Train Service Control Manager (2940)

Now recruiting for a Train Service Control Manager based at Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre in West Sussex. Please note this is a shift-based role, where you will be working on a rota with colleagues working earlies and lates, all days of the week including Bank Holidays. The longest run of booked shifts is 7 shifts, made up of 8-hour shifts Monday to Friday and 12-hour shifts at weekends, with a 4-day weekend. There will also be office hour days where you will be required to work on projects, portfolios and train/assess TSM's. You are also required, on an ad-hoc basis, to step up to cover the Duty Network Operations Manager role or step down to cover the TSM role, this will include early late and night shifts. Flexibility is important in this role.

Are you someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced problem-solving environment? Are you systematic and thorough in your approach and able to prioritise your workload? Can you communicate quickly and clearly whilst influencing at all levels? Do you have great situational awareness and the ability to remain calm under pressure? If you can answer yes to all the above, please read on.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is the largest Train Operating Company in the UK, operating four brands across London and the southeast of England. Our brands are Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink, together operating over 3,800 passenger trains a day completing over 5 million customer journeys each week.

Working in our control centre, the Train Service Control Manager role is challenging, offering an opportunity to play a critical part in the tactical and strategic delivery of our train service. Our unique geography and the high frequency of the service we operate requires an individual who can handle a fast paced, quickly changing environment.

Responsible for providing an on-shift level of embedded supervisory resource within the control organisation which can instruct and direct the Train Service Manager team quickly during disruptive incidents and deliver better service recovery levels. Provide an additional train service manager resource to split down areas of control during major disruption to make train service decision making less complex and more manageable. Responsible for meeting any daily challenges and dealing with incidents as they arise from infrastructure constraints relayed by Network Rail through to train failures and managing these incidents to ensure our operational plan is delivered.

The key responsibilities of a Train Service Control Manager are:

• To assist the on-shift team at the ROC to deliver the planned daily timetable across the four GTR service groups.
• To assist the tactical, immediate response to real time disruptive events on GTR trains, stations and Network Rail infrastructure ensuring all local, company and industry standards and processes are applied correctly by the control team.
• Work closely with on-shift colleagues in our engineering department to ensure the fleet of trains is maintained.
• Work closely with on-shift colleagues in our operations department to ensure best use is made of available traincrew.
• Work closely with all stakeholders to ensure our customers receive the best possible experience.

Line managed by the Head of Network Operations; the key challenges of the role include:

• Lead, motivate and inspire the Train Service Managers to deliver contingency plans to achieve specific targets and goals in order to restore the service to normal running.
• Monitor train services using a variety of information sources for train service groups on GTR.
• Liaise with business and industry stakeholders such as Network Rail, Customer Experience Team, station management teams and other offices regarding the running and optimisation of train services to any control led plan.
• To liaise with fleet control to enhance fleet availability by using ad hoc moves and prioritise changeovers.
• Attend fleet department conferences where required or appoint deputies if needed.
• To work with fleet control to facilitate strengthening or varied stock diagrams where required as part of a control-led plan.
• Work with resourcing management teams to produce robust control led plans and to help ensure that resource is used in the most efficient manner possible.
• Respond to information received regarding incidents and delays to assist the on-shift team to manage the train service and return to normal timetable as soon as possible.
• Work closely with the Network Operations and Network Rail team within the Control in communicating any alterations to the published train service that may affect the service to the customer.
• Respond to Feedback from business and industry stakeholders to tactically amend the train service to meet customer needs where required.
• Work to set standards and procedures as laid down in the Control Standards Manual.
• Deputise for the Duty Network Operations Manager when required.
• Develop the set of operational contingency plans (SRFs) to refine and optimise them for use during disruption.
• Continuous Improvement – assist the operational improvement process, reviewing the logs and checking for departmental related actions required to improve and develop performance.
• Participate in review calls and projects as required.
• Develop the detailed processes between Train Service Managers and Network Rail stakeholders so that they become embedded and consistent across the department.
• During disruptive events, direct Train Service Managers area of control or activities in order to distribute workload more evenly.
• This can include taking control of activities or parts of a Train Service Managers Guide the Train Service Managers in adhering to the service recovery process (recovery +3).
• Feedback to the Head of Network Operations, train planning and continuous improvement team issues, concerns and performance related items from the wider team.
• Assist collating information following disruption from the Train Service Managers and partake in HOT debriefs where possible.
• Act as the point of contact for fleet control to facilitate maintenance requirements whilst ensuring we protect passengers' services for our customers.
• Guide and mentor new or inexperienced TSM's.

About You

You will need to possess, to have or be able to demonstrate:

• Supervisory skills that deliver high levels of self-starting and independently delivered value across the Network Operations team.
• Able to multitask and plan proactively ahead whilst dealing with arising issues in an immediate and prompt timescale.
• To be an inspirational leader for the on-shift team of people, nurturing, developing, training and continuously improving their performance.
• Able to strongly focus on delivery and achieving results in a high-pressure environment.
• The ability and willingness to learn and develop yourself with new skills, in a real time, very busy operational environment, working with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver our operational plans.
• Proven ability to engage stakeholders in productive and enduring relationships.
• Proven experience of working within a team to deliver joint goals and objectives.
• To be a strong leader, able to influence and persuade key stakeholders to deliver the best service and performance levels.
• Be innovative and an intelligent thinker with the ability to look ahead and proactively plan to avoid problems and challenges before they occur.
• Able to adhere to operational plans and processes and understand the impact of the implementation on service quality levels.
• Energy for continuous improvement – always striving to better processes and standards to deliver industry leading experiences to our customers.
• Excellent analytical and computer skills – using the Microsoft suite of software and well as the ability to quickly learn the bespoke rail industry systems, as required, to monitor, record and improve GTR performance.