LNR Operations Manager

Job reference: SYS-9006
Role type: Full- time, permanent
Location: Bletchley

About Us

As part of the Transport UK Group, West Midlands Trains delivers around 1,300 train journeys a day, for more than 60 million passengers a year, across our two brands - West Midlands Railway and London North-western Railway.

We are committed to delivering a safe and reliable train service, by investing in our fleet of trains, stations and employees. As part of this investment we are looking to recruit a LNR Operations Manager on a full time, permanent basis, based in Bletchley.

Job Purpose

To lead on operational management of London Northwestern services, including overall responsibility for Drivers located at Bletchley depot and Northampton satellite, including the safe delivery of the train service as well as personnel management.

To lead on operational liaison and integration with major infrastructure projects including HS2, East West Rail.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership, management, coaching, mentoring and development of a team of Driver Managers who are responsible for the competency assessment and welfare management of Drivers.
• Proactively identify opportunities for succession planning, functional development and business planning with a view to building and maintaining a high performing function.
• Delivery of local plans for performance and safety improvement, with targeted goals that are cascaded to managers and reviewed for progress.
• Maximise resource productivity through the timely delivery of route and traction knowledge, off roster management, and proactive management of staff as required.
• Ensure compliance with all safety responsibilities and comply with commitments within the West Midlands Trains Safety Certificate, including managing and implementing recommendations of incident and accident investigations.
• Lead for Operations on development of change projects at Bletchley Engineering Maintenance Depot (EMD).
• Ownership of collective and individual employee relations arrangements and processes at a local level creating positive working environment, as measured in the employee engagement survey and industrial relations performance.

Required Knowledge and Experience

• Leadership of functional teams of operational workers required, including shift or out-based workers, essential.
• Knowledge of WMT terms and conditions as applicable to Drivers, and/or WMT operations preferred
• Extensive experience of managing within a trade union context required.
• Experience of understanding and managing safety responsibilities within safety management systems required, with safety management qualification such as IOSH preferred.
• The role holder should be someone who can build good working relationships and communicate effectively with line managers and union representatives in order to engender employee engagement.
• The role holder should have the skills to influence outside a hierarchical context, being able to make persuasive arguments that deliver improvements for LNR customers and cut through bureaucracy without sacrificing safety or a methodical approach.

Salary and Benefits

• Competitive Salary & Excellent Benefits
• Free travel on all our trains and those of other train companies within our parent group company - for you, your partner and any dependent children.
• 75% off all other train company travel tickets.
• Retail discounts.
• Career development opportunities.

As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and ensure no-one receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, belief and sexual orientation.

Applications will be considered from colleagues with 6 months experience, after completion of their probationary period and a full check of absence and disciplinary records.