GM Operational Readiness - Secondment for 12 months

Job Introduction

Are you seeking a career where you can have a meaningful impact on people's daily journeys?

We are seeking a General Manager (Operational Readiness) to join our Train Services Team based from our Head Office in London Bridge (hybrid working).

Can you move people? Apply now.

What you’ll do

The purpose of this role is principally to ensure alignment of various programmes/projects enabling the Operations & Safety directorate and wider business to act early to ensure operational readiness.

You will lead on minimising disruption, effectively embedding and introducing change, and optimising operations to ensure the benefits from multiple change programmes are realised. 

Additionally, you will lead on all aspects of the business planning process for the Operations & Safety team, including quarterly forecast process and annual business plan, working with other departments as appropriate.

Please see attached job description for more information about the role.

The experience you’ll need

To be considered for this role we recommend you demonstrate the below in your application;

• Proven track record of line management experience to a senior level in operations management, preferably within the rail industry.
• Good knowledge of the contractual arrangements affecting train service performance.
• Excellent leadership skills and ability to set direction and inspire commitment to achieve common goals.
• Ability to influence and gain commitment to deliver the desired result, through the use of a range of interpersonal skills, focussing on persuasion, negotiation and selling.
• Good team player with ability to develop productive and motivated teams.
• Ability to translate strategy and goals into practical working plans, modifying plans quickly in the light of changing business priorities.
• Customer Focussed with ability to act upon customer feedback to grow the business.
• Results driven
• Ability to network across the industry to learn from others and develop and implement good practice from elsewhere

As proud members of the Armed Forces Covenant and Disability Confident Scheme, we will offer you an interview if you apply under these schemes and meet the minimum criteria for the role. Find out more here. 

Other things to know

• This vacancy may close early if we receive a large number of applications. So, make sure you get yours in early.
• All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references, a right to work verification, a basic criminal record check, and a pre-employment medical assessment. Work visa sponsorship isn’t available for this role.
• If you applied but weren’t successful in getting a similar role at Southeastern, please wait six months before applying again.

Find out more about our recruitment process and get tips to help you apply.

What you’ll get in return

Along with your salary, the rewards you’ll get include:

• a final salary pension
• 25 days annual leave allowance (plus bank holidays)
• free rail travel across our networks.

Meaning you can feel secure in your career as well as fulfilled by your work. Click here to see our full range of amazing benefits.

A bit about Southeastern

We’re one of Britain's busiest train operators, serving London, Kent and parts of East Sussex. We run over 1,700 trains a day, carrying more than 500,000 passengers and serving 180 stations.

However, working on our railway is more than getting passengers from A to B. It’s about all the little moments that make a difference to their journey.

It’s also about making our railway a great place to work. With a team that represents the communities we serve. This is a journey we’re fully committed to and we’re proud to have been named a ‘Great Place to Work’ at the 2023 National Rail Awards and endorsed as a WORK180 Employer for Women.

Our ways of working are what we expect of everyone at Southeastern. They are powerful. Tiny moments, every day, from every one of us, add up to massive, positive change. Improving how it feels to work here and how it feels to travel with us.

Learn more about our railway and what we achieved in 2023.