General Highways Operative

Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure and construction group. We finance, develop, build, and maintain innovative and efficient projects that underpin daily life, support communities, and enable economic growth. Our unparalleled expertise and resources ensure that we deliver high-quality projects safely, on time, and within budget.

Job Title
:
General Highways Operative

Location
:
Portsmouth

Company
:
Balfour Beatty Group

Now is a great time to join us. As a leading international construction group with a healthy pipeline of work, we’re growing our teams. Shape a career to be proud of as part of an award‑winning team. Own your career and build something you can be proud of at Balfour Beatty. By joining our well‑established construction teams working on significant future pipeline projects, you will work with true experts who will share their knowledge and provide support, encouragement, and invaluable feedback so you never stop learning.

Bring us your capability, and we’ll help you take it far.

• Work safely at all times, following safe systems of work, reporting near misses, hazards and good practice, and keeping site H&S and environmental records up to date.
• Help the team minimise environmental impact by correctly segregating and recording waste, and taking proactive steps to prevent pollution or environmental incidents.
• Carry out a wide variety of highway maintenance tasks (patching, drainage, fencing, signs, barriers, vegetation clearance, etc.) to a high standard, right the first time.
• Use the correct tools, plant, materials and techniques for each job, recording quality evidence on our digital platforms.
• Read and understand work instructions, drawings and risk assessments issued via tablet/mobile device, and complete jobs on time and to client specification.
• Respond to emergency call‑outs to make the network safe (e.g. debris removal, accident response, flooding, storm damage).
• Support winter maintenance operations including gritting, snow clearance and out‑of‑hours working when required.
• Participate fully in Daily Activity Briefings (DABs) and toolbox talks.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, subcontractors and external contractors to deliver a first‑class service.
• Prioritise public and workforce safety at all times, dealing politely and professionally with members of the public and their enquiries.
• Take pride in delivering high‑quality workmanship that keeps the highway network safe and reliable for all road users.

• Strong awareness of health and safety legislation, safe systems of work, and risk elimination/mitigation in a highways/construction environment.
• Commitment to working safely on the public highway and construction sites.
• Basic IT skills with the ability to use mobile devices/apps for asset management systems (e.g. Confirm) and digital construction/BIM tools.
• Holders of (or willingness to obtain through company‑provided training):
• NRSWA (New Roads and Street Works Act) – operative or supervisor level
• EUSR (Energy & Utility Skills Register) – Water Hygiene (EUSR1/EUSR2)
• Current First Aid qualification
• Lantra T1/T2 (Temporary Traffic Management)
• Valid CSCS card
• Abrasive Wheels certification
• Manual Handling training
• Full UK driving licence.

• Practical experience in a range of highways maintenance and minor civils activities, including (but not limited to):
• Drainage works, concreting, kerbing, paving/slabbing
• Pothole and patch repairs, asphalt laying and raking
• Installation of road signs, street furniture, and poles
• Winter maintenance operations (gritting, snow clearance)
• Additional qualifications and tickets (preferred):
• Level 2 Award in Winter Maintenance
• HGV Class 2 (Category
  
  C) licence and Driver CPC
• Plant tickets:
  Ride‑on Roller, Forward Tipping Dumper, Telescopic Handler, 180°/360° Excavator
• Confined Spaces (Medium or High Risk)
• Deep Excavation/Support of Excavation
• Previous experience working on highways contracts or with local authorities/utility companies is highly advantageous.

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful…