Inner Centre Manager

Overview

Who are we?

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight. Join our team and help us continue to bring people together to get the most out of life.

About the job

On a typical weekday, South Western Railway operates over 1600 customer train services. With your team of Duty Resource Managers (DRMs) and Senior Resource Managers (SRMs), this role is responsible for ensuring that there is a Driver and an appropriate Guard to cover every traincrew duty in the designated area of responsibility (Inner/Outer). This role is also responsible for the processes instigated in times of disruption, in tandem with the Service Delivery Team, in order to return the service to normal operation and reduce the impact of the disruption as much as possible. Continually improve the processes and systems used in order to achieve the two main purposes above as efficiently and easily as possible.

Your main responsibilities

• Lead your team of Duty and Senior Resource Managers (DRMs and SRMs) in achieving the goals of covering as many train crew duties as possible and to mitigate the impacts of service disruption to customers.
• In the designated area of responsibility (Inner/Outer), lead the traincrew resourcing response to challenging network situations such as unplanned line closures, inclement weather, and industrial action.
• Be the Resources lead for your area of responsibility (Inner/Outer) in the cross-department or cross-organisational review of significant delay incidents. Complete all actions from the review associated with your area.
• Oversee the investigation of any delays and/or cancellations attributed to your area of responsibility including the processing of TINs in Bugle. Determine underlying root causes and, where necessary, develop initiatives to prevent incidents in the future.
• Ensure that the delay minutes and cancellations attributed to your area of responsibility (Inner/Outer) do not exceed the weekly/periodic set limits. Take steps to improve when limits are exceeded.
• Manage the DRM and SRM roster ensuring coverage of all desks for the required days and hours. Alter and enhance the roster by balancing the requirements for the train service and conditions of team members.
• Where practicable, assume the role of Senior Resource Manager (SRM) when a shift in your designated area (Inner/Outer) is uncovered in the normal working week (Mon-Fri) and there are no alternative coverage options.
• Manage the crew taxi arrangements for your area of responsibility. This includes agreement of drop off and pickup points. Attend contract management meetings in order to challenge and verify crew taxi performance. Ensure reporting of taxi failures within your area of responsibility.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with trade union representatives for both Drivers and Guards in your area of responsibility. Use these relationships to address any concerns raised by either party regarding resourcing and to improve resourcing generally.
• Direct report coaching/management including carrying out end of year and mid-year performance reviews, start of year objective setting, and regular one-to-ones. Ensure your direct reports are doing the same with theirs.
• Ensure a comfortable and efficient work environment at each of DRM/SRM office locations within your area of responsibility. This includes working with IT to improve and optimise the individual setups.
• Manage leave, absenteeism, training, recruitment and discipline of all direct reports in your area of responsibility (Inner/Outer). Ensure your direct reports are doing the same with theirs.
• Chair quarterly team meetings attended by Senior Resource Managers of your area of responsibility.
• Where practicable with DRM desk coverage requirements, chair meetings for each DRM office location in your area attended by DRMs from that location.

What you’ll need to be

• Experience in team leadership ideally of shift based operational teams.
• Proven track record in the understanding and delivery of Traincrew rostering is essential.
• Prior knowledge and experience of Traincrew terms and conditions and fatigue & risk index parameters within a railway environment.
• Educated to A-level standard. Degree level or equivalent is desired.
• Experience and a proven track record in dealings with the Trade Unions including experience of chairing consultations and negotiations is desired.
• Excellent communicator and presenter with interpersonal skills to match.
• Ability to utilise MS Excel and/or PowerBI in order to manipulate data to find areas of improvement and track performance.

About the location

London Waterloo train station, situated in the heart of the UK's capital, opened in 1848 and is currently Britain's largest and busiest station. Within walking distance of Waterloo is the London Eye, Westminster Bridge, BFI IMAX, the South Bank and The Old Vic theatre, as well as great connections to all London attractions. It is easily accessible by public transport and is home to a large mix of national brands and restaurants.

Working pattern

Working an average of 37 hours per week Monday-Friday, office hours.

The Reward

In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including:

• Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees.
• Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent).
• 75% discount on many other train operating companies.
• Full training and support with development.
• Excellent pension scheme.

We all belong at SWR. Our vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment. We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent. We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.