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⚡ Source: ReedRef: 56853776

HGV Driver Class 1

Tesco·Rainham·Posted yesterday
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Job description

Original text imported from Reed

About the role

A job where you are in the driving seat!

As the face of Tesco out on the road, our HGV drivers get the opportunity to meet and talk to different colleagues at stores. That’s why this role is about much more than just driving: it's about helping others and delivering great service, with a smile.

No two shifts are ever the same, for most of the day you’ll feel like your own boss, out on the road delivering to our stores, but there is always a team of managers and colleagues back at the distribution centre ready to support you when you need them.

You’ll meet great people, learn new things and be part of a specialist, diverse team, where everyone is welcome.

Whether you are looking for stability or flexibility to suit your lifestyle, or the opportunity to progress your career, this can be the role for you.

What is in it for you

  • 1 year of minimum of Class 1 year of experience required.  
  • Paid breaks 
  • Holiday starting at 20 days plus a personal day rising to 22 days after 12 months (plus Bank holidays)
  • Request flexible working from day one
  • Get 10% off and 15% at pay day weekends – save up to £2,000 a year with your Colleague Clubcard with an additional card to share with family outside your home
  • Access to free wellbeing services with a range of resources to support your mind, body, and life
  • Life cover of five times your pay and an award-winning pension with matching contributions up to 7.5%
  • Benefits to suit you, choose what you use – from discounts and shares to cycle to work schemes
  • Uniform provided and policies to support you for all of life’s moments, big and small
  • Access to our colleague networks providing a space for colleagues to come together from a range of backgrounds. For more information about our colleague networks please click here. 
  • Click here to read more about the benefits we have available for our colleagues

You will be responsible for

  • Professionally representing the Tesco brand whilst on UK roads
  • Ensuring our products reach our stores on time and in good condition
  • Being out on the road but also working collaboratively with colleagues and representing Tesco to everyone you meet
  • Driving safely, responsibly and within the law
  • Collecting as well as delivering, supporting your distribution centre by moving trailers and keeping vehicles fuelled

You will need

  • To be passionate about delivering great customer service
  • Friendly, approachable and reliable
  • Able to adhere to WTD and EU Drivers Hours
  • To become a Tesco Driver, you'll need a full HGV 1 (C+E) EU license with no more than six penalty points, needs a valid DQC and a Driver Card.

Should you be successful in your application, your offer will be subject to and conditional upon you providing your bank account details before your agreed start date.

About us

Our vision here at Tesco is to become every customer's favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move. Our core purpose is ‘Serving Britain's shoppers a little better every day’. Our business was built with a simple mission – to be the champion for customers, helping them to enjoy a better quality of life and an easier way of living. This hasn't changed. Customers want great products at great value which they can buy easily and it's our job to deliver this in the right way for them. In the UK, we serve some 66 shoppers every second, so it's our goal to ensure every one of those customers experiences just a little better service on each visit.

At Tesco, inclusion means that Everyone’s Welcome. Everyone is treated fairly and with respect; by valuing individuality and uniqueness we create a sense of belonging. Diversity and inclusion have always been at the heart of Tesco. It is embedded in our values: we treat people how they want to be treated. We always want our colleagues to feel they can be themselves at work and we are committed to helping them be at their best. Across the Tesco group we are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues – who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

We know life looks a little different for each of us. That’s why at Tesco, we always welcome chats about flexible working. Some people are at the start of their careers, some want the freedom to do the things they love. Others are going through life-changing moments like becoming a carer, nearing retirement, adapting to parenthood, or something else. So, talk to us throughout your application about how we can support.

We’re proud to have been accredited Disability Confident Leader and we’re committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. For further information on the accessibility support we can offer, please click here.

Please note

Tesco will only recruit individuals who have passed the school leaver’s age.  To find out the school leavers age for your country please click here

We can only accept candidates over the age of 18 if the role requires working before 6:15 am or after 9:45 pm or involves working in areas such as the warehouse, beers, wines & spirits, counters, bakery and driving roles.

