Jointers Mate

Location: Bidder Street, London

82987- Jointer's Mate

This JOinter's Mate will report to the Field Staff Supervisor and will work within Network Operations based in our West Ham, East London office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £40,144 + London Allowance + benefits and a bonus of 3%.

Close Date: 18th October 2026

We also provide the following additional benefits

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
• Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

UK Power Networks

• UK Power Networks is the country's biggest electricity distributor, making sure the lights stay on for more than eight million homes and businesses across London, the South East and the East of England.
• The company invests more than £600 million in its electricity networks every year, offers extra help to vulnerable customers at times of need, and is undertaking trials to ensure that electricity networks support the transition to a low carbon future. It also moves cables and connects new electricity supplies.

Job Purpose:

• The postholder is required to assist the Jointer in their role in terms of fault repairs, network alterations and new connection work which involves Excavating and jointing work on the LV/HV distribution network. This will also include assisting in the restoration of LV supplies as part of fault working and system emergencies.  This will be done by observing the work in progress to ensure correct procedures are being followed with particular regard to safe working practices and PPE for the task in hand.

Dimensions

• Although the person has no budgetary or staffing responsibilities, he/she does have a direct input to the financial budget in terms of personal responsibility for a vehicle plus other plant, material and equipment up to a value of £20k. These include a van (shared), compressor, generator, drilling equipment and personal protection equipment. It is usually the jointer’s responsibility for vehicles, tools and equipment as he/she will be the person liable for any damage/loss.  Please note that a vehicle is not supplied with this role.
• Jointers mates are required to demonstrate a responsible and safe approach to unplanned hazardous situations. They will be required to deal professionally with members of the public, emergency services and local authorities when representing UK Power Networks in emergency situations.
• This role forms part of Network Operations' 24-hour operational model. Whilst successful candidates may initially be assigned to work with a Jointer operating on the legacy Wider Working Window shift pattern, the role is intended to support the 24-hour rota structure. As such, postholders will be required to transfer to a 24-hour shift rota position when operationally required and a suitable vacancy becomes available. A commitment to working the 24-hour rota is an essential requirement of appointment

Principal Accountabilities

• Ensure safe use of equipment in line with health & safety procedures and network standards specifically that colleagues on site are also wearing the relevant PPE. (This forms part of the duty of care of all operational staff under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974)
• Actively contribute to the completion of on-site risk assessments as part of the working party, identifying hazards, implementing appropriate control measures, and ensuring all risks and controls are accurately documented. Work collaboratively with the team to promote a safe working environment and maintain compliance with company procedures.
• Undertake excavation and digging activities safely to facilitate access to underground assets and assist with fault repair and maintenance work. Work collaboratively with external contractors and colleagues to ensure tasks are completed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with company standards.
• Act as the designated support person during all live working activities, maintaining continuous vigilance to ensure the Jointer operates safely and in full accordance with company policies, procedures and safety standards. Remain focused and attentive at all times, providing an additional set of eyes to identify potential hazards, unsafe conditions or deviations from approved work methods that may not be immediately apparent to the Jointer. Speak up, challenge, intervene and report concerns where necessary to support the safe practices of all live work and protect the safety of the working party, customers and members of the public.
• Support the Jointer by preparing work areas, setting out tools, equipment and materials, and ensuring vehicles are appropriately stocked and equipped. Assist in the planning and preparation of work activities to enable tasks to be completed safely, efficiently, and to the required standard.
• Use appropriate IT equipment such as Field Force Enablement (FFE) – an electronic job issuing system.
• Support the Jointer by using sound judgement to assess the feasibility and safety of work activities, taking into account site conditions, risks, available resources, and timescales. Contribute to the completion of risk assessments, ensuring appropriate control measures are identified and implemented. Maintain a thorough knowledge of tools, equipment and safe working practices, and liaise with the Field Engineer as required to ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with company procedures.
• The postholder undertakes a system emergency storm role where he/she carries out in accordance with network standards and safety requirement

