Fleet Operations Manager

Description

Are you looking for opportunities to work on high profile rail projects and advanced technology alongside experts from the around the globe? Come and join the fastest growing rail business in the world!

Hitachi Rail is a fully integrated, global provider of rail solutions across rolling stock, signalling, service & maintenance, digital technology and turnkey. With a presence in 38 countries across three continents and over 13,000 employees, our mission is to contribute to society through the continuous development of superior rail transport solutions. We are working to Inspire the Next – and this is your chance to be part of it.

Your new role

Hitachi Rail are offering an exciting opportunity to join its growing UK Services business by joining the Etches Park team in Derby. The fleet consists of 33 five car class 810 Bi mode trains that will revolutionise rail in Derby.

In this exciting role you will be responsible for fleet delivery including Depot operations, train maintenance centres, outstations and integrated support functions. This role will also involve regular travel to Doncaster and Newton Aycliffe.

Specifically, you will be responsible for the following deliverables:

• Through direct and matrix leadership of the Fleet Teams, TMC’s and support functions, the Fleet Operations Manager is responsible for the production output and in service support to enable HRL to satisfy its customer(s), contractual obligations and business performance requirements.
• Establish, manage and optimise the daily governance of the Fleet team. Ensure the governance structure delivers the right performance outputs and accountability. Foster a collaborative spirit and drive all team members to work to the process and to identify improvement initiatives. Support the Train centre and planning Managers to deliver “the plan”.
• Operate as a key member of regional Operational Leadership Team (OLT).
• Set, embed and foster the “Safety First” tone and culture in all aspects of our operations.
•  Work with all functions to deliver project wide initiatives and act as the Fleet team lead during cross-functional reviews and governance meetings.
• Develop and foster an operational quality improvement culture.
• Work closely with the Train Centre and planning managers to continuously improve production capacity, capabilities and efficiency.
• To be familiar with ECM (Entity in Charge of Maintenance) requirements and their applicability to Hitachi Rail Limited and the responsibilities within the role 
• Create an environment that consistently delivers against our contract requirements and build resilience to enable growth and business performance improvements.
• Cultivate and manage the talent pool within the region to improve operational and leadership capability to fuel growth and performance improvements.
• Represent HRL at customer reviews from an operational / fleet management perspective.
• Manage regional KPIs and performance trends and take appropriate action to improve performance and efficiency.
• Contribute to the annual budgeting and re-forecasting process when required.
• Support customer concerns to resolution.  

Lead and develop a team of remote direct reports, providing coaching and support to help them succeed in their role. 

About you

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience of delivering service based operations within rail and with direct team management experience.
• Proven experience of safety management and leadership.
• Proactive approach to service delivery and management and be confident in dealing with people at all levels of business.
• Able to plan, analyse and solve complex problems in a robust and practical manner.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Resilient and able to work under pressure both individually and as a team.
• Computer literate, knowledge of word, excel, power point and a capability to use bespoke software tools such as Smart sheet or power BI to support maintenance and planning functions.

Desirable

• Experience of train maintenance and overhaul operations or similar MRO programmes. 
• Understanding of Business Systems and ERP solutions such as SAP.
• Cross functional knowledge of policies and processes
• Continuous improvement experience within train maintenance operations

Qualifications

• Education to include but not be limited to – HND/HNC, ideally in rail operations / Manufacturing.
• Project Management / Leadership training.
• Leadership and Management training. ILM Level 2 or equivalent

Why Hitachi Rail?

At Hitachi Rail you will find a passionate and collaborative environment. We operate according to our values of Harmony, Sincerity and Pioneering Spirit. As such, we work closely as a team and empower our colleagues to take ownership and become creative in our pursuit of excellence. We take pride in the contribution we make to society and we always act with integrity and fairness towards our customers, suppliers and colleagues.

We offer a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement as well as a generous benefits package. This includes a pension scheme with contributions up to 9%, health insurance, and many more perks for you to choose from within a flexible plan that will meet your specific needs and lifestyle.

If you like the sound of the above and feel energised by the idea of joining a great brand at a moment of exciting expansion, please apply now. We look forward to hearing from you!

Closing date for applications is 26th September 2023

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