Job Description
Job Title
Van Driver
Responsible to
Area Retail Manager
Responsible for
NA
Salary
£23132 Pro Rata: £13879
Hours
21hrs per week
Location
Sunderland and surrounding area
Closing date 6th June 2026
Role Outline
Working closely with our shop managers, the van driver will be responsible for collecting and delivering donated furniture and other household items around the local community and moving stock to and from our shops. To comply with our vehicle insurance policy, this role is for individuals aged 25 years and over. This role requires driving, manual handling, and customer service skills. When not on the road, you will assist with general warehouse duties, including stock management. This role is essential in ensuring donations are transported efficiently to our stores and plays a key part in maintaining the smooth operation of our charity shops.
Key Responsibilities
- To collect donated furniture and household items from donors in a safe and professional manner.
- Deliver sold or donated furniture to customers as required.
- Communicate with the shop managers to ensure all collections and deliveries are scheduled efficiently to maximize van capacity.
- To collect and deliver stock rotation between shops according to a planned schedule.
- Carry out manual handling and heavy lifting of furniture and goods safely.
- Maintain the cleanliness and basic maintenance of the van.
- Comply with health and safety regulations, including safe loading and securing of items.
- Assist with general shop warehouse duties when required and maintain a safe environment.
- Provide excellent customer service and represent the charity in a professional and friendly manner.
- Support volunteers and other team members as needed.
Sales and Profit
- Monitor and actively work with shop managers towards achieving targets in income and expenditure.
- Work with the rest of the retail team to maximise income in new and innovative ways through a variety of channels.
- Encourage gift aid donations and ensure income from Gift Aid on donated products is maximised.
Professional Responsibilities
- Maintain appropriate and respectful professional relationships with colleagues and other staff.
- Exercise good personal time management, punctuality, appearance and consistent reliable attendance.
- Ensure that personal actions and conduct apply with hospice policies and procedures.
- Ensure effective use of hospice resources.
- Act as an ambassador for the St Benedict's Hospice promoting at all times our vision which is to help everyone who comes into contact with the hospice to make the most of life. We do this by committing to our values: to care, listen, respect and work together to support people to live well until they die and support those affected by death.
Personal Development
- Attend and contribute to Retail and Hospice meetings when required.
- Complete mandatory training appropriate to the role.
- Participate in the hospice appraisal system and access training opportunities to improve own knowledge and skills.
- Participate in the education and training of others as appropriate to the role.
Managing Services
- Ensure a safe environment by ensuring the reporting of hazards and incidents, completion of relevant risk assessments, investigation of incidents and implementation of risk reduction measures.
- Ensure effective use of all resources within allocated budget.
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Statutory Duties
- Ensure the security of information accessed in the course of your duties ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles and information governance best practice guidance.
- Report any hazards or incidents in accordance with the Health Safety and Risk Management Policy and procedures.
- Comply with the St Benedict’s Hospice ‘no smoking’ policy in all hospice premises and grounds.
- Work at all times to safeguard the rights of individuals promoting their wellbeing and protecting those at risk from harm, acting on any concerns related to safeguarding children and adults at risk in line with policy and local guidance.
- Work at all times to respect people’s individuality, rights and diversity to ensure equality.
Working Hours
The post holder will work 21 hours per week. These will be worked according to a rota of any 3 days of a 7 day working week. Monday to Friday
NOTES
This job description reflects how the post currently meets the needs of the service. Since the hospice is constantly developing and changing its services to ensure it meets the needs of the community it serves, the role and responsibilities of the post holder may change accordingly.
Person Specification
Experience
Previous experience in a delivery or van driving role.
Working in a retail environment
Working in a charity retail environment
Working with volunteers
Prioritising own workload and working with minimum supervision
Working to timescales and deadlines
Qualifications
A good general level of education
Knowledge
Knowledge of St Benedict’s Hospice and the services it provides
Knowledge of basic vehicle maintenance
An understanding of health and safety procedures related to manual handling.
Knowledge of the local area
Skills
Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
IT literate
Excellent organisational skills
Open and adaptable to change
Excellent Customer Service Skills
Ability to organise and plan own workload
Personal
Aged 25 years or over
Demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn
Have a friendly and approachable manner
Flexible and willing to undertake various tasks, including shop duties.
High level of motivation
Full, clean UK driving license
Consistent and reliable attendance
Good physical fitness to handle lifting and moving furniture
Pay: £12.71 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Application question(s):
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person
