Packhouse - Jobs.

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

An exciting opportunity has opened for a motivated and skilled Cirrus Line Admin to join our expanding maintenance team. The successful candidate will receive training on the Cirrus system and will have the chance to grow within the company.

Responsibilities Include:

·        Proficient in using the Cirrus operating system and scanners.

·        Responsible for opening and closing lots for production operations, scanning staff, packaging, bins, and pallets in the system.

·        Understand the processes for 3rd party customers and how to add them to the lots.

·        Update pallet status for Dispatch and QC operations.

·        Create stock lists for pallets and bins.

·        Print pallet labels for third-party customers and manually receive consignments when necessary.

·        Support Dispatch and QC operations within the Cirrus system.

·        Assist with picking operations when required—creating picks, printing labels, and verifying stock and locations.

·        Perform weekly checks to reconcile physical stock of bins, pallets, and packaging with Cirrus stock.

·        Provide assistance to packhouse and warehouse staff with Cirrus and stock-related issues.

·        Conduct tests on Cirrus Test and Cirrus Staging as needed.

Ideal Candidate Will Have:

·        Strong computer skills

·        Flexibility with work schedule

·        Team player

·        Ability to work in cold environments

·        Proficiency in multiple languages (English, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, or Bulgarian)

The days you would work:

Working days are 5 per week if necessary, it can be 6 days per week

Salary :

£12.21/hour , after 40 hours £15.26  , the salary will change after 3 months : Beginner level

Location: Hoo, Rochester

What else we can offer you:

·        28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)

·        Pension scheme

·        Fortnightly pay

·        Learning and development opportunities

·        Free onsite parking

·        An opportunity to occupy our company accommodation if required

·        Access to free Wi-Fi

We are looking for full time/permanent Transport Desk Planner join our Team!

Job Description

· Continuous communication with Line Leaders, PH Managers, Transport department

· Daily dispatch planning for pack houses to ensure efficient lorry loading process

· Use of in house system Cirrus for different tasks, Checking stocks, Creating orders and Loading plans

· Confident to work independently and competent in planning daily loading schedules

· Printing customer delivery notes and address them accordingly

· Making sure all trailers are being loaded correctly and dispatched on time

· Learning and understanding the production plan

· Overseeing dispatch operations, from picking to loading

· Ensuring the correct hauliers are used for each collection

· Printing delivery notes for each customer and ensuring they are given to the correct person

· Follow relevant procedures for health and safety and hygiene on the work place

Skills requirements:

· Strong work ethic with a proven ability to work and achieve set deadlines with a high level of accuracy

· Good English level is essential, knowledge of other languages advantageous

· High levels of accuracy and numeracy and good computer skills (Excel)

· Good communication and teamwork skills

· Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team

· Ability to stay calm under pressure

· Previous warehouse experience and experience operating reach truck/pallet truck desired

Working hours

Shifts are any 5 out of 7.

Working hours between 07:30 until late nights. Flexibility is required.

Average weekly hours 50-55, overtime paid after 40 hours per week

Salary:

Starting Basic £14.86 per hour for the first 40hours per week

Overtime £18.58 per hour after 40 hours per week

Own transport is required due to site location.

Benefits:

· Holiday allowance of 28 paid days per annum including bank holidays

· Fortnightly pay

· Regular overtime available

· Free on site parking

· Access to free WIFI

· Free apples and pears

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

An opportunity has arisen for an efficient and dynamic individual to join our team in the role of Pallet Truck Operative. The purpose of this role is to support with the safe movement of our products within our production area. Our ideal candidate would have experience of operating powered trucks and will be committed to maintaining and safe and efficient working environment.

Responsibilities Include:

• Safety operating powered pallet trucks to transport goods within our production areas
• Loading and unloading of pallets from vehicles and storage areas
• Working a cold store environment (with temperatures ranging from 0-5 degrees Celsius)
• Operating a handheld scanner to ensure data is accurately recorded in our internal database
• Repetitive manual handling of products (up to 18kg)
• Operating a clean as you go procedure to keep the dispatch area clean and tidy
• Maintaining excellent levels of hygiene and health and safety standards
• Reporting any damaged or missing goods, non-conformances or accidents to relevant managers to ensure appropriate action is taken

Our perfect Pallet Truck Operative would have:

• Current and in-date PPT truck license (desirable)
• Previous experience of working in a warehouse or stores based environment would be an advantage
• Understanding of and adherence to health and safety protocols and food hygiene standards
• The ability to interpret and follow written and spoken instructions
• Comfortable with a physical role where manual handling is a frequent requirement
• Respect for others and values diversity; happy to listen and work as part of a team
• A can-do attitude with a flexible and dynamic approach
• The ability to use own initiative and thrives under pressure
• The ability to learn how to operate our handheld scanners

The hours you would work:

A 5 on 2 off shift pattern with an average of 45 hours per week. Working hours of 07:15-17:15 with flexibility required.

