Class C Driver

Overview:
**The department and team**

apetito is the UK’s leading supplier of food and catering solutions to care homes, local authorities & hospitals and the transport and distribution area of the business is a critically important part of our supply chain. Our drivers are the key link between our business and the customers we work with; ensuring our work is delivered professionally, efficiently and on time.

As a professional driver, this role represents a chance to join a growing and forward thinking business as an ambassador for apetito delivering our finished frozen food product to Care Homes, Local Authorities, Hospitals and our Wiltshire Farm Foods franchisees. In this critical role you must be prepared to drive to different geographical locations and manage a demanding delivery schedule - our customers depend on our food and we depend on you. Additionally, you will need to ensure that you provide fantastic customer service as the face of apetito. Start times vary between 04.00am - 08.00am and are based on an initial 40 hour week.

Our main base is Portbury near Bristol but we also have staff at our out base depots in the following locations; Stanmore, Gillingham, South Kirkby, St Helens and Motherwell in Scotland.

**Who we are**

We’re the leading food producer for the health and social care sector, providing delicious, nutritious and sustainable meals for people at home or in care.

We’re also the parent company of Wiltshire Farm Foods, the UK’s premier home-delivery service for ready-made meals.

Through our wide range of well-presented, nutritious meals to suit every taste and dietary need, we aim to make a real difference to lives of elderly and vulnerable people in care.

We’re proud to be a Living Wage employer and member of the Ethical Trading Initiative. We support British food and farming and operate a successful programme of waste reduction and resource efficiency across our whole business.

In addition to your salary you will receive a comprehensive training program, 33 days annual leave holiday entitlement, the ability to buy additional annual leave, retail discounts, free car parking, free turkey (or voucher) at Christmas and much more

**Responsibilities**:

- Undertake pre-shift inspection (vehicle check) of vehicles.
- Full compliance with the drivers’ hours, tachographs and road traffic regulations.
- Driving style - damage free and economical.
- Making deliveries in a timely manner and phoning transport office with any delivery discrepancies or delays.
- Deliver goods to the customer’s “point of need”.
- Provide excellent customer service and conflict resolution where necessary.
- Be an ambassador of the company.
- Report any customer service issues to transport office or customer service department while delivering.
- Undertake minor vehicle service activity such as cleaning and refueling of both vehicle and refrigerated unit and minor repairs such as the replacement of bulbs.
- Maintenance of a clean vehicle both internally and externally.
- Delivery and collection of vehicles as required to rental suppliers including any due inspections.
- Inspection of hire vehicles pre and post rental.
- Actively participate in a daily debrief process, working with your supervisor to identify safety, service and operational improvements as and when they arise

Qualifications:
**Essential**:

- Full LGV Class C Licence (ideally for minimum 2 years)
- Driving experience (ideally 2-3 years)
- Excellent understanding of Drivers hours regulations, working time directive and tachographs
- Good operational knowledge of modern commercial vehicles
- Good geographical knowledge of UK
- Numerate and literate
- Good people and communication skills
- CPC

**Desirable**:

- Temperature controlled transport
- Experience of multi drop deliveries
- Clean driving license
- Temperature Control Transport
- LGV repair or maintenance experience e.g. bulb changing
- Experience of operating tail lifts
- Experience of working with wheeled delivery equipment

**Personal Qualities**:

- Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills at all levels towards both customers and colleagues.
- Able to juggle the demands of a busy schedule, traffic conditions and other road users with safety, customer service and time / efficiency targets.
- Must be calm under pressure.
- High standard of personal presentation to uphold the company brand, including uniform / vehicle cleanliness.
- Flexible and responsive to business needs e.g. if required to complete a different route/start at different time on occasions.