To participate in staff meetings.
To participate in training activities essential and appropriate to the role.
Any other duties appropriate to the post as required.
About you:
We’re looking for someone who is highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and timekeeping. You’ll need to be confident working on your own initiative, able to prioritise your workload, and flexible in supporting other functions when needed.
Strong communication skills are essential, including the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English. You should also be able to build positive working relationships and bring a team-focused attitude.
A full UK driving licence is essential as this is a mobile role. Please ensure you state on your application you hold a valid UK licence.
If you take ownership of your work, follow tasks through to completion, and value a collaborative, respectful working environment, we’d love to hear from you.
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 is 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
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.
Onsite parking
To arrange a confidential discussion on this position please contact Carolyn Leakey – Cleaning Manager – carolyn.leakey@reading.gov.uk
Closing Date: Sunday 23rd February 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Setup: In person at the Civic Offices, Bridge Street, 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
Working pattern Monday to Friday (6.00am to 2.00pm with occasional weekend work on a rota).
This will be a mobile cleaning role, visiting a number of sites around Reading between the hours of 6.00am to 2.00pm. Free parking for your personal car will be provided at Reading Borough Council offices, this is where you will collect the work van and crew. DRIVING LICENCE REQUIRED.
As the Cleaning Operative you will be required to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene within Reading Borough Council properties in accordance with service and/or client specifications, to ensure and provide a clean, safe, and hygienic environment, to help ensure an effective and efficient operation of cleaning services.
Duties will include:
To provide the highest level of cleaning service as instructed by Cleaning Operative Supervisor in line with the service and/or client specifications and maintain the standards.
To provide a range of general cleaning services to a wide range of facilities, including toilets, offices, meeting rooms and housing stocks etc by washing, mopping, dusting, polishing, vacuum cleaning and sweeping, as appropriate.
To follow all relevant Health & Safety rules and guidelines, e.g. wearing protective clothing in accordance with COSHH.
To report maintenance issues promptly to Cleaning Operative Supervisor.
To maintain an adequate stock of consumables in washrooms and breakout areas.
To participate in staff meetings.
To participate in training activities essential and appropriate to the role.
Any other duties appropriate to the post as required.
About you:
We’re looking for someone who is highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and timekeeping. You’ll need to be confident working on your own initiative, able to prioritise your workload, and flexible in supporting other functions when needed.
Strong communication skills are essential, including the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English. You should also be able to build positive working relationships and bring a team-focused attitude.
A full UK driving licence is essential as this is a mobile role. Please ensure you state on your application you hold a valid UK licence.
If you take ownership of your work, follow tasks through to completion, and value a collaborative, respectful working environment, we’d love to hear from you.
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 is 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
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.
Onsite parking
To arrange a confidential discussion on this position please contact Carolyn Leakey – Cleaning Manager – carolyn.leakey@reading.gov.uk
Closing Date: Sunday 23rd February 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Setup: In person at the Civic Offices, Bridge Street, 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.