Rate of pay:

£12.56 for the first 40 hours

£15.70 after 40 hours with an opportunity to progress to next pay band depending on level of experience, certificates held and level of responsibility taken/quality of work

What else we can offer you:

• 28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)
• Pension scheme
• Fortnightly pay
• Learning and development opportunities
• Discretionary Christmas bonus
• Free onsite parking
• Access to free Wi-Fi

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

An opportunity has arisen for capable individuals with an eye for detail to join our Production team in the role of Shunter Driver. 

The Shunter Driver is responsible for the safe and efficient movement of vehicles, trailers, and other equipment within the yard and warehouse areas. They ensure trailers are correctly positioned for loading and unloading while maintaining full compliance with health and safety regulations.

Responsibilities Include:

•       Safely manoeuvre and park vehicles and trailers within the yard and designated areas.

•         Ensure timely and correct positioning of trailers at loading bays for inbound and outbound operations.

•         Conduct daily pre-use checks on vehicles and trailers, reporting any defects promptly in line with VOR (Vehicle Off Road) procedures.

•         Perform safe and efficient trailer movements across the site according to the daily plan.

•         Always follow all yard safety procedures and speed limits.

•         Assist with coupling and uncoupling of trailers as required.

•         Maintain accurate records of trailer and vehicle movements, ensuring proper documentation.

•         Communicate clearly and professionally with Yard, Packhouse Transport Desk, and Dispatch teams.

•         Occasionally support other yard functions such as Gatehouse operations, Banksman, or Forklift driving as needed.

•         Ensure compliance with company policies, health & safety regulations, and legal requirements.

•         Maintain a clean, tidy, and organised yard environment.

Our perfect Shunter Driver would have/be:

·         A valid shunter licence and relevant experience

·         Takes responsibility for own actions

·         All employees, across all departments, must follow the company’s Health & Safety, Food Safety, and Hygiene Policies at all times. These policies are designed to protect employee well-being and ensure compliance with customer and BRC (British Retail Consortium) requirements.

·         Company-provided PPE must be worn at all times, in accordance with the requirements set out in company policies.

·         Previous experience of working in a warehouse or stores-based environment would be an advantage

·         Understanding of and adherence to health and safety protocols and food hygiene standards

·         The ability to interpret and follow written and spoken instructions

·         Comfortable with a physical role where manual handling is a frequent requirement

·         Respect for others and values diversity; happy to listen and work as part of a team

·         Actively listens and contributes towards the team effort; collaborates and shares expertise with others

·         Approaches challenges with a positive mind-set

·         A can-do attitude with a flexible and dynamic approach

·         The ability to use own initiative; takes pride in delivering against tight deadlines despite working under pressure

·         The ability to learn how to operate our handheld scanners

·         Displays pride in A. C. Goatham, our products and processes

·         Customer focussed; able to provide a pragmatic and responsive service.  Builds strong relationships throughout the organisation

The hours you would work:

Shunter drivers operate on a rotating shift pattern across the following three shifts:

•               1st Shift: 07:00 – 18:00

•               2nd Shift: 11:00 – 22:00

•               3rd Shift: 13:00 – 00:00

 Flexibility is essential.

Rate of pay:

£36796.5/year

What else we can offer you:

·         28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)

·         Pension scheme

·         Fortnightly pay

·         Learning and development opportunities

·         Free onsite parking

·         An opportunity to occupy our company accommodation if required

·         Access to free Wi-Fi

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

An opportunity has arisen for capable individuals with an eye for detail to join our Production team in the role of Forklift driver. 

The purpose of this role is to support with the safe movement of our products within our yard and production area. The post holder will be responsible for operating Forklift trucks and will be committed to maintaining and safe and efficient working environment.

