Packing and Despatch Operative
Location: Hartlepool
Department: Packaging and Despatch
Reports to: Packaging and Despatch Supervisor
Working pattern: Monday to Friday, two-shift rotation
About Natara Global
Natara Global is an international manufacturer of flavour and fragrance ingredients, supplying customers across the food, beverage, fragrance and consumer goods industries.
The Hartlepool site operates within a regulated manufacturing environment, producing and distributing specialist ingredients to customers across the UK and internationally. Natara is investing in its people, processes and operations as the business continues to grow.
Role Overview
The Packing and Despatch Operative supports the day-to-day activities of the Packaging and Despatch department.
The role involves processing, packing, storing and preparing finished products for shipment safely, accurately and within agreed deadlines. You will help ensure customers receive their orders on time and in full while maintaining Natara’s health, safety, food safety and quality standards, including ISO 22000 and ISO 9001 requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Packing and Despatch
- Pack finished products to the required specification and prepare customer orders for despatch.
- Prepare full-drum and other customer orders, supporting on-time-in-full delivery.
- Box, label and document finished products in accordance with customer requirements.
- Ensure shipments comply with applicable air, sea and road transportation regulations.
- Palletise, prepare and check shipments before collection by couriers and hauliers.
- Pack customer samples accurately and in line with requirements provided by the Sales team.
- Load and unload vehicles safely using counterbalance and reach forklift trucks, where trained and authorised.
- Support the control of packaging materials and consumables, maintaining clean, tidy and accurately managed storage areas.
Materials, Stock and Systems
- Move finished products from Production into the finished-goods warehouse.
- Relocate materials to the correct stock locations.
- Blend products where instructed to create a single batch, following approved procedures and traceability requirements.
- Process stock transfers and traded materials.
- Book stock onto the company system and arrange samples for Quality Control.
- Relocate materials once they have been approved by Quality Control.
- Pick materials for packing activities and return unused stock to the correct location.
- Pick raw materials against the bill of materials for Production.
- Complete the associated stock movements accurately on Oracle.
- Complete all required system transactions and maintain accurate records.
- Carry out regular stock checks to support finished-goods inventory accuracy.
- Investigate or escalate any stock discrepancies promptly.
Equipment and Team Support
- Complete routine checks on weighing scales, forklift trucks and local exhaust ventilation systems.
- Report equipment defects or safety concerns promptly.
- Work flexibly across the department in response to workload and operational priorities.
- Escalate issues that could affect safety, quality, customer service or departmental output to the Packaging and Despatch Supervisor or Warehouse Manager.
- Contribute ideas that improve safety, quality, efficiency, customer service and ways of working.
- Carry out other reasonable duties requested by the supervisor.
Experience, Knowledge and Qualifications
- Experience working in a warehouse, manufacturing, production, packing, logistics or distribution environment.
- A strong commitment to working safely and following established procedures.
- Good attention to detail and the ability to complete documentation accurately.
- Ability to use computerised systems or willingness to learn.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team while using initiative.
- Good communication, organisation and time-management skills.
- Willingness and ability to undertake a hands-on operational role, including manual handling.
- Flexibility to work the required shift pattern and respond to changing operational priorities.
Desirable
- Experience within a chemical, food, ingredients or other regulated manufacturing environment.
- Knowledge of dangerous goods, hazardous materials or regulated transportation requirements.
- Understanding of air, sea or road shipment regulations.
- A current counterbalance or reach forklift truck licence; training may be provided.
- Experience using Oracle or another warehouse, ERP or stock-management system.
- Awareness of ISO 22000, ISO 9001, GMP or similar food safety and quality-management standards.
Personal Attributes
- Positive, practical and safety-conscious.
- Reliable, self-motivated and committed to completing work to the required standard.
- Proactive when identifying and resolving problems.
- Able to recognise when an issue needs to be escalated.
- Customer-focused, with an understanding of the importance of quality, accuracy and on-time delivery.
- A collaborative team player who builds positive working relationships.
- Committed to continuous improvement and personal development.
Natara Values
All employees are expected to demonstrate Natara’s values:
- We care.
- Be customer-focused.
- Raise the bar.
- Think and act as one team.
- Do the right thing.
- We deliver.
Pay: £26,000.00-£33,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private medical insurance
- Referral programme
Work Location: In person