Measures of Success

• Actively promoting a zero harm culture and ensuring all activities are carried out in a manner that protects the safety of employees, colleagues, customers and members of the public.
• Effective understanding and successful implementation of UK Power Network’s policies and procedures 
• Deliver at least 90% of excavation requirements using the three-person team, maximising productivity and reducing contractor expenditure while maintaining safe working practices.
• Restoration of supply in a timely manner in accordance with safety requirements 
• Customer Guarantee Appointment standard
• Tools and equipment are within test dates and calibrated
• Jobs are signed off by completion of task instructions and are undertaken safely to quality, cost and time and completed to the correct specification and to guaranteed service standards.
• Feedback from colleagues, customers and other organisations as well as implementation of work activity demonstrate that policies and procedures are understood and successfully undertaken by the postholder.
• Obtain a City & Guilds 2339 (formally 2322) certificate qualification and train to become a craftsman jointer 

Nature and Scope

• The Jointers mate forms part of the Network Operations business unit and works alongside a Jointer, reporting to the Field Staff Supervisor. Network Operations is responsible for the safe operation, maintenance and restoration of the electricity network, including the rapid restoration of customer supplies.
• The postholder will work as part of a three-person team comprising one Jointer and two Jointers mate. The team is responsible for undertaking excavation activities and supporting the delivery of planned and unplanned network operations. Work is allocated through dispatch systems, scheduling teams, Field Engineers and other operational resources, ranging from planned maintenance activities to emergency fault response. The Jointers mate supports the Jointer in the delivery of these tasks, ensuring work is completed safely, efficiently and in accordance with company procedures.
• The postholder will receive objectives and performance feedback through the Individual Performance Review process and regular team briefings with the Field Staff Supervisor.
• The role requires flexibility and the ability to work effectively with different Jointers and operational teams as business needs dictate. Strong teamwork, communication and a commitment to safe working practices are essential to the successful delivery of the role.

Skills and Experience:

Essential

• Educated to at least GCSE level or equivalent.
• An understanding of the Electricity at Work Act including understanding electrical diagrams and maps i.e. points of isolation/earthing
• New Roads & Streetworks Act (NRSWA) – Units 1, 2 and 3 successfully achieved.
• Training would initially be at a training centre for a basic grasp of policy and health & safety. Jointers mate would be expected to learn on the job.
• Trained in First Aid
• Awareness of the policies relating to network standards and Health & Safety. The Jointers mate has to be aware of such policies but only enough so as to escalate to the Jointer if he/she felt there was a failure to follow a policy.
• Full UK driving licence required

Desirable

• Previous Jointing experience
• DNO Experience

Competencies:

• Customer focused, with the ability to develop positive relationships with customers, colleagues, contractors and members of the public.
• Demonstrable experience in carrying out excavation activities safely and efficiently, with a good understanding of the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA), associated legislation and safe digging practices.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, prioritise workloads, meet operational timescales and support the Jointer in the safe and efficient delivery of work activities.
• Strong teamwork skills, with the ability to collaborate with others to ensure work is completed safely, efficiently and to the required quality standards.
• Self-motivated with a willingness to maintain knowledge of relevant legislation, company policies, network standards and health and safety requirements.
• Flexible, adaptable and responsive to changing operational requirements, maintaining a positive attitude and a proactive approach to work.
• Good communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships, interpret technical information and communicate clearly with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrate a high standard of health and safety awareness, including the safe use of tools, plant and equipment, and a commitment to complying with company procedures and safe systems of work.
• Ability to work on own initiative when supporting the planning and preparation of work activities, whilst recognising when guidance or escalation is required.

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control, and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations.  This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and particularly where there are legal requirements, employees are responsible for understanding those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome, valued and able to be themselves. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. If you meet the essential criteria and believe your skills, experience or transferable strengths could make you a great fit for the role, we’d love to hear from you. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we’ll be happy to help. 

We may use AI-enabled tools to support elements of our recruitment process. These tools help us manage applications more efficiently and consistently, but they do not make hiring decisions. All recruitment decisions are made by trained employees using human judgement and oversight. We are committed to using AI responsibly, fairly and transparently, in line with our legal, regulatory and ethical obligations.

Your data will be hosted within a secure environment and will only be used by UK Power Networks for the purpose of which it is intended. The data is used only as an input to provide insights for the screening process and is not retained by the model or by UK Power Networks’ contractor, shared with the contractor’s other customers or with OpenAI, or used to train or improve AI models.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Where applicable, this role is subject to safer recruitment processes and robust pre‑employment checks

If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at careers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.