AddressBUSINESS FUNCTION: Operations Management
GRADE: DTM
SALARY: £69,342 per annum
ROLE TYPE: On Site
HOURS: 37 hours
Is steering Train Driver teams to success ‘Your Thing’?
We are seeking a Lead Driver Team Manager who shares a passion for excellence, to join Northerns East Operations team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with leadership experience and a passion for success.
Connecting millions of people and communities across the North is our mission. With 2,500 trains a day, we connect people to jobs, friends, family, and the wonders of the North.
We're improving rail travel, enhancing the experience on board and at stations. Customers are at the heart of our business as we improve performance and create a better way to go.
We're driving economic value and sustainable growth for the North and its people. Our commitment to the environment means reducing our impact and enhancing the world around us.
Make a difference. Make it last. Make it easy. Make it happen. Make it yours. These are our values.
Ready to make them yours? Join us on this journey.
About the role:
As Lead Driver Team Manager your role is key to guiding Northern Train Drivers at depot to success. Reporting into the Area Lead Driver Team Manager, you’ll lead, and motivate Train Drivers, ensuring compliance with the highest standards, but also the delivery of exceptional customer service.
Your focus extends to safety and security, conducting checks and acting swiftly on corrective measures. With a strategic mindset and strong communication, you lead a high-performing team while fostering a culture of safety and efficiency.
Your influence extends beyond internal operations as you liaise with external bodies, Train Operators, Network Rail, and station tenants. The role requires a comprehensive understanding of internal control requirements and Health & Safety regulations. You'll monitor, analyse, and investigate incidents, implementing improvements. You’ll also showcase your ability to balance the complexities of people management, contributing to continuous service improvement.
This position is about more than management; it's about driving positive change in a high-pressured environment. If this sounds like your thing, we’d love to hear from you.
Key responsibilities:
As the Lead Driver Team Manager, you can expect a role that’s requires strategic varied and challenging role, but here is a taste of what your day-to-day activities could include:
- Lead, motivate, and ensure driver and instructor compliance with Group Standards, Northern operations manual, and customer service excellence.
- Conduct safety and security checks as per Northern's frequencies, taking corrective action when necessary.
- Implement briefing, monitoring, and assessments for drivers and instructors, ensuring adherence to safety and operational standards.
- Plan, assess, and monitor route learning to meet required standards.
- Liaise regularly with external bodies, Train Operators, Network Rail, and station tenants.
- Adhere to internal control requirements, safeguarding company assets, and minimising liabilities.
- Ensure Health & Safety, COSHH, and fire precautions compliance for all locations in the area of responsibility.
- Monitor, analyse, and investigate accidents and incidents, implementing improvements for safety and performance.
- Conduct depot visits, out-of-hours checks, and Radar speed checks as needed.
- Assist in compliance audits, taking the lead in driver management.
- Manage constituency meetings, welfare, discipline, grievance, and MFA arrangements for all staff.
- Record and report KPI information as required.
- Contribute to roster implementation for resource efficiency.
- Ensure effective station and on-train security arrangements in compliance with TRANSEC national rail security plan.
- Prepare, work, stable, and dispose of traction units safely to maintain required route and traction knowledge.
- Follow directives from the Area Lead DTM
About you:
You'll be a highly motivated person with excellent interpersonal and people management skills. Your deep understanding of team dynamics allows you to cultivate positive team-working and employ effective motivational techniques. Your communication skills, both verbal and written, are sound and proven, demonstrated through clear and concise reports and letter writing. With an awareness of the business and commercial environment, you possess a solid understanding of customer service delivery principles. Your organisational and time management skills are exemplary, showcasing your ability to forward plan. When under pressure, your logical and clear thinking ensures tasks are completed to a high standard within specified timeframes and financial limits.
We’re also looking for the following:
- Management qualification desirable (e.g. Certificate or Diploma in Management Studies, NVQ Level 4 (MCI standards)
- 4 Years train driving experience (essential)
- Able to achieve and maintain full train driving competence and hold PTS certification.
- Thorough knowledge of link structure and rostering principles
- Competent in all applicable rules and regulations
- Understanding and proven application of applicable HR policies required for managing staff and Health and Safety legislation.
- Holder of full and current road driving licence (essential)
- Computer Literate: Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
You will also need to hold or be prepared to undertake training in:
- On-Call/TOLO
- IOSH Managing Safely award
- Competent to A1/D33 or equivalent
- Introduction to Leadership
- OTDR Training
- Accident Investigation/Root Cause Analysis
- Trauma Awareness
- Stress Management
- Negotiation Skills
Our Benefits:
Because we value our people and reward hard work, we’ve created a benefits package that we think you’ll love. So, you’ll be able to make the most of:
- Opportunities to progress and grow - including comprehensive training schemes and a range of online learning courses.
- Cycle to Work Scheme - save up to 42% on the cost of a bike, while also spreading your payments throughout the year.
- Free Travel on Northern services - everyone who works at Northern, plus their partners/spouses and dependents, can travel for free right across our full network of services. *Certain eligibility criteria will apply.
- 75% discount with other Train Operating Companies - after 2 years with us, you’ll also get discounted travel on many other rail services in the UK and Europe.
- Defined Benefit Pension Scheme - you’ll rarely find a pension as good as a Northern pension, and we top up your pension with a generous 1.5 times your contribution.
- Maternity and Paternity Benefits - we go above and beyond the standard, and mums can enjoy 9 months’ maternity leave on full pay while dads can make the most of 2 weeks’ paternity leave on full pay.
- Employee Assistance Programme - advice, support and useful information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on everything from family issues to lifestyle matters.
- Exclusive benefits with Northern Perks - enjoy retail discounts, instant vouchers, cashback, wellbeing support and much more.
You can find out more here.
Please note that Northern reserves the right to close recruitment for this role before the published closing date if high volumes of applications are received.
However, if you miss the application window for this particular role, please keep checking back for other opportunities. We are always on the lookout for great people to join the Northern Team!
We’re an equal opportunities employer and a promoter of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, sex, ethnicity, race, religion, education, socioeconomic background, disability, or sexual orientation.
We also have Disability Confident status, which means we’re committed to making the most of the talents that disabled people can bring to the workplace.
