About the Trust
We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?
Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.
Join Our Team: Craft Operative [Joiner/Carpentry generalist] opportunity
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
As a Craft Operative in our Reactive Response Team, you will play a vital role in caring for our network, responding to incidents as they happen and ensuring our waterways remain safe and accessible for everyone. They act fast, think on their feet and take real pride in protecting the places people love.
This is a mixed skills role suited to someone with experience in one or more trades (e.g., carpentry, metal fabrication, bricklaying, or stonemasonry). You’ll work flexibly, responding to emergencies as they occur across our network.
Working Hours & Travel
The post holders will work an annualized hours system (averaging 37 hours), primarily Monday to Friday, with overtime and occasional weekend work as needed to respond to emergencies and carry out repairs that help keep our waterways open for customers.
Administratively based at Hatton Locks, this role involves regular travel across the West Midlands. You will travel from home in a company van, report directly to site to complete the day’s tasks, and return home at the end of the working day.
Coverage extends:
- North to Leek (Caldon Canal, Derbyshire)
- West into Wales (Montgomery Canal)
- East to Rugby (Oxford Canal)
- South to Stratford upon Avon (Stratford Canal/River Avon)
Flexibility is essential, as emergency call outs and rapidly changing priorities are a core part of the team’s work.
Role Overview
As a Craft Operative, you will help improve, maintain, and preserve our historic network. This includes refurbishing and repairing canal infrastructure such as locks, bridges, aqueducts, towpaths, and associated equipment, while consistently working to high safety, environmental, and heritage standards.
This role sits within our reactive response team and involves planned work alongside emergency call-outs. As priorities can change at short notice, a flexible and adaptable approach is essential.
Key Responsibilities
- Carry out outdoor maintenance and repair works to maximize network availability, often involving heritage sensitive solutions.
- Use bricklaying or other trade skills to support manufacture and refurbishment work to agreed standards and timescales.
- Safely operate machinery, plant, tools and equipment, and support inhouse maintenance where required.
- Maintain personal equipment, workshop tools and workspace to required standards.
- Respond promptly to customer queries and urgent situations.
- Ensure equipment, materials and PPE are appropriate for each task.
- Assist with measuring locks and lock gates, learning heritage craft skills alongside specialist teams.
- Read and interpret technical drawings to inform work.
- Work with and supervise volunteers to support sustainable maintenance delivery.
- Travel regionally and flexibly to meet nationally prioritized work demands.
About You
You must bring strong operative skills and be confident applying your trade knowledge in unique environments. While additional skills can be learned on the job, competence in at least one relevant discipline is essential to aid your colleagues.
Whether you come from a building or [Joiner/Carpentry generalist] background, your experience and enthusiasm will help you thrive in this role.
Skills & Qualifications
- Trade relevant apprenticeship or equivalent qualification (e.g. City & Guilds or NVQ Level 2).
- Experience operating plant/equipment (e.g., chainsaws, power tools, forklift trucks).
- Experience in a relevant discipline such as carpentry, metal fabrication, bricklaying or stonemasonry.
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings.
- Full UK driving license (essential for regional response travel).
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at
[email protected]. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
We offer a starting salary of £29,354, with opportunities for progression. Enjoy a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1(https://canalrivertrust.pagetiger.com/cqhhihy/1).
#INDMP
Our values
We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.
We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.
All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.
We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.
At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception - are made by our hiring managers.
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us
