At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering and operational teams to ensure safe and efficient fleet management.
- Company: Join East Midlands Railway, a top employer dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Enjoy 32 days holiday, free travel, discounts, and a supportive work culture.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative team that values your authentic self.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a safety-critical environment while leading innovative projects.
- Qualifications: Chartered Engineer with senior leadership experience in railway engineering.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
We are proud to be One Team at East Midlands Railway (EMR). We are passionate about keeping people safe, delighting our customers, doing the right thing and putting customers at the heart of our sustainable railway for the East Midlands. With over 2,600 employees, our people are the reason we are so successful. Ten times accredited as a Top Employer, we value our people and are dedicated to making sure that everybody feels empowered to bring their authentic self to work.
About the role
You will provide senior technical and operational leadership across EMR’s Intercity and Connect fleets, bringing together engineering governance, fleet production delivery and commercial contract management in a complex, safety-critical railway environment. Leading Fleet Engineering and Fleet Delivery teams, you will drive robust maintenance strategies, strong engineering assurance and high-performing operational delivery. You will work closely with internal teams and maintenance partners to improve fleet performance, manage risk, optimise whole-life costs and ensure safe, reliable and sustainable services for customers. You will also be accountable for depot safety and operational performance across Etches Park and Bedford Cauldwell, ensuring effective and compliant processes support EMR’s strategic, operational and customer objectives.
Key responsibilities include:
- Fleet Operations & Strategic Leadership: Accountable for the safe, compliant and efficient delivery of the Intercity (Class 222, Class 810) and Connect (Class 360) fleets, providing strategic operational leadership across a complex, safety-critical environment. Lead complex operational and engineering decision-making, balancing safety, performance, customer and operational priorities to support effective service delivery. Provide authoritative operational and engineering advice to senior business leaders, supporting strategic planning, business risk management and investment decision-making. Deputise for the Head of Fleet across strategic, operational and governance responsibilities, providing continuity of senior leadership across the function.
- Fleet Engineering & Maintenance Strategy: Provide integrated leadership across Fleet Engineering and Fleet Delivery, ensuring engineering governance, maintenance strategy, engineering assurance, operational delivery and supplier performance are effectively aligned. Develop and own the integrated fleet maintenance and engineering strategy across the Intercity and Connect fleets, ensuring business objectives are delivered through effective prioritisation of resources. Provide leadership and direction to Fleet Engineering and Fleet Delivery teams, fostering a high-performing, safety-focused culture.
- Safety, Engineering Governance & Compliance: Provide senior engineering and safety governance across the fleets, including ownership of safety management obligations under ROGS. Oversee maintenance strategy, engineering change, defect management, technical investigations and engineering compliance activities, interfacing with ORR and RAIB as required. Ensure fleet safety, compliance, reliability and availability targets are achieved through effective engineering governance and assurance. Govern the delivery and performance of Hitachi, Siemens and Alstom under TSA and TSSSA contractual arrangements, holding contracted maintenance suppliers accountable for operational, engineering, safety and commercial obligations. Lead the operational interface between EMR, contracted maintainers and ROSCOs, providing strategic direction to drive fleet reliability, operational performance, engineering compliance and continuous improvement. Chair supplier governance forums, including bi-partite, tri-partite, TSA, TSSSA and ROSCO review meetings, ensuring risks, performance issues and contractual obligations are effectively managed and improvement actions delivered. Drive supplier performance and continuous improvement, ensuring contractual outputs deliver value for money and meet fleet performance requirements.
- Fleet Reliability & Performance Improvement: Lead fleet reliability growth and performance improvement plans across the Class 222, Class 810 and Class 360 fleets. Ensure repeat failures, technical incidents and operational performance risks are identified, investigated and effectively addressed. Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve fleet safety, reliability, availability, operational performance and customer outcomes.
- Class 810 Fleet Introduction & Integration: Lead the operational introduction, integration and performance improvement of the Class 810 fleet. Provide senior engineering and operational leadership to manage introduction risks, resolve technical issues and ensure the fleet achieves agreed reliability and performance targets within required timescales. Promote continuous improvement, innovation and industry best practice across fleet engineering and operational delivery. Identify and implement opportunities to improve safety, reliability, operational performance, efficiency and customer outcomes.
- Leadership, Culture & Organisational Capability: Provide strategic leadership across Fleet Engineering and Fleet Delivery, ensuring effective prioritisation of resources and delivery of business objectives. Build and maintain a high-performing, collaborative and safety-focused culture across internal teams and external maintenance partners. Provide clear leadership across organisational interfaces, ensuring engineering, operational, commercial and supplier priorities are aligned.
About you
- Chartered Engineer status (Mechanical or Electrical).
- Significant senior leadership experience within a rolling stock or safety-critical engineering environment.
- Strong knowledge of railway engineering standards, maintenance governance and rolling stock legislation.
- Proven experience managing supplier and contractual relationships, including TSA, TSSSA or equivalent outsourced maintenance arrangements.
- Strong commercial, operational and strategic awareness, with the ability to balance safety, performance, customer and financial priorities.
- Demonstrable experience leading fleet reliability growth, operational performance improvement and engineering risk reduction initiatives.