Responsibilities Include:

·         Safely operating Forklift trucks to transport goods within our production and yard areas

·         Feeding pack houses with packaging and produce as required

·         Ensuring products are stored in the correct place/cold store

·         Working a cold store environment (with temperatures ranging from 0-5 degrees Celsius)

·         Loading/unloading cold stores

·         Loading/unloading deliveries of products

·         Loading tipper trucks

·         Ensuring that forklift driving areas are free from spills or obstructions

·         Regularly checking forklift equipment for faults or damages

·         Working on apple/pear graders, tray packs and pre-size

·         Assisting on any additional tasks within production and yard areas

·         Repetitive manual handling of products (up to 18kg)

·         Operating a clean as you go procedure to keep the production and yard areas clean and tidy

·         Maintaining excellent levels of hygiene and health and safety standards

·         Reporting any damaged or missing goods, non-conformances or accidents to relevant managers to ensure appropriate action is taken 

Our perfect Forklift Driver would have/be:

·         Current and in-date Forklift driving licenses / certificates (desirable)

·         Takes responsibility for own actions

·         Previous experience of working in a warehouse or stores-based environment would be an advantage

·         Understanding of and adherence to health and safety protocols and food hygiene standards

·         The ability to interpret and follow written and spoken instructions

·         Comfortable with a physical role where manual handling is a frequent requirement

·         Respect for others and values diversity; happy to listen and work as part of a team

·         Actively listens and contributes towards the team effort; collaborates and shares expertise with others

·         Approaches challenges with a positive mind-set

·         A can-do attitude with a flexible and dynamic approach

·         The ability to use own initiative; takes pride in delivering against tight deadlines despite working under pressure

·         The ability to learn how to operate our handheld scanners

·         Displays pride in A. C. Goatham, our products and processes

·         Customer focussed; able to provide a pragmatic and responsive service.  Builds strong relationships throughout the organisation

The hours you would work:

Forklift Drivers operate on a rotating shift pattern across the following three shifts:

Early shift: 06:00 – 17:00

Day shift:  07:00 – 18:00

Late shift: 13:00 – 24:00

Flexibility is required, working 5 days per week according to the shift pattern.

Rate of pay:

£34030.75/year

What else we can offer you:

·         28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)

·         Pension scheme

·         Fortnightly pay

·         Learning and development opportunities

·         Free onsite parking

·         An opportunity to occupy our company accommodation if required

·         Access to free Wi-Fi

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

Two opportunities have arisen for dynamic individuals with an eye for detail to join our team in the role of Quality Controller. The purpose of this role is to carry out quality control checks on incoming raw materials, outgoing finished products and online production checks to ensure our fresh fruit products meet our internal and customer specifications.

Responsibilities Include:

• Inspection of fresh produce on arrival, on production lines and on despatch; ensuring product is correctly packed and positive release is carried out
• Carrying out quality related inspection checks such as pressure and brix testing using the appropriate equipment and recording test results
• Utilising the company IT software to create stock reports
• Managing workload according to customer order sheets.
• Checking of produce labels for accuracy and as per specification
• Selection and monitoring of shelf-life samples and carrying out associated testing
• Completing any necessary documentation in compliance with any requirements
• Maintaining excellent levels of hygiene standards
• Repetitive manual handling of products (up to 18kg)
• Monitoring the productivity of our Production Operatives, providing training, support and feedback to drive improved performance

Our perfect Quality Controller would have:

• Previous experience of working in a fresh produce environment with responsibility for monitoring product quality would be a strong advantage
• Excellent attention to detail
• Understanding of and adherence to health and safety protocols and food hygiene standards
• The ability to interpret and follow written and spoken instructions
• Respect for others and values diversity; happy to listen and work as part of a team
• A can-do attitude with a flexible and dynamic approach
• The ability to use own initiative and thrives under pressure
• A basic understanding of stock control systems

The hours you would work:

Our Quality Controllers are contracted to work a 5 day week but due to the nature of our business, it can sometimes be 6. We do tend to work long hours but we reflect this in our competitive pay structure. As a result, this role would only be suited to candidates who are able to be flexible.

Rate of pay:

£13.25 for the first 40 hours

£16.56 after 40 hours with pay increasing after successful completion of training

What else we can offer you:

• 28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)
• Pension scheme
• Fortnightly pay
• Learning and development opportunities
• Discretionary Christmas bonus
• Free onsite parking
• Access to free Wi-Fi

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

An opportunity has arisen for capable individuals with an eye for detail to join our Production team in the role of Dispatch and Pallet Truck Department Supervisor. 

The Dispatch Supervisor is responsible for overseeing daily operations within the Dispatch and Production areas, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, safety, and compliance with all relevant company policies, customer specifications, and UK regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Oversight:

• Supervise daily dispatch operations, ensuring timely loading and unloading of goods.
• Oversee the team of pallet truck drivers, dispatch operatives, reach truck operators and transport desk operatives, providing direction and support to maintain efficient workflow.
• Monitor and ensure adherence to customer specific order requirements and delivery schedules.

