Local Operations Manager

Crawley, England, United Kingdom

7/22/2025

Location

Crawley, GB

Department Name

OE Inner Kent & London Operations Manager (103206) G1

About Network Rail

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. Watch our video to find out more!

We're continuing to build a diverse organisation which is representative of the people we serve. We want to harness the skills and expertise of our people and attract the best talent, to enable a safe and accessible railway for everyone. To learn why inclusion is important to us, please click here .

About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone!

We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us , whilst you have a healthy work life balance.

We're also a Disability Confident Leader employer and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.

Brief Description

Manage the day to day performance of the local operations team within set resources and budgets, in accordance with company processes and objectives, to provide a professional delivery of operational safety and the train service.

Please Note: This post requires Security vetting. Unless already held the successful applicant for this role will be required to clear security vetting before any offer can be progressed.

About The Role (External)

Key Accountabilities:

• 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.
  
  
  

Job Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

Essential

• 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 *
  
  
  

Desirable

• 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
  
  
  

How To Apply (External)

Salary £ 64,117

Network Rail Benefits – To find out about what benefits we offer, click here

Closing date: 4th August 2025

Please get your application in as soon as possible, we may close the advert before the listed closing date if we receive enough applications.Late applications will not be accepted.

Please note the recruitment process for this role is a Competency based interview.

Click ‘apply now' to apply. Been referred by a friend, then please complete this form

We're dedicated to creating an inclusive environment and we welcome applications from everyone!

Network Rail is a Disability Confident Leader and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles. You can visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

Network Rail Benefits – To find out about what benefits we offer, click here

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information

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 on your application.

Drugs and Alcohol Standard:

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