Head of Production in Cardiff

Please note: This role is for Pullman Rail which is a subsidiary of Transport for Wales.

Location: Canton, Cardiff

Closing Date: 05/05/2026

Equal Opportunities

At Pullman Rail we value diversity. It makes us stronger, helps us understand our customers better, make better decisions and be more innovative. Everyone’s different and has their own perspective so we’re building a diverse team that mirrors the communities we serve. Through this we’re determined to be one of Wales' leading inclusive employers.

Who we are

At Pullman Rail (part of the Transport for Wales family), we’re on a mission to be the engineering and overhaul partner of choice to the UK Transport Network. From our facility in South Wales, we provide comprehensive services including vehicle overhauls, heavy maintenance, component repairs and system upgrades to a large proportion of the UK rail fleet. And we have exciting plans to diversify into the wider transport market as part of our growth strategy.

We’re an open and inclusive place to work, where everyone is welcome and our people are supported to reach their full potential. We want to create an environment where our people can grow and succeed. This is key to enabling us to deliver on our ambition to grow our services and support the transformation happening across the Public Sector transport industry.

Role responsibilities

We are seeking a Head of Production to join our Senior Leadership Team. Reporting to the Managing Director, the post holder will lead and optimise all production activities across the site, including heavy maintenance (C4/C6, refresh and modifications) and trainborne equipment refurbishment.

The role is accountable for operational performance, ensuring production is delivered safely, efficiently and in full compliance with regulatory, customer and business requirements, while driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.

• Safety & Ethics – Support the SHEQ strategy and ensure compliance with Pullman Rail safety and compliance policies.
• Delivery & Excellence – Deliver high-quality, on-time and on-budget production outputs, driving efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction.
• Operational Leadership – Provide strategic leadership of all production activities, ensuring alignment with safety, quality, cost and schedule requirements.
• People – Lead, develop and motivate production teams, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Performance & Improvement – Set and monitor KPIs, manage resources and budgets, and apply lean and continuous improvement methodologies to enhance performance.
• Collaboration & Customers – Work closely with engineering and support functions and act as the senior operational contact for customers.

Who we’re looking for

A candidate with significant senior operational leadership experience within traction and rolling stock, engineering, manufacturing or another safety-critical environment.

A candidate with a degree, or equivalent experience, in engineering, production management or a related discipline.

Someone with an excellent understanding and knowledge of production planning, maintenance and overhaul processes as well as of regulatory and industry frameworks (for example, RISAS, ISO ROGS) who is able to lead, influence and collaborate across multi-disciplinary teams to develop strategies and programmes.

Significant experience in carrying out and supervising both light and heavy maintenance activities, specifically L1-4 and C4/C6.

Proven track record of managing and leading technical production teams and delivering performance improvements. Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, budgets and resources effectively.

A mentor and coach able to develop the engineering team to support professional and organisational growth.

Welsh Language Skills

The ability to speak/write Welsh would make a great addition to your application, but it is not essential for this role.

Next steps

Does this role sound like the opportunity you are looking for? Do you want to find out more? We do encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications. Note that you must hold the permanent right to work in the UK. We are not currently able to provide sponsorship.