Depot Programme Manager

Depot Programme Manager Application Deadline: 27 October 2026 Department: Fleet Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time Location: Tyseley Reporting To: Thomas Flaherty Compensation: £65,000 / year Description We are recruiting an experienced Depot Programme Manager to join our team at Tyseley. You will be responsible for managing, coordinating, and delivering all engineering, operational, and heavy maintenance programmes across the fleet, ensuring safety, environmental, quality, performance, contractual, and budget requirements are achieved. This includes oversight of major maintenance, Level 5 overhauls, modifications, upgrades, and lifecycle interventions, ensuring compliance with business, regulatory, and safety standards. You will also support the Depot Manager in planning and delivering heavy maintenance activities by leading depot teams to ensure traction and rolling stock are maintained, repaired, cleaned, and marshalled safely, efficiently, and to the required standards. Key Responsibilities Lead and manage all fleet engineering and maintenance programmes across DMU and WMT fleets, including overhauls, refurbishments, life-extension works, NDT, wheel lathe operations, and Level 5 maintenance. Plan, schedule, and oversee engineering modifications, technical upgrades, improvement campaigns, and engineering change control to enhance fleet reliability, performance, and compliance. Manage day-to-day depot operations, ensuring safe, efficient working practices aligned with standards, specifications, and regulatory requirements. Ensure maintenance outputs, SLA targets, and fleet availability are consistently achieved through effective resource planning, workforce management, and competency assurance. Monitor fleet performance metrics—including reliability, availability, and delay minutes—and drive targeted improvement actions to reduce delays and optimise asset performance. Oversee the management of SQR defects and engineering campaigns across WMT and XC fleets, ensuring timely, specification-compliant completion. Maintain the integrity of Maintenance Management Systems and ensure full compliance with Railway Group Standards, safety regulations, and audit requirements. Lead multi-disciplinary engineering and depot teams across electrical, mechanical, and digital systems, providing technical leadership, coaching, and development. Coordinate engineering activities across depots, internal teams, OEMs, suppliers, contractors, and overhaul partners to ensure efficient and high-quality programme delivery. Manage programme and depot budgets, ensuring efficient use of resources, strong cost control, and accurate reporting to senior stakeholders and executive committees. Lead commercial engagement, supporting procurement, contractor negotiations, costing development, and third-party work agreements to ensure commercial performance. Ensure all third-party maintenance work is planned, costed, and delivered to agreed quality standards, timelines, and operational expectations. Deploy fleet into service, ensuring stock allocations, formations, and availability meet operational and franchise requirements. Conduct incident investigations and ensure safety, environmental, and inspection standards are maintained, with corrective actions implemented where required. Drive continuous improvement across engineering, maintenance, and depot operations, while supporting the introduction of new technologies and contributing to strategic growth initiatives aligned with national rail strategy and sustainability objectives Skills, Knowledge and Expertise A recognised relevant Mechanical Degree Course or equivalent (M