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Waitrose & Partners

Mechanical Handling Instructor

On site

Aylesford, United kingdom

Freelance

24-11-2025

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Skills

Communication Workday Test Training Coaching Recruitment

Job Specifications

About The Role

As an MHE instructor you will train, instruct and test Warehouse Partners, including agency partners and other nominated individuals. You will become a competent user of all Mechanical Handling Equipment and adhere to all Legal, Health and Safety and Operational procedures, conforming to the requirements of the Health and Safety Commissions approved Code of Practice and Guidance.

What you’ll be doing:

You will implement a training standard that reflects the ethos of the Partnership ensuring consistency across all RDCs and ensuring Partner training records are maintained and giving appropriate refresher training when necessary.
You will carry out comprehensive inductions for Partners and Agency ensuring all communication is clear, precise and that Partners fully understand all instructions.
You will ensure the theory test is carried out correctly, the correct training aids are used, it is carried out in the correct environment and all training records are kept up to date.
Carrying out normal warehouse operational tasks as and when required, working to the agreed productivity targets within the Health & Safety guidelines and completing all required paperwork accurately and on time.
Effectively communicating any Partner and/or operational issues to Management in a timely manner.
You will promote an attitude of good Health & Safety practices within the RDC by continually challenging procedures to ensure the RDC is achieving the highest levels of competencies.
You will ensure all Legal, Health & Safety legislation and Operational procedures are adhered to and work within Health & Safety guidelines at all times ensuring the safety of self and others. This includes the reporting of injuries, accidents and any Health & Safety issues.

Essential skills/qualifications you’ll need:

ITSSAR Category 1 MHE Instructor and current MGHE Operators Licence (or willingness to obtain)
Experience of training others in manual handling equipment usage
Excellent organisational and planning skills
Ability to remain calm under pressure
Excellent listening and communication skills, communicating clearly and precisely at all levels
Able to cope with the physical requirements of the role
Demonstrable coaching skills
Computer literacy, with a good degree of literacy and numeracy

Desirable skills/qualifications:

Experience of working in a Distribution environment
An understanding of the Health & Safety at Work Act
Ability to demonstrate our Partnership Behaviours
ITSSAR Category 4 Accredited Tutor

What happens next?

The application consists of a CV upload and online test followed by application questions. Please ensure you refresh the page each time you complete a task to ensure you complete everything you need to in time (if internal, please check your Workday notifications).
We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we recommend that you apply early.

About The Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contra

About the Company

We're on a journey, an ongoing experiment to find happier, more trusted ways of doing business and all of our Partners have a part to play. By joining the Partnership you'll be joining a different kind of business. One that seeks to make a difference, not just to its Partners, but to the lives of everyone. It's this shared purpose that drives us, guides us, and we believe that by working together, in Partnership, we can help create a place with happier people, for a happier business and a happier world. #FindYourHappier #Dri... Know more