On the occasions where we have high volumes of applicants, some roles may close earlier than the advertised end date in order for us to manage all of the applicants appropriately. We will only be able to offer individual feedback to those candidates who attend an interview.

SpeedCV AI

Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills
HGV Class 1 (C+E) licenceDQC certificationDriver CardWTD complianceEU Drivers Hours knowledge
Nice-to-have
Distribution centre experienceRetail logisticsCustomer service experience
Soft skills
Customer serviceCommunicationReliabilityTeamworkProfessionalismAdaptability
SpeedCV AI

Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

1

🚛 Emphasise your HGV Class 1 (C+E) licence prominently as this is the core requirement for the role

2

📋 Highlight your DQC certification and Driver Card validity as these are mandatory qualifications

3

⏰ Demonstrate your knowledge of WTD and EU Drivers Hours regulations to show compliance awareness

4

🤝 Showcase customer service skills as the role involves representing Tesco brand to colleagues and public

5

📍 Mention any experience with distribution centres, trailer movements, or retail logistics operations

NEW
AI SpeedCV

Suggested CV bullets

3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.

How to tailor your CV

Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:

  • Maintained 99.2% on-time delivery rate across 45 weekly store deliveries while ensuring full WTD and EU Drivers Hours compliance
  • Completed 2,400+ miles weekly driving HGV Class 1 vehicles with zero accidents and clean driving record over 18 months
  • Collaborated with 12 distribution centre colleagues daily to coordinate trailer movements and vehicle fuelling operations

Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.

NEW
AI cover letter

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We've drafted a cover letter for Tesco. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.

Letter preview — tailored to Tesco

Dear Hiring Manager,

Tesco's commitment to serving Britain's shoppers aligns perfectly with my professional driving experience, which is why I am applying for the HGV Driver Class 1 position in Rainham. With my C+E licence, valid DQC certification, and thorough understanding of WTD regulations, I am well-equipped to represent the Tesco brand professionally on UK roads.

My background in commercial driving has prepared me to handle the dual responsibilities of safe delivery operations and excellent customer service that this role demands.

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SpeedCV AI

Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • How do you ensure compliance with Working Time Directive and EU Drivers Hours regulations?
  • What pre-flight checks do you perform before starting your HGV shift?
  • How do you handle trailer coupling and uncoupling procedures safely?
  • What would you do if you encountered a mechanical issue during delivery?
  • How do you plan your routes to ensure timely deliveries to multiple stores?

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult situation while representing your employer on the road
  • Describe a situation where you had to adapt your delivery schedule due to unexpected circumstances
  • Give an example of when you went above and beyond to provide excellent customer service
  • Tell me about a time when you had to work collaboratively with colleagues to solve a problem
  • Describe how you maintain professionalism when dealing with challenging people or situations
SpeedCV AINEW

STAR answer examples

Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.

1Question

Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult situation while representing your employer on the road

During a delivery run to 8 stores, I encountered a road closure that would delay my schedule by 3 hours. I immediately contacted the distribution centre to inform them, then called each affected store manager to explain the situation and provide revised delivery times. I rerouted through alternative roads, maintaining professional communication throughout. Despite the setback, I completed all deliveries that day and received positive feedback from 6 store managers for keeping them informed. This experience taught me the importance of proactive communication when representing the company brand.
2Question

Describe a situation where you had to adapt your delivery schedule due to unexpected circumstances

While delivering to 12 stores across the region, my vehicle developed a hydraulic fault that prevented trailer coupling. I immediately performed safety checks, contacted my transport manager, and arranged for a replacement vehicle within 45 minutes. I reorganised my delivery sequence to prioritise the 4 stores with urgent stock needs, completing their deliveries first. By working 2 hours overtime and coordinating with the maintenance team, I ensured all stores received their deliveries the same day. This experience demonstrated my ability to adapt quickly while maintaining service standards.

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