Tram Engineering Manager in Manchester

Join our team at Keolis Amey Metrolink (KAM), the largest light rail network in the UK! Are you a customer focused, innovative thinker, ready to take on a leadership role as the Tram Engineering Manager? As the Tram Engineering Manager, you will be leading from the front in shaping the way we do things to ensure KAM has the systems, processes, and tools required to meet engineering assurance for asset maintenance. Motivate, inspire, and empower a team of dedicated and experienced Engineers who support all aspects of tram engineering, asset management, embedding a zero-harm culture, be the subject matter expert in stakeholder meetings, and innovative engineering solutions.

The Tram Engineering Manager will play a pivotal role in supporting the business in short-term operational delivery with long-term asset strategy, ensuring governance and compliance across engineering and maintenance systems, asset safety performance, and engineering change. From assessing the current state of KAM Engineering, the Tram Engineering Manager will lead strategic engineering initiatives and continuously refine and implement improvements that will keep our asset maintenance and engineering systems to stay ahead of the curve.

• Embed a zero-harm culture within Engineering function with Safety considerations at front of mind for everyone.
• Provide subject matter expert input into corporate safety systems.
• Initiate, and where authorised, implement action to prevent the occurrence of product non-conformances (non-compliance), rail safety, HSQ&E incidents, process deficiencies, or system deficiencies.
• Management of the functional risk profile to identify and implement risk mitigation strategy.
• Accountable as the configuration and design authority for all assets classes with the assistance of a competent team of Engineers.
• Custodian of approved data (maintenance task instructions and master works schedules).
• Maintain detailed records and traceability of all engineering change related to the ECP to meet legislative requirements for retention of records.
• Provide service to other Engineering departments for guidance, review and approval of new designs or changes to the configuration of assets.
• Work directly with TfGM engineering department in the review and approval of ECP’s as agreed/required.
• Daily, weekly, period and annual reporting of all key Asset performance metrics, including availability, reliability, service affecting failures, repeat faults, no fault found and asset safety incidents.
• Build and lead an effective team of talented Engineers, assigning tasks and managing personal effectiveness of the team.

What you’ll bring

• Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Mechatronics) or equivalent experience, ideally, Chartered Engineer (CEng) status to act as an engineering/design authority.
• Extensive experience in a large engineering and operational environment with a focus on systems engineering, maintenance/manufacturing/production.
• Strong knowledge, experience and understanding of risk and safety in the workplace, within a transport environment and from an engineering perspective.
• Proven leadership experience in managing an engineering department, team, and workshop in an engineering/project/production setting.
• Proven ability to understand, review, revise and approve complex engineering designs, reports, recommendations, investigations that may have significant impact to the safe and effective operation of a public transport system.
• Experience in financial and budget management, alongside delivering engineering activities using best practice and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Ability to develop specialised technical reports considering sensitive information and utilising analytical methods.
• In-depth knowledge of rolling stock maintenance, including leading complex engineering root cause investigations and applying relevant legislation, standards and innovation to deliver practical engineering solutions with internal functions as well as external agencies.

The closing date for applications: 7th May 2026. Depending on the level of applications for this role we may close the advert earlier, therefore we encourage you to submit your application early.

What we will offer you

• Salary is £68,711 per annum.
• Free Tram Travel for all our colleagues, plus a sponsored pass for an immediate family member.
• Access to Amazing Discounts at major retailers including Asda, Currys PC World, John Lewis and many more.
• Family Friendly Policies including enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
• Wellbeing Support including a free counselling, health checks, and Employee Assistance Programme.
• Supporting your development focusing on career pathways and professional fees covered if required for role.

Our Commitment to you

At KAM, we celebrate the diversity of our customers, communities, and colleagues, and strive for a workforce which is equitable, inclusive, and representative of the communities we serve, and we strongly encourage applicants of all genders, ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, and sexual orientation to apply. We look forward to receiving your application.

We live our values of “We Care, We Commit, We Imagine” through our behaviours and we strongly believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation and create an environment where individuals can imagine that anything is possible. We care about our people, and we fully commit to creating an inclusive environment where our people feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

We recognise the importance of flexibility in the workplace and where possible, we will do our best to consider alternative working patterns or flexible arrangements to help you balance work and life in a way that works for you and the business. If you would like to discuss before applying, please feel free to contact our recruitment team.

To ensure that you have the best opportunity to succeed in the recruitment process, please let us know if you will require any support or reasonable adjustments. You can contact our team here recruit@metrolink.co.uk.

What we will need to check

If you are successful, we will need to complete several pre-employment checks prior to you starting. These include:

• Proof of address.
• Evidence of right to work in the UK.
• References from previous employment or studies from the last 3 years.
• Pre-employment medical (level subject to role).
• Criminal Records self-declaration check, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).