Job Description

Join Our Team: Craft Operative [Joiner/Carpentry generalist] opportunity

If your skills, experience, and qualifications match those in this job overview, do not delay your application.

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)

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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

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• Carry out outdoor maintenance and repair works to maximize network availability, often involving heritage‑sensitive solutions.

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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

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• Trade relevant apprenticeship or equivalent qualification (e.g. City & Guilds or NVQ Level 2).

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Contact & Application

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at   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 £28,154, with opportunities for progression. xbpsjku 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( ).