Operations Controller, Ealing

We are looking for an Operations Controller to join our team in Greenford, west London. This role is a key part of our Operations Team and plays a vital role in the success of our services. This is a customer-focused role reporting to the General Manager and working with the rest of the team to ensure that all operations are carried out in a safe, professional and timely manner. The role requires a degree of flexibility to collaborate with other disciplines (e.g. transport, payroll, finance etc.) to facilitate effective and efficient delivery of passenger services, vehicle management, supervision of front-line staff, utilisation of resources and liaison with external partners (e.g. local day care centres, local schools, local authorities).

About ECT: Ealing Community Transport (ECT) has been providing safe and accessible transport in the London Borough of Ealing since 1979. We provide a door-to-door PlusBus service that connects people who find public transport difficult to use with the services and facilities important to them; day trips for PlusBus users; PlusBus for Health which provides transport to GP surgery appointments for people who would otherwise require a home visit; London Dial-a-Ride services on behalf of TfL and Group Transport minibuses for local community groups; transport Adult Day Centres; and home-to-school transport for children and young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities on behalf of Ealing Council.

We were the founding part of ECT Charity, one of the UK’s leading providers of community transport who safely provide almost 360,000 passenger trips for our communities each year in Ealing, west London, Cheshire and Dorset. ECT is an Equal Opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status or pregnancy and maternity. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments during the selection process (and if a position is offered in employment) if required. ECT is also a Disability Confident employer and welcomes applications from the disabled community. ECT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and any vulnerable person using our services. To meet this responsibility we follow safer recruitment practices which are outlined in further detail in our Safeguarding Adults at Risk and Protecting People Policy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Engage and liaise with passengers and customers/partners via telephone and email to take bookings and manage contracts.
• Liaise with and assist other members of the Operations Team and operational staff (drivers and passenger assistants) to ensure professional service delivery.
• Conduct day-to-day operations schedule routes and assign vehicles and staff to each route.
• Maintain staff rotas including coverage of rest days, annual leave and sickness.
• Act as a first response to all accidents, incidents, breakdowns or customer complaints ensuring escalation to the General Manager where needed.
• Maintain systems to ensure accurate records are held for quality control performance management and accounting purposes.
• Assist the General Manager in ensuring that the Operations Teams processes and systems are adhered to and assist in implementing/developing/reviewing these as needs be to maximise efficiency.
• Work with the General Manager to ensure staff compliance with ECT policies and procedures as well as regulatory/contractual obligations.
• Run a daily check of all vehicle defect logs to ensure they have been filled in correctly with all mileage recorded and action any logs found to be filled in incorrectly accordingly.
• Undertake all other reasonable duties as delegated by a senior manager within the organisation or by the Board of Trustees.

Person Specification:

We’re looking for someone to bring their administrative and logistical skills and experience to the team who has a high degree of computer literacy (including MS Excel); has a high level of accuracy and attention to detail; is able to work in a fast-paced environment; has previous experience in an office-based role; uses initiative and is a proactive self-starter; is able to work as part of a team; is receptive to and able to initiate change within an operational environment; and is able to communicate in person and via telephone/email in a courteous and professional manner.

Training will be made available to the successful candidate to increase their knowledge of the industry which will include MiDAS Health & Safety and potentially Transport Manager CPC.

Details of Role and Employment Particulars:

• Start date: as soon as possible subject to existing notice period.
• Hours: This is a full-time role (i.e. 40 hours per week).
• Location: Greenford Depot, Greenford Road, Greenford, Middlesex UB6.
• The salary will be in the region of £29,000 per annum (based on a 40 hour week) dependent on qualifications and previous experience.
• Probationary period: The appointment will be subject to a six-month probationary period.
• Notice: Employment is subject to one week’s notice by either party during the probationary period and one month’s notice by either party on completion of probationary period.
• Holiday: Holiday entitlement amounts to a total of 20 days plus Bank Holidays.
• Pension: NEST is offered as the workplace pension scheme.
• Sick pay: ECT operates the Statutory Sick Pay Scheme (SSP) during periods of properly certified sickness absence.
• Other Benefits: In addition to the aforementioned annual leave entitlement and company pension, ECT’s benefits package also includes opportunities for continuous professional learning and wellbeing support.

How to apply:

We invite you to submit your application by 22nd December 2025. We plan to start interviewing candidates on 6th January 2025. All applications should be submitted to the General Manager. Please include a covering letter that demonstrates your skills, experience and attributes that make you suitable for the role outlined in this job description.