Rota Management:

• Manage staff rotas and ensure all holiday requests are considered and adequately covered to maintain operational continuity.
• Coordinate closely with the Transport Desk, ensuring all transport requirements, schedules, and deadlines are met.

Stock Control:

• Ensure all dispatch staff accurately complete stock checks using the Cirrus stock control system, maintaining accurate records for stock levels and movement.
• Investigate and rectify stock discrepancies promptly, coordinating with other departments as needed.

H&S and Compliance:

• Conduct and verify daily equipment checks and temperature monitoring, maintaining records as required by company and regulatory standards.

·         Assure the materials are stored in correct temperature ranges according to customer requirements.

·         Ensure strict compliance with Health & Safety, Food Safety, and Hygiene policies, aligning with BRC and customer requirements.

• Regularly audit dispatch processes to maintain high standards and continuous improvement.

·         Ensure all relevant equipment checks are carried out daily, all defects reported and solved in a timely manner.

• Ensure correct usage and compliance with company-provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Inter-departmental Coordination:

• Act as a liaison between Dispatch and other departments (e.g., Quality Control, Production, Transport) to facilitate effective communication and smooth operational flow.
• Report issues promptly and collaborate effectively to resolve operational challenges.

Team Leadership:

• Provide effective supervision, training, and mentoring to Dispatch department’s staff.
• Encourage a culture of accountability, safety, and teamwork within the department.
• Address performance concerns promptly and escalate as needed.

All employees, in all departments are expected to adhere to company Health & Safety Policies, Food Safety Policies and Hygiene Policies at all times. These policies are not only for your safety and well-being, but to ensure that we comply with customer and BRC requirements.

Company provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be worn as per requirements set out in our Policies.

The hours you would work:

Any 5 days out of 7 (including weekends). Normal working hours 07:30 - 16:30, but some flexibility might be required in finish times.

Rate of pay:

£35738.30 /year (based on 45 hours working week). The salary will be subject to review after the initial six months.

What else we can offer you:

·         28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)

·         Pension scheme

·         Fortnightly pay

·         Learning and development opportunities

·         Free onsite parking

·         An opportunity to occupy our company accommodation if required

·         Access to free Wi-Fi

Our growing business has been all about British apples and pears since 1947.

From father to son, every day for over 75 years, our family business is growing. We innovate and change but our values always stay the same. We’re a team who pride ourselves on the Goatham’s way, passionate about growing the very best quality British apples and pears.

An opportunity has arisen for capable individuals with an eye for detail to join our Yard team in the role of Gatehouse/Banks person Yard Operator. 

The Gatehouse/Banks person Yard Operator is responsible for managing yard traffic from goods-in to outbound dispatch. The role involves coordinating with various teams to ensure safe and efficient traffic flow, as well as supporting general yard duties. This includes acting as a Banksman for vehicle bay parking, operating a forklift, unloading/loading lorries, bailing waste cardboard, and maintaining overall yard organisation.

Responsibilities Include:

Traffic Management:

•         Direct vehicle traffic to appropriate packhouse loading/unloading areas to ensure smooth and efficient flow.

•         Monitor and report any unsafe conditions, obstructions, or potential hazards in the yard.

Communication:

•         Communicate effectively with drivers, pedestrians, and yard/traffic personnel.

•         Use hand signals, signage, or radio communication to deliver clear instructions and updates.

Record Keeping:

•         Maintain accurate records of traffic movements, including vehicle bookings and inbound/outbound tracking.

•         Complete incident reports and documentation as required.

•         Understand and work within ACG operational systems.

Yard Operations:

•         Assist with safe parking of vehicles on loading bays as a Banksman.

•         Operate forklifts to support loading/unloading and other yard tasks.

•         Bale waste cardboard and support general yard maintenance and cleanliness.

•         Assist Forklift drivers’ team.

Our perfect Gatehouse/Banks person Yard Operator would have/be:

•               Previous experience in a similar role

Health & Safety

All employees, across all departments, are expected to follow the company’s Health & Safety, Food Safety, and Hygiene Policies at all times. These policies are in place to ensure employee safety, legal compliance, and alignment with customer and BRC (British Retail Consortium) standards.

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Company-provided PPE must be worn at all times in accordance with company policy

The hours you would work:

Day Shift: 07:00 – 18:00

Flexibility is required, working 5 days per week according to the shift pattern

Rate of pay:

£32130.8/year

What else we can offer you:

·         28 days holiday including bank holidays (with an opportunity to earn more holiday based on your length of service)

·         Pension scheme

·         Fortnightly pay

·         Learning and development opportunities

·         Free onsite parking

·         An opportunity to occupy our company accommodation if required

·         Access to free Wi-Fi