- Experience leading complex operational investigations, recovery planning and performance improvement activities.
- Strong leadership, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with experience operating at senior management level across multi-disciplinary environments.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to operate effectively in high-pressure operational environments.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.
As well as a competitive salary, we’ll also offer you:
- 32 days' holiday in the first 2 years; moving up to 34 days' thereafter
- Free First Class duty travel on the EMR network
- Free standard leisure travel on the EMR network and Train Operating Companies under Transport UK & LNER and 75% discount on national leisure travel (inc partner and dependants)
- Friends and Family discounted tickets on the EMR network
- Employee benefits portal with access to generous discounts, Cycle 2 Work Scheme …and many more!
At EMR we want to proactively embrace diversity across our workforce and recognise that we are under-represented in terms of females and ethnic minority groups. We’re therefore taking positive steps to promote a positive and inclusive culture; we welcome applications from those that identify with these groups to better represent our communities. If you're successful in this role, you'll be expected to support our frontline colleagues at some points throughout the year. This might be undertaking safety critical work, for which you'll receive training, but it could just be helping out with Customer Service when our stations are busy. We're One Team, and that means our managers step up for the frontline, not just manage from a distance. Supporting frontline colleagues is part of our DNA at EMR. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, we promote equal opportunities for all. East Midlands Railway is a non-discriminatory employer committed to the recruitment and promotion of all on the basis of ability and merit irrespective of disability, race, gender, health, social class, sexual preference, marital status, nationality, religion, employment status or age. We’ll treat your application fairly and assess you for the job based on merit and skills.
Fleet & Engineering Manager employer: East Midlands Railway
East Midlands Railway is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment at the iconic London St Pancras station. With a strong commitment to employee development and a focus on safety, staff enjoy comprehensive training, competitive allowances, and a supportive culture that values diversity and inclusion. Join us to be part of a team that prioritises customer experience while providing meaningful career growth opportunities.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Fleet & Engineering Manager
✨Join Engineering Meetups!
Get yourself along to local engineering meetups or tech conferences. These are great places to connect with like-minded folks and industry leaders who might just have a lead on that full-time Fleet & Engineering Manager role you’re after at East Midlands Railway.
✨Show Off Your Projects!
Don’t be shy about showcasing your engineering projects. Whether it’s a funky app, a mechanical design, or a complex algorithm, having a solid portfolio on platforms like GitHub can really make you stand out. Plus, it gives potential employers at East Midlands Railway a taste of what you can bring to the table!
✨Engage with Online Communities
Dive into engineering forums and online communities, like Reddit or specific engineering Discord channels. Sharing your insights, asking questions, and being active can help you build connections that might lead to job opportunities at East Midlands Railway.
✨Apply Through Company Websites
When you spot a role like Fleet & Engineering Manager at East Midlands Railway, apply directly through their website. Often, this can show your genuine interest in the company and you might just get noticed quicker than via typical job boards.
We think you need these skills to ace Fleet & Engineering Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Expertise:When applying for an engineering role like Fleet & Engineering Manager, it’s essential to highlight your technical skills. Include any relevant software or tools you're proficient in on your CV—think CAD software, simulation tools, or programming languages. Don't skimp on any engineering projects you've worked on that demonstrate your ability to solve complex problems.
Focus on Results and Impact:In the engineering world, we love numbers and real-world impact. Quantify your achievements wherever possible—like reducing costs by a certain percentage, improving efficiency, or successfully completing a project ahead of schedule. This gives your future employers at East Midlands Railway a clear picture of the value you can bring.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to express your passion for engineering and explain why you’re drawn to East Midlands Railway specifically. Share what aspects of their work excite you and how your values align with theirs. This is your chance to show a bit of personality while keeping it professional!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you have any engineering certifications, especially ones that are recognised in your field, make sure to feature them prominently on your CV. They demonstrate not just your knowledge, but also your commitment to professional development, which is something we at StudySmarter value highly.
How to prepare for a job interview at East Midlands Railway
✨Brush Up on Core Engineering Principles
Before heading into the interview with East Midlands Railway, make sure you're solid on the fundamental engineering principles relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss concepts such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, or structural analysis, depending on the specifics mentioned in the job description. Don’t skip any hands-on projects or coursework; these can be excellent talking points!
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
Expect technical questions or case studies during your interview—after all, engineering is all about solving problems! Prepare a few examples of how you've tackled engineering challenges in the past, whether at university or in any practical experience. Practising with mock technical interviews can really help you articulate your thought process and solutions.
✨Relate Your Experience to the Role
In a full-time role, employers like East Midlands Railway want to see that you can adapt and grow within their team. Be ready to discuss how your previous internships, projects, or studies relate directly to the work you'll be doing. Highlight specific experiences that showcase your collaborative skills and how you've successfully worked within a team environment.
✨Know Your Tools and Software
Most engineering roles require familiarity with specific tools and software. Prepare to talk about your proficiency with programmes like AutoCAD, MATLAB, or SolidWorks if they’re relevant to the role. Even better, have examples of projects where you’ve used these tools, as it'll demonstrate your hands-on experience and readiness for the job.
