Deputy Team Leader

Safety Critical Role. We keep the railway moving 24/7. Expected shifts would be days, nights, weekend working. Behind every reliable journey is a team making sure each train is ready to go – safe, clean, and performing as it should. At Shipley TrainCare Centre, you’d play a key part in making that happen.

As a Deputy Team Leader, you’re not just hands-on with the work – you help guide how it gets done. Supporting the Team Leader, you’ll keep jobs moving, share your knowledge with others, and step in to coordinate the team when needed. It’s a role that blends technical skill with leadership, where your experience helps shape both the work and the people around you.

Shipley TrainCare Centre is a brand-new facility, giving you the opportunity to help build the standards, culture and ways of working from the very start. In this role, you’ll support the day-to-day running of the facility while helping to create a professional, safe and high-performing team environment. This means:

• Supporting the delivery of clear standards and expectations from day one, leading by example to build the right behaviours and ways of working.
• Embedding safety, quality and continuous improvement into everything we do.
• Promoting a positive, people-focused culture where everyone feels supported to do their best.

Our ambition is clear: for Shipley to become a benchmark TrainCare Centre, recognised for engineering excellence, operational safety and a culture where people feel valued, supported and able to build long-term careers.

At Northern, we’re committed to developing our workforce, and that commitment is amplified at Shipley. As we grow this new facility, we’re also growing the skills, capabilities and progression pathways of the people who join us. Whether your ambition is technical, leadership or specialist expertise, Shipley offers the chance to build a long, rewarding future in a modern, forward-thinking engineering environment.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Carrying out servicing, maintenance, repair and overhaul of trains and components.
• Supervising and guiding team members during maintenance, cleaning and servicing activities.
• Allocating and distributing work to keep productivity high and targets on track.
• Signing off completed work and highlighting anything outstanding.
• Supporting shift briefings and keeping the team informed throughout the day.
• Diagnosing faults, carrying out testing and using fleet systems to spot trends or repeat issues.
• Acting as the designated person for Depot Protection, overhead line isolations and all yard movements, taking on the Person in Charge (PIC) role when required.
• Ensuring tools, materials and equipment are available, correctly used and properly maintained.
• Taking pride in maintaining a safe, clean and well presented working environment.
• Supporting audits, inspections and investigations as required.
• Liaising with the Team Leader to flag issues, suggest improvements and keep everything running smoothly.

Provide guidance and on-the-job support to colleagues to build capability across the team. Help identify development needs and share feedback with the Team Leader. Lead by example, role-model safe working behaviours and maintain high standards. Step into designated responsibilities such as Fire Warden or safety roles where trained.

About You:

You know your way around heavy engineering and feel confident taking the lead when needed. You’re practical, organised, and ready to support both the job and the people doing it. Here’s what you’ll bring:

• Experience in traction and rolling stock maintenance.
• A recognised apprenticeship or NVQ Level 3 in Engineering.
• A strong understanding of mechanical and electrical systems – from schematics to fault finding.
• The ability to work independently while supporting and guiding others.
• Practical and solutions-focused approach.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail and task control.
• Confidence using systems and technical documentation.
• An IOSH qualification and Fire Warden training are useful here. If you don’t have them yet, you’ll be supported to gain them.

Above all, you take pride in doing the job properly, look out for your team, and keep safety front of mind in everything you do.

What’s in it for you?

• Free Travel: Unlimited free travel for you, your partner, and your dependents on Northern services, plus up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.
• Generous Pension Scheme: We top up your contributions by 1.5 times.
• Enhanced Family Benefits: We offer 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save up to 42% on a bike and spread the cost.
• Exclusive Discounts: From shopping to wellbeing, Northern Perks has you covered.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support for family, lifestyle, and more.
• Training and Career Development: We offer tailored training to our colleagues and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications, plus enhanced career pathways no matter what part of the business you’re in.
• Recognition: We know how important it is to show how much we appreciate our people. That’s why we have our Northern Lights and Northern Sparks Awards, recognising and celebrating brilliance every day.

Why Northern?

We’re more than just a train operator. We’re the heartbeat of the North – connecting communities, creating opportunities, and driving sustainable growth. With 2,500 trains running daily, we’re on a mission to improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting the environment.

A place for everyone. The best journeys happen when everyone feels welcome on board. At Northern, we don’t just move people from A to B – we’re building a team where everyone feels they belong. Our talent team can make reasonable adjustments to the process if that’s something you need. We’re also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer, so if you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we’ll always offer an interview.