Leading Hand

About The Job

Salary: £27,254– £29,540 a year pro rata

Hours per week: 14.8

Contract type: Permanent

Luton Council is seeking a committed and experienced Leading Hand to support the day-to-day operations of the Passenger Transport Unit. This is a hands-on role combining leadership, driving responsibilities, and operational coordination to ensure safe, efficient transport services for our community.

You will act as a key liaison between operational staff and the Fleet Office, ensuring smooth communication and effective service delivery. The role also involves supervising staff, maintaining high safety standards, and supporting passengers with a wide range of needs.

Key Responsibilities

Allocate daily duties to operational staff and support service delivery Act as a link between drivers, escorts, and the Fleet Office Carry out basic vehicle checks and minor repairs (e.g. non-starts) Conduct driver assessments and assist with staff training Ensure safe vehicle practices within the depot and yard area Drive a range of passenger vehicles (up to 16 seats) Escort passengers on prescribed routes, ensuring their safety and wellbeing Support passengers with mobility needs, including handling wheelchairs Maintain accurate records, reports, and numeric data

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

About You

We are looking for someone who is reliable, adaptable, and confident working with the public. You will bring:

Experience working with people, including those with physical or mental disabilities Experience driving passenger-carrying vehicles (up to 16 seats) A valid driving licence with D1 entitlement Knowledge of daily vehicle checks and basic maintenance procedures Ability to carry out minor vehicle repairs Understanding of traffic regulations Strong communication skills with the ability to engage tactfully with passengers, carers, colleagues, and the public Good written skills, including report writing and data handling IT skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel The ability to manage competing demands and workload pressures

Training & Development

The successful candidate will be expected to participate in a structured training programme, including:

Safeguarding Adults & Children Autism & Dementia Awareness Team Leader Development First Aid Contextual Safeguarding, FGM & Radicalisation PATS Trainer DSL, GDPR & EDI

Additional Requirements

Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion principles Willingness to work on a rota system, including outside normal working hours Flexible and proactive approach to work

Why Join Luton Council?

Join a supportive and community-focused organisation where your work makes a real difference to people’s daily lives. You’ll play a vital role in ensuring safe and accessible transport for some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

About Us

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough

Application Process

Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

Benefits

We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 19.2 per cent (at April 2026) and 3x salary death in service grant Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility) Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel

How To Apply

We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!

Our ‘How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply