Head of Engineering Leeds, England
Job description
Position Title: Head of Engineering
Reports to: Engineering Director
Location: Across our West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire depots
Position Summary
The Head of Engineering, as a member of the Local Business Unit (LBU) leadership team, is accountable for all aspects of engineering performance in the Operating Company. Leading the teams across multiple locations, the role holder will build a customer-centric culture whilst ensuring statutory, legal, and regulatory compliance.
Working alongside the Operational teams, the Head of Engineering will champion the continued development of Engineering Excellence to deliver elevated levels of customer satisfaction.
The Head of Engineering operates within and embeds the divisional governance framework set by the Head of Engineering Excellence, ensuring that standard operational policies and procedures are adopted within the LBU.
Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities
- Together with other members of the LBU leadership team, lead the strategic direction of the LBU and fulfil all legal responsibilities
- Visibility in all locations under remit on a regular basis
- Lead all aspects of safety, environmental and engineering standards, compliance, and improvement in the LBU, ensuring cost efficient delivery of a safe and reliable fleet across all operating depots
- Regularly monitor KPI's, setting targets with a view for continuous improvement
- Ensure fleet presentation standards are maintained
- Responsible for auditing the quality of the vehicles, workmanship, and procedural compliance across all LBU depots.
- Responsible for technical resolutions at LBU level, liaise with Central Engineering Technical Team on wider campaigns.
- Liaise with HSE and other enforcement bodies on local business issues
- Responsible for establishing and developing an engaged and talented engineering team
- Ensure training and development is managed effectively, resulting in competently trained teams, meeting the agreed establishment requirements
- Manage specific and prevailing third-party contracts, ensuring contract adherence and ongoing positive stakeholder management
- Alongside the Operational team, ensure positive, proactive relationships are maintained between Operations and Engineering
- Maximise the effectiveness of colleague and customer engagement using all available channels, teams, marketing, and technology
- Ensure that controls are in place to manage and mitigate risk, providing assurance of compliance to the Operating Company Directors
- Deputise for the Engineering Director as required
- Other duties commensurate with the role as may be deemed appropriate by the line manager
Skills, Experience and Leadership behaviours required
Skills / Experience
- Strong track record as a credible leader in the service sector
- A team player, committed to working with and supporting their peer group and other colleagues to achieve the First Bus Strategy
- Good intellect with strong analytical insight and financial literacy skills, ale to quickly assess viability of business opportunities, with a “can-do” attitude to solving issues
- Extensive knowledge of all relevant legislations including PSV Operator License Compliance, with a good awareness of and practical experience of lean tools and techniques
- Demonstrable record of achievements showing delivery of major change or sustained improvement in an engineering environment
- Able to work in a complex operating environment and be able to lead and influence the wider business ensuring there is buy-in to a shared operational and customer vision to deliver transformational change, whilst staying within a divisional governance framework
- Able to challenge the status quo and influence thinking of experienced colleagues' resistant to change
- A confident communicator and inspirational leader, able to effectively engage with and influence customers and colleagues at all levels of the business
- Results-driven and strategically focused, with a strong ability to get into the detail when necessary
- Understand risk management, be willing to push boundaries and take calculated risks to deliver long term strategic goals
- Bus experience is not a pre-requisite, but an appreciation of the key challenges facing the public transport sector and its customers is essential
Rewards & Benefits
- First Xclusives discount scheme: You and your family & friends can benefit from over 3,000 offers on high street & leisure brands such as: Argos, Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda
- Free travel on our buses for you and your family
- £6 all-day train travel for you and your family on Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, Avanti, Trans Pennine Express, Hull Trains
- Free onsite parking + cycle to work scheme
- Up to 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays
- Pension scheme and chance to buy discounted First Group shares
We put a big focus on physical and mental wellbeing at First Bus. We recognise that anyone can be affected by the stresses and strains of work, or life outside it. You'll find a range of health-promotion initiatives, and you will have 24/7 access to our confidential Employee Assistance Programme.
Please apply now. We look forward to receiving you application.
Public transport serves everyone, whatever their differences. At First Bus, we want to be an employer open to you, no matter what your differences are. We aspire to be an inclusive organisation because diverse backgrounds, thinking and experiences bring so many benefits to our customers, communities and people. We welcome applications from all.
