Regional Operations Manager

Purpose of Job

Reporting to the Head of Operations, you will lead a team of Managers who are responsible for maintaining and improving the competence of drivers and ground staff. You will contribute to the achievement of day-to-day UK rail operations, and be responsible for the development and provision of a suitably trained, equipped and assessed rail operations team, in order to meet on-going business requirements.

The role requires an on-call commitment.

Main duties and responsibilities

Safety

• You are expected to be a role model for safety by your own compliance to standards and safety requirements;
• You are responsible for the occupational health and safety of employees in your areas of responsibility, which includes all locations where your Managers and operational staff visit;
• You are responsible for delivery and implementation of any cascaded safety plan objectives;
• Ensure all your staff receive adequate health and safety training;
• Develop a positive safety culture within your area of responsibility, which is supported by robust safety processes in accordance with company, industry standards and legislation;
• Ensure that all operations staff within your areas of responsibility are trained in emergency procedures for major incident/a accident management;
• Ensure that any operating or occupational accidents and incidents involving employees in your reporting line are properly recorded and investigated to a productive conclusion;
• Ensure that safety arrangements are adhered to and protect the health and safety of employees, other rail users, and the public;
• Compliance with your duty to take care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by yours/ their own actions at work.

People

• Guide, and support your team through leadership, motivation, teamwork and co-operation;
• Ensure that your Production Managers/Operational Support Managers are developed through coaching and any necessary interventions in order to ensure that they develop our drivers and groundstaff, where they are employed, to the highest standards of competence and commitment;
• Where required, carry out formal/ informal competence development / attendance or disciplinary warnings in accordance with relevant policies, procedures and agreements;
• Establish annual priorities with your team and align them to your Head of Operations priorities where appropriate;
• Develop and maintain effective communication channels to ensure your team has the correct information in order to deliver to standards expected;
• Act on any locally identified trends/ hot spots within your areas of responsibility e.g. SPADs/ absenteeism/ etc. and influence resolution accordingly;
• Ensure that all staff welfare issues are dealt with to conclusion in accordance with appropriate polices and standards

Compliance and Standards

• Deliver the highest standards in connection with the company driver / groundstaff assessment process and in line with business requirements at all times;
• Manage and where possible, exceed company requirements for competency assessment for our drivers and ground staff;
• Ensure that you provide support to your Production Managers and provide the opportunity for driver/ groundstaff skills and knowledge of operational working to be continuously developed and improved;
• Ensure that your Production Managers deliver staff assessments in line with timescales and that the competence assessment paperwork is completed correctly and acted upon as and when required;
• Liaise closely with your Head of Operations on any requirements as necessary;
• Ensure that all rosters (base/ otherwise) are negotiated in line with respective collective agreements that are in place within the business, and best industry practice;
• Take proactive steps to retain train driving competences and compliance with appropriate internal and external “Group” standards in order to carry out this role.

Performance

• To ensure the effective delivery of resources to deploy drivers/ groundstaff to meet the train plan, within allocated budget and within performance and safety standards;
• Develop initiatives across your areas of responsibility that result in processes being put in place to reduce impact minutes, through TOPS/ TRUST, mitigate loco failures and reductions;
• Actively manage, through the drivers, effective and timely train performance working in unison with other members of staff to a common aim of minimising late running/ delays;
• Ensure that the manpower plan/ budget within your area of responsibility is managed proactively, and that staff numbers and overtime is managed to budgeted/ authorised levels;
• Consult with recognised unions at local level on matters that are relevant to business efficiency, and the resolution of employment and health and safety issues, as required.

