Job Description

Annual salary: up to 26,208.00
Transport Officer
Location: Darlington
Salary up to 26,208per annum
Contract: Permanent, Full time, 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Mears provides temporary accommodation to asylum seekers whilst their claim is being assessed in three regions: Northeast, Yorkshire and Humber, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. At the end of May 2021 Mears had over 19000 service users across the three regions. Mears work in partnership with central and local Government, registered providers, tenants, landlords and investors to find solutions to homelessness, provide more social and affordable housing and create specialist housing for people with care needs.
About the Role:
As a Transport Officer in Darlington, you will be responsible for safely transporting service users and their children while ensuring full compliance with statutory and contractual requirements. You will carry out equipment checks, complete paperwork and reports, and support incident and compliance processes. Working closely with the transport team and Transport Manager, you'll help deliver a high-quality service, build strong relationships with colleagues and external partners, and ensure service users have a safe and positive experience. You may also support other teams, take on ad-hoc projects, and must always follow company policies and procedures.
Role Criteria:

• Safely transport service users and their children in line with statutory and contractual requirements
• Carry out equipment and vehicle checks, always ensuring safety and compliance
• Complete all required paperwork, including incident and compliance reports
• Support the Transport Manager and team to meet contractual obligations
• Build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, service users, and external partners
• Work collaboratively with regional teams to deliver a safe and reliable service
• Support colleagues with ad-hoc projects and cover when required
• Follow all company policies, procedures, and code of conduct

• Previous experience in a driving role
• Full UK driving licence
• Ability to transport passengers safely and assist with heavy luggage
• Experience working with vulnerable people
• Strong communication skills and good customer service experience
• Ability to remain calm and work effectively under pressure

Benefits we can offer you

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Annual Mears Fun Day - Our annual Fun Day is organised as a massive thank you from the Executive team for all the hard work!
• Volunteering Leave - Mears supports employees to undertake paid volunteering in the community, in support of our social value commitment.
• Staff perks with Mears Rewards - discounts of up to 10% weekly groceries, holidays, eye test vouchers, Share save scheme, plus much more
• Family friendly policies
• Access to EAP Counselling sessions

To drive a Mears vehicle, you must be aged over 21 have held your licence over 3 months and have less than 9 points.
All our roles require candidates to have the entitlement to work within the UK, Mears does not currently offer visa sponsorship.
As part of the recruitment process for this role, we will carry out a Background, Identity, Security clearance & BPSS check. For these checks to be completed, we will require from you the relevant identification, including Proof of Address, References, a valid passport and proof that you have lived in the UK for the last 5 years.
Apply below or to discuss your application further; contact: Beth Dunford (beth.dunford@mearsgroup.co.uk)
If you need any help with your application process, we are here to support you. We will be accessible every step of the way.
At Mears Group, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, we are a Disability Confident employer, valuing individuality and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and are honoured to have achieved the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) to coincide with this, we hold an Endorser Award for the Career Transition Partnership, recognising our commitment to veterans transitioning into civilian careers.
In our continued effort to promote social mobility, we invite applicants to voluntarily share their background information during the application stages to help us better understand the diverse experiences of our candidates. This is to ensure we are committed to improving social mobility. We use the Social Mobility Index to assess and enhance opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These questions are optional and will not impact your ability to apply.

Skills Required