Pound Assistant

This is an exciting time to be working as Pound Assistant for the Metropolitan Police Service. In addition to large-scale transformation, there's the unique and ever-evolving challenge of policing London. This means that as a Met employee, there are more opportunities for you to get involved in making London the safest global city in a time of unprecedented change within the UK's largest Police Service. The Vehicle Recovery Examination Services (VRES) is a key part of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) drive to tackle vehicle crime on the streets of London. We work in partnership with a number of external agencies and MPS contractors to remove, recover, restore and dispose of vehicles that are involved in collisions, serious and organised crime that require forensic examinations or those that are seized under Police powers for no insurance or unlicensed use. We support frontline policing and operate 24/7/365, we have our own unique in-house policing team and a command-and-control team. If you like working outside in a role that's different every day, join us here at the Met Police car pound. Here, we deal with all kinds of vehicles. They could be stolen, seized for motoring offences, or needed for forensic examination. Buses, supercars, ice cream vans - you never know what will come through our gates. But with our excellent training, you'll be equipped to handle anything. As a Pound Assistant, you'll oversee processing each vehicle that arrives. That means dealing with paperwork, inspecting for damage, monitoring recovery operators, and moving disabled vehicles using specialist equipment. You'll also deal with members of the public. With back-office administration too, it's a varied and interesting role. In this job, you will be working outside in all weathers. Additional Information This is a heavy-duty manual handling role. This is a 4 on 4 off pattern, covering a range of shifts including nights. Key Responsibilities: The post holder is responsible for supporting the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of the VRES Car Pound. Key duties include:

• Vehicle Loading and Unloading: Monitor and oversee the safe loading and unloading of vehicles in line with statutory regulations and all corporate and site procedures. Vehicle Processing: Confirm vehicle identity upon arrival, accurately complete vehicle removal documentation, enter all required information onto MPS systems, and conduct checks across internal and external platforms. Vehicle Movements: Manage the movement, storage, and distribution of all vehicles recovered to VRES Car Pounds, ensuring full compliance with VRES operational procedures. Specialist Equipment Use: Operate specialist vehicle movement equipment safely and in accordance with operating procedures. Complete all related documentation and report any equipment faults to the Pound Manager promptly. Vehicle Searches &
Property Handling: Conduct searches of vehicles and process any property found in line with VRES procedures to maintain site safety and ensure proper handling and storage of customer property, reducing the risk of claims against the MPS.
• Spill Response: Respond to oil and fuel spills caused by accident damaged vehicles in accordance with Health & Safety risk assessments and environmental legislation. Site & Equipment Maintenance: Maintain cleanliness of the Car Pound and ensure equipment is kept in good working order, supporting efficient use of space and reducing the risk of injury or damage caused by faulty equipment. Health, Safety & Security Compliance: Adhere to all site and corporate health & safety, security, and operational protocols. General Cleaning Duties: Carry out a range of cleaning activities, including gritting the pound, cleaning equipment, and removing rubbish from the site, vehicles, and office areas. Other
Duties: Perform any additional responsibilities commensurate with the role as directed by the Pound Manager.
• Working Conditions: The role involves working outdoors in all weather conditions and requires a significant amount of heavy duty manual handling.
  
  Ability to safely undertake heavy duty manual handling and physically demanding tasks. Ability to operate or learn to operate specialist vehicle movement equipment (e.g., Forklift, Vehicle movers, Vehicle skates). Strong attention to detail when processing vehicles, completing forms, and entering information into systems. Ability to identify risks (e.g., leaks, hazards in vehicles, unsafe equipment) and escalate appropriately. Effective communication skills when dealing with colleagues, recovery operators, and customers. Ability to remain calm and professional in a fast paced, sometimes pressured environment.
• Experience working in an operational, warehouse, logistics, transport, or enforcement environment. Understanding of basic Health & Safety requirements, including manual handling, PPE use, and safe working practices. Knowledge of vehicle handling, storage, or roadside recovery processes (or ability to learn quickly). Experience completing paperwork or digital records accurately and to required standards.