Now recruiting for Train Service Managers, based at Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre in West Sussex.

Are you someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced problem-solving environment? Are you systematic and thorough in your approach and able to prioritise your workload? Can you communicate quickly and clearly whilst influencing at all levels? Do you have great situational awareness and the ability to remain calm under pressure? Are you looking to progress into a more challenging role?

If you can answer yes to all the above, please read on.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is the largest Train Operating Company in the UK, operating four brands across London and the southeast of England. Our brands are Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink, together operating over 3,800 daily passenger services completing around 1 million customer journeys daily.

Working in our control centre, the Train Service Manager (TSM) is our most challenging role, offering an opportunity to play a critical part in the delivery of our real time train service. Our unique geography and the high frequency of the service we operate requires individuals who can handle a fast paced, quickly changing environment.

We require exceptional people to meet this challenge with a proactive approach, the ability to think ahead, prioritise tasks, solve problems and plan for the next challenge just around the corner. Using the latest high-tech suite of software Train Service Managers play a major part in ensuring our customers get safely to their destinations in all types of challenging situations.

To become a member of our dynamic and diverse team of professionals, candidates will be invited to complete an initial online assessment, and those selected will be invited to a further in person assessment day and formal interview. Those successful will be either offered an immediate appointment or enter our talent pool where appointment is generally in seniority order.

The key responsibilities of a Train Service Manager are:

• Deliver the planned daily timetable across your designated service group.
• Respond immediately to real time disruptive events on GTR trains, stations and Network Rail infrastructure in association with our partners.
• Work closely with our engineering department to ensure the fleet of trains is maintained.
• Work closely with our operations department to ensure best use is made of available traincrew.
• Work closely with all stakeholders to ensure our customers receive the best possible experience.
• Work under the guidance and instruction from the Duty Network Operations Manager on duty as required.

Reporting on shift to the Duty Network Operations Manager, the key challenges of the role include:  

• Reviewing the daily train service plan, taking ownership of key service groups and implementing any required changes due to infrastructure, fleet and crew availability in line with standards, procedures and processes.
• Liaising with Network Rail to develop and implement on the day, very short-term train paths as necessary for train services, in order to balance the fleet and crew to deliver the required daily timetable.
• Working closely with Network Rail and other Train operating Company stakeholders to understand infrastructure restrictions and the consequential impact on train services.
• Developing and implementing alterations to the train service to maximise the use of the available network and ensuring the impact is kept to minimum and alternative routes are offered.
• Lead and manage operational incidents within your geographical area, acting as the representative for GTR as appropriate, ensuring that services are restored to normal as quickly as possible.
• Continually improve the customer journey experience through collating and analysing data, identifying enhancements to process, service delivery, recovery and operational management.
• Communicating to stakeholders and liaising closely with the Customer Experience team to ensure that customers' needs and requirements are met during disruptive events.
• Represent GTR's interests at meetings or conference calls held to recover from incidents, delays or finalise arrangements for planned events.

About You

You will need to possess, to have or be able to demonstrate:

• The ability and willingness to learn and develop yourself with new skills, in a real time, very busy operational environment, working with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver our operational plans.
• Proven experience of working within a team to deliver joint goals and objectives.
• To be or become a strong leader, able to influence and persuade key stakeholders to deliver the best service and performance levels.
• Be innovative and an intelligent thinker with the ability to look ahead and proactively plan to avoid problems and challenges before they occur.
• Able to adhere to operational plans and processes and understand the impact of the implementation on service quality levels.
• Energy for continuous improvement – always striving to better processes and standards to deliver industry leading experiences to our customers.
• Excellent analytical and computer skills – using the Microsoft suite of software and well as the ability to quickly learn the bespoke rail industry systems, as required, to monitor, record and improve GTR performance.

Benefits

As a TSM your benefits will include free unlimited travel on the GTR network, discounted travel on other train operators, an attractive pension scheme, generous annual leave and competitive salary of £44,927 rising to £47,927 (subject to pay award) upon completion of training, usually around 12 weeks in duration, and great satisfaction knowing you have played a part in helping our customers have a great journey with us.

Roster/Shift Patterns

Please note this is a shift-based role, where you will be working earlies, lates and nights Sunday-Saturday including bank holidays. The longest run of shifts is 10, made up of 8 and 12-hour shifts, however this is then followed by a number of days off.