Specific role related activities

• Implement all Company Safety Policies, ensuring the cascade all critical Safety Information to your staff;
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a route knowledge strategy for each of the depots within your areas of responsibility, which meets the current needs of the business and prepares for future growth;
• Ensure that you team investigate all accidents / incidents in accordance with agreed timescales;
• Provide direction, leadership and strategic governance all locations and staff within your area of responsibility;
• Exercise financial controls for your areas and ensure budgetary targets are met, and operate within DFA limits at all times;
• Where required, carry out formal/ informal disciplines in accordance with relevant policies, procedures and agreements;
• Maximize cross depot coverage, ensuring every train is fully resourced and rosters are underpinned with in-built resilience e.g. to cover short/ long term absence;
• Ensure that there are development plans in place for staff where required, ensuring any promotional potential is harnessed for the benefit of the individual and the company;
• Monitor and manage the competence of all drivers highlighting, and ensuring practical steps are taken to address areas of weakness;
• Ensure that all driver assessments and medicals are completed in accordance with the Train Crew Manual, Railway Standards and that accurate records are maintained within your areas of responsibility, with systems are in place to flag up and address concerns;
• Ensure monthly out of hour visits and Level 1 audits are undertaken on time;
• Continuously improve and review measures to encourage high levels of staff attendance at work via the effective use of the Managing for Attendance policy;
• Ensure all Managers, Instructors and Mentor Drivers are trained, briefed and equipped to undertake all tasks associated with their roles;
• Liaise with HR in the requirements by location for each Trainee Train Driver intake, and ensure that locations are progressing trainees in accordance with the appropriate programme timescales;
• Develop / direct Route Learning Strategies for each depot to ensure existing and future train plan challenges can be met, including major engineering blockades;
• Ensure all Risk Assessments / Local Working Instructions are up to date within your areas of responsibility;
• Ensure all records are maintained in accordance with legal and company requirements and a regular archive regime in place at each depot;
• Undertake any other duties/ project activities that fall within your remit and competence as and when required;
• Support SOx principles and ensure implementation within your area of responsibility;

Key Job requirements

• Experience of working in a safety Critical environment, ideally within the Rail Industry
• Where relevant, ensure retention of competence and medical fitness to drive trains, in accordance with internal and external standards;
• Knowledge of Rules and Regulations as applicable to rail operations, together with at least 3 years practical experience;
• Competent to undertake risk assessments;
• Ability to manage budget responsibilities where appropriate, and manage within any delegated spending authority;
• To ensure that manpower needs are managed proactively, and to ensure that staff numbers are managed to budget/ authorized levels;
• Ability to build healthy working relationships with all business stakeholders;
• Ability to interact effectively at a range of levels e.g. Senior / Middle management across Production functions with the company; Network Rail Local Operations Managers; Train/ Freight Operating Company counterparts at cross-industry meetings; Trades Union Representatives including Business Council / Local Council members;
• Ability to work unsocial hours from time to time (e.g. on-call/ weekends, etc);

An opportunity has arisen to join our team at Ferrybridge, covering multiple locations, as Regional Operations Manager.

Behavioural competencies

• Ability to remain calm under pressure;
• Provide a good example to staff by dealing with them in a professional and respectful manner;
• Encourage team members to perform their duties to the best of their ability;
• Setting high standards for safety for each location within your area of responsibility, and an example that staff will feel compelled to follow;
• Embrace change and any new challenges, encouraging staff to do likewise;
• Strive for continuous improvement of driving standards at each depot and take steps to ensure this is delivered on a consistent basis;
• Ensure all activities are undertaken in a safe manner with due regard for self, colleague and visitors in your charge;
• Awareness of the nature of our customers business requirements and an outward looking focus towards helping them achieve their objectives;
• Exhibits and lives the Group’s core values
• Maintenance of trust, tact and confidentiality – any breach of confidentiality, pursuit of personal agendas, or expression of opinions not directly related to the requirements of this role will not be tolerated.

Documentation/ Equipment issued on a personal basis

• Job description;
• Rule Book and appendices via i-pad;
• Relevant Health and Safety Policies and procedures via i-pad;
• Alcohol and Drugs policy;
• Freightliner code of conduct/G&W management charter
• Freightliner train crew/ ground staff manuals;
• Mobile phone, Laptop and Ipad.