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- Tasks: Lead rolling stock maintenance and depot operations, driving safety and performance excellence.
- Company: Chiltern Railways, a leader in rail transport with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in transforming depot culture and enhancing operational performance.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing maintenance operations and leading cultural change.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team dedicated to safety and continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Provide senior leadership for all rolling stock maintenance, servicing, and depot operations at Chiltern Railways. Own the strategic direction of the depot, driving a transformational culture shift focused on safety, quality, performance, and operational excellence. Align depot performance with wider business goals while ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and company standards.
Responsibilities
- Act as the senior-most authority on site, accountable for achieving all safety, performance, quality, and customer service metrics.
- Develop and execute the depot strategy in alignment with long-term business and fleet plans.
- Provide inspirational leadership, establishing clear expectations, driving accountability, and championing continuous improvement.
- Drive a positive culture change program, embedding proactive safety behaviours, engagement, and collaboration.
- Lead cultural change to embed proactive safety behaviours and promote a high-performance, engaged workforce.
- Ensure safe systems of work are established, maintained, and followed for all depot activities, providing assurance through audits and feedback to individuals.
- Investigate and lead audits, inspections, and investigations to drive compliance, learning, and continuous improvement.
- Manage depot workload delivery to meet maintenance plans for Chiltern Railways and other customers, ensuring high-quality output and compliance with standards.
- Maintain appropriate staffing levels, skill competencies, and training plans to deliver operational needs now and in the future.
- Own the full depot budget, including staffing, tooling, facilities, materials, and revenue generation opportunities.
- Build strong strategic relationships with internal stakeholders (e.g. Safety Team, HR, Performance, Operations) and external partners (e.g., Network Rail, ROSCOs, contractors, suppliers) to achieve depot and fleet targets.
- Oversee contractor compliance, safety practices, and delivery quality.
- Maintain accurate asset condition data to support asset management planning and long-term fleet performance.
- Support depot improvements by providing input on infrastructure changes from an end-user perspective.
- Ensure compliance with all health, safety, environmental, and railway standards by collaborating with relevant team.
- Chair and represent the depot for local consultations, influence engagement, and negotiation meetings with staff representatives and trade union.
- Undertake general and statutory inspections as required.
- Participate in the engineering on-call rota, providing senior support for unplanned events.
- Cover other roles in the engineering team, and deputise for Head of Fleet Delivery as required.
Qualifications
- Essential - ONC NVQ Level 4 or higher.
- Desirable - Degree in engineering, management, or a relevant discipline.
- Significant experience in managing traction and rolling stock maintenance operations, including budget and team leadership.
- Demonstrated success in leading cultural change programs and improving operational maturity.
- Strong understanding of railway safety standards and regulatory requirements.
- Excellent communication skills for engaging effectively at all levels, both internally and externally.
- Analytical skills with the ability to solve complex technical and operational challenges.
- Strong experience with union engagement, chairing meetings, consultations, and negotiations.
- Proficiency with IT systems relevant to fleet maintenance and depot management.
- Commitment to continuous personal and team development.
Depot Manager in London employer: Chiltern
Contact Detail:
Chiltern Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Depot Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy to reach out to current Depot Managers for a chat. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your leadership style. We want you to showcase how you can drive that transformational culture shift they’re after!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors. Focus on articulating your experience in managing rolling stock maintenance and leading cultural change. This will help you feel more confident when it’s time to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search. Let’s get you that Depot Manager role!
We think you need these skills to ace Depot Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Depot Manager role. Highlight your leadership experience, especially in safety and operational excellence, to show us you’re the right fit.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re passionate about leading depot operations and how your background in rolling stock maintenance can drive our transformational culture shift.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead cultural change and improve performance. Numbers and examples will make your application stand out!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Chiltern
✨Know Your Depot Strategy
Before the interview, make sure you understand the strategic direction of the depot and how it aligns with the overall goals of Chiltern Railways. Be ready to discuss how you would develop and execute a depot strategy that drives performance and quality.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've provided inspirational leadership in previous roles. Think about times when you've driven accountability and championed continuous improvement. This is your chance to demonstrate how you can lead a high-performance, engaged workforce.
✨Understand Safety Standards
Familiarise yourself with railway safety standards and regulatory requirements. Be prepared to discuss how you would ensure compliance and promote proactive safety behaviours within the depot. Highlight any relevant experience you have in managing safety practices.
✨Build Relationships
Think about how you would build strong strategic relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners. Be ready to share your experiences in engaging with unions and leading consultations. This will show your ability to influence and negotiate effectively.