Job summary
St Clare Hospice is a charity that provides specialist palliative care to patients and families in West Essex and the East Hertfordshire borders.
We are looking for drivers to join our team working closely with retail staff in our shops and our House Clearance Service. You will actively be supporting the achievement of all agreed sales targets.
This is a varied and exciting role, and you will be acting as the face of St Clare Hospice to make sure our shops are maximising their profitability through stock movement and furniture collection and distribution.
Please read the job description for further details.
In return for your commitment, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package, generous leave allowance, pension and life assurance scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, free parking and the option to continue your membership of the NHS pension scheme. We offer excellent development opportunities and are committed to supporting individuals in their learning and development.
Main duties of the job
To assist with the St Clare Hospice Trading Company distribution service by acting as a driver of the company van completing deliveries, collections and House Clearance
To raise the profile of St Clare Hospice in the local community through excellentcustomer relations.
About us
At St Clare Hospice, our vision is that every adult with a life limiting condition in our local communities should have access to palliative care services wherever and whenever they need them, so that they can make the most of every moment, no matter how long they have left to live. Our many different services provide patients, their families and carers, with physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, at home, or here at the Hospice. St Clare is an independent charity with most of the costs of our services met through donations and voluntary funding. With limited NHS funding, we need to raise more than 70% of our annual costs to provide our vital services; in 2023/2024 the running costs of our charity is expected to be £ million, the majority of which we must raise through voluntary donations. Individuals, schools, community groups, businesses, events, grantmaking trusts and foundations and our shops and our E-commerce business help us to raise the money to keep going.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To drive the van during the day-to-day operation of collection and distribution of donated and new goods, to a daily job list supplied by Harlow shop manager and or the shop team. This will involve manual handling of furniture with assistance, as well as other goods to and from the St Clare van.
To comply with the St Clare Hospice employer vehicles policy at all times which includes insurance provisions, and reporting of accidents, fines, etc.
To help plan the daily list of deliveries and collections to achieve the most efficient schedule.
To assist with House Clearance as and when required. Van Driver July 2024
To deal with customer enquiries, complaints, keeping the Harlow Manager informed of any such matters.
To liaise with Shop Managers regarding furniture requirements so that available space is utilised as much as possible.
To keep the Harlow Manager informed of any problems affecting completion of scheduled jobs and inform affected customers.
To act as courier of post, documents and sometimes cash, between the shops and the hospice.
To assist Shop Managers with the general handling of furniture in all the company shops.
To check that all furniture collected meets legal requirements and is suitable for resale.
To work as part of the distribution team in loading and unloading at shop, Head office and the Distribution Centre.
To take responsibility for the security of the van and contents.
To ensure that all items of furniture, ceramics, glassware, new goods, etc on the van are suitably secured and protected to avoid any damage in transit.
To complete daily, weekly and monthly vehicle safety checks and report any faults without delay.
To report any malfunction or damage to the company vehicle immediately to the Harlow Manager.
To be aware of gross vehicle weight and ensure that the safe limit is not exceeded.
To supervise volunteers and assist in their in-house training to ensure safe working practices.
To ensure St Clare Hospice remains top of mind for charitable donations of suitable goods for sale by provision of an excellent service at all levels.
To ensure that Health & Safety procedures are adhered to at all times on Company vehicles and all sites operated by St Clare Hospice and its Trading Company.
To drive in a safe and considerate way at all times, keeping to the statutory speed limits.
To be responsible for the internal & external cleanliness of Company vehicles.
At the direction of the Harlow Shop Manager to regularly remove from the shop premises, clothing, shoes and other unwanted items (including furniture) considered unsuitable for resale either for recycling or authorised disposal.
Person Specification
Other requirements
Essential
1. Flexibility regarding hours is required, including weekends and
2. occasional bank holidays
Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
3. Commitment to equality and valuing diversity and
4. understanding of how this applies to own area of work
5. Commitment to the aims and charitable objectives of St Clare
6. Hospice
Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience
Essential
7. One year in customer facing environment
8. Current full clean driving licence
9. Experience of driving panel vans or minibuses
10. Minimum age 25 years (insurance requirement)
Desirable
11. Good level of Education
12. Working with volunteers
Skills and Abilities
Essential
13. Good interpersonal skills including the ability to deal with the
14. public liaise with donors and build effective working
15. relationships with volunteers.
16. Team player and abilities to work as part of a small and wider team
17. Knowledge of Manual handling
18. Awareness of Health and Safety in the warehouse/retail
19. environment and re sale of goods
20. Able to keep calm and work accurately under pressure
21. Positive, self-motivated and committed to achieving results