Local Operations Manager X4

Who We Are
At Network Rail, We're Part Of a Large Family Serving Millions Of Passengers And Freight Users Throughout The UK Every Day. Our Service Impacts Millions Of People And We Strive To Become More Efficient As We Enhance, Maintain And Operate Our Network. Now Is a Fantastic Time And Join Our Team In Wales And Western Region As We Finalise The Reforms To Our Maintenance Organisation Which Will Deliver

• A safer and more reliable and punctual service for passengers and employees - quicker fault fixes by more agile multi-disciplined response teams.
• Individual rostering - enabling us to send the right number or people to fix a fault.
• Multi-skilling - investing in the knowledge and skills of our people so they are better equipped to fix the most common faults themselves.
• Accelerated and improved technology deployment - we have a raft of labour and life‑saving technology ready to be rolled out.

Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organisation where people matter. When your part of our team, you matter to us and you matter to millions. Watch our video to find out more!

About our people and the recruitment process

- We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We look for opportunities to offer great opportunities to learn and grow through personal and professional development. And, if you make the grade then you can look forward to a rewarding and fulfilling career with a company that joined the top 50 in the Glassdoor's 2021 Best Places to Work.
We want to help deliver a railway which is safe, reliable, affordable and that provides great customer service to everyone. For more information about Network Rail click here

Overview

About the role
Are you ready for your next challenge? Great Western route are looking for our next generation of operational leaders and are introducing 4 new Local Operations Manager roles across the route, which are designed as developmental roles to gain the skills, competency to be a top class operational and people leader.

Your Main Responsibilities Will Be To

• Manage the leadership and direction of the local operations team acting as a role model and mentor, implementing NR policies professionally and efficiently.
• As required, undertake the role of Rail Incident Officer (RIO), overseeing that the command structure is set up and lead the coordination of the infrastructure and service restoration activities.
• Liaise with relevant customers internal and external i.e. maintenance and TOC's, FOC's to develop and maintain effective relationships.
• Manage the local operation resources and budgets to deliver the day-to-day train service including during times of perturbation.
• Implement pre-agreed delivery and contingency plans to maximise train performance.
• Support and manage locally the development of local emergency plans, delivering consistency and in line with route requirements.
• Proactively monitor and intervene on proposed maintenance activities in order to deliver train service performance.
• Manage and deliver a controllable Opex budget and work within procurement rules
• Implement and comply with the relevant procedures from the Operations Manual, the Rule Book and applicable elements of OHSM and the SSM
• Manage and deliver the competency assessment processes.
• Manage and direct resources in response to all accidents and incidents affecting infrastructure, in conjunction with Network Rail Control.
• In conjunction with Network Rail Control and the Operations Manager, manage and oversee the real time‑co‑ordination of the Mobile Operations Managers so that they are strategically placed to cover the area in times of service disruption.
• Specify, allocate and maintain vehicles and response equipment. Monitor that the vehicles and response equipment are efficiently specified, allocated, maintained and fit for purpose
• If competent, work signal boxes as directed.

Pay and Rewards

Salary: This role is a £ per annum.
As a Network Rail employee, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits!

• Privileged staff travel - Leisure travel discount of 75% on all leisure travel and includes family members.
• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train.
• GWR ticket alliance, Heavily discounted all day passes for you and up to 3 friends and family to use across the GWR network (48 passes per year)
• Benefits package including healthcare offers, a cycle to work scheme, discounted healthcare club membership, and a discounted offers and benefits including childcare, healthcare and online shopping site.
• A range of Pension schemes to choose from
• Effectively manage work-life balance with a 35hrs per week contract, hybrid working, flexible working, flexible leave, and enhanced family friendly support.
• 5 days paid volunteering leave.
• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community.
• In Wales and Western region, you will have the opportunity to join PROUD, our reward and recognition scheme where you can say thanks and recognise colleagues across the region who have demonstrated outstanding values and behaviours.

To find out more about the benefits at Network Rail, click here.

More About The Role And Your Application

Please note that once assigned to a team, this role will include participation in an on‑call roster. Employees undertaking on‑call duties will receive an additional 10% allowance in accordance with company policy.
Closing date: 15th October 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. This vacancy is also being advertised externally.

4 x positions available

Locations across Didcot / Bristol / Plymouth

For more information on the day to day duties of the Local Operations Manager role in the Western Route, please click on the attachment linked to this advert.
We want to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity. Therefore, should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please do let us know by including within your application
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre‑employment checks. Click here for more information
Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard has changed. All prospective candidates will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5-year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced.

Your Experience And Skills

You will ideally have

• Ability to lead, manage and develop people *
• Ability to attain rules and regulations level 2 competency *
• Ability to gain appropriate assessor competence *
• Ability to attain Rail Incident Officer *
• Decision making skills, assertiveness
• Understanding of customer needs and requirements
• Organising and Planning
• Hold full driving license
• Ability to gain appropriate box competencies *
• Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety within your application.

What Could Set You Apart

• Understanding financial systems and budgets.
• Commercial awareness
• IT skills in relation to report writing, corporate IM packages.
• General understanding in business improvement processes.
• General understanding of railway industry structure and responsibility.
• Ability to engage in employee relation issues.
• Experience of investigatory skills (Root Cause Analysis)
• * denotes post holder must attain relevant competency prior to carrying out activity

Not sure if you meet all the requirements? Let us decide. Some of these criteria may be learnt in role. Therefore, if you do not meet all the criteria, please submit your application. We will screen your application against these criteria to assess the best match. #J-18808-Ljbffr

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