Control Room Operator

Role Overview

As a Control Room Operator at National Highways, you will serve as the critical first responder to roadside calls including breakdowns, accidents, and urgent traffic issues. Your role involves coordinating the correct response teams, setting road signs and signals, liaising with emergency services, and ensuring the safety of road workers during maintenance and upgrades.

Located at the Regional Operations Centre in Newton Le Willows, you will be part of a dynamic, fast-paced team responsible for managing the road networks of the North West region. Operations run around the clock year-round, with a six-day on, three-day off rotating shift pattern including early, late, night, and cover shifts.

Key Responsibilities

• Surveilling live traffic conditions via advanced monitoring technology such as CCTV, traffic sensors, and data feeds to track congestion and incidents.
• Managing incidents promptly by coordinating dispatch of traffic officers, alerting emergency services, and implementing road closures or diversions.
• Delivering timely and accurate traffic information through variable message signs, communication with media outlets, and updates to traffic services.
• Collaborating with police, fire services, and local authorities to ensure incident management and road user safety.
• Coordinating road maintenance and construction schedules to minimize traffic disruption while ensuring safe working conditions.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Strong decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent verbal communication and telephone professionalism.
• Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.
• Technologically adept with the ability to quickly master new systems.
• High typing proficiency.
• GCSE grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English, or equivalent; relevant work experience or alternative qualifications may be considered.

Working Conditions and Additional Information

Shift pattern is a fixed cycle of 6 days on and 3 days off operating 24/7, year-round including early (6am-2:26pm), late (2pm-10:26pm), night (10pm-6:26am), and cover shifts which could be any of the aforementioned. The starting salary, combining base pay and a 25% shift allowance, is up to £36,262.50, rising to £37,762.50 after 9 months of probation.

About National Highways Operations

The Operations division is crucial to the safe and smooth functioning of the strategic road network, handling over 39,000 monthly customer inquiries and managing more than 4,500 miles of motorways and major A-roads. Their responsibilities include incident response, maintenance planning, and continuous improvement initiatives designed to enhance road user experience.

Note: Recruitment may close early should application volumes exceed expectations.