Head of Drivers – Delivering Operational Excellence!

Are you ready to take on an exciting and dynamic role at Avanti West Coast? Look no further! We have the perfect opportunity for you. We’re currently seeking a Head of Drivers to join our team and make a significant impact on our operations.

As the Head of Drivers, you’ll be a key member of our Operations Senior Leadership Team, working to deliver on our promises to customers, colleagues, and stakeholders. You’ll head up a team of Driver Managers, the Avanti West Coast driver team, and a Workforce Optimisation team. Leading by example, you’ll develop and implement strategies to achieve excellence in Safety, Performance, Operational Standards, Colleague Engagement, and Industrial Relations.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and leading the strategy and objectives for Drivers to meet targets on operational standards, safety, and performance.
• Empowering Regional Operations Managers to achieve effective depot management and associated KPIs.
• Identifying and resolving operational risks and opportunities, working collaboratively with internal and external teams.
• Devising strategies for industrial relations to improve collaboration with union representatives and ensure efficient service delivery.
• Leading a Workforce Optimisation team to deliver effective workforce plans and meet our promises to customers.
• Leading improvement initiatives for significant operational requirements.

To excel in this role, you should have a working knowledge of railway operations and driver management, along with experience in leading large operational teams. Additionally, you should have:

• Recent experience consulting and negotiating with Trade Unions at local and national levels, with a successful track record in handling difficult negotiations and resolving disputes.
• Adaptive leadership skills to set the vision and strategy for high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to resolve disputes while maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders.
• High commercial and business acumen with a focus on revenue growth and efficiency, ideally in a regulated business.
• The ability to build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and effectively influence positive change across Avanti West Coast.
• Strong organisational skills to manage and prioritise work commitments across the team.

Please see the role profile for more information.

Benefits include:

• Railway pension scheme
• Free travel on Avanti West Coast for you/spouse/partner/dependents
• Privilege Travel card (75% off other train operators fares for leisure travel)
• 30 days holiday rising by 1 for every completed year of service to a maximum of 37 days (inclusive of bank holidays)
• 10 free journeys on other First Group Train Operator

If you’re ready to deliver operational excellence with us, we want to hear from you! Apply now and be part of a journey that’s as exciting as the destinations we serve.

At Avanti West Coast, we value the differences that make each of us unique! Avanti West Coast recognises the benefits of building a diverse workforce and employing people from diverse backgrounds, which includes their race, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability and sexual orientation.

Everyone who joins Avanti West Coast becomes part of our close-knit team. We're committed to ensuring that Avanti West Coast is inclusive, a place where people are encouraged to be themselves, and not an edited version to fit in. A place where differences are welcomed, recognised, accepted and put to good use!