Operations Manager

Operations Manager

Location: Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway Station, West Lothian, Scotland

Salary: £35,000 - £45,000 (dependant on experience)

Hours: Full time (40hrs per week), rostered to suit operational requirements

Employer: Scottish Railway Preservation Society

Reporting to: General Manager

Responsible for: Operations Department (Steam, Diesel, Carriage and Wagon, Signalling, and Stations)

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society are looking for an Operations Manager that will be responsible for delivering the safe operation of the Society’s heritage railway activities.

If you are methodical, thorough, focused on detail, driven by the highest standards, and have a passion for railways, the Operations Manager role may be for you. The role is tasked with delivering strong operational leadership and high standards of compliance with the Safety Management System and Competence Management System.

You will be able to demonstrate our organisational values with commitment and dedication, working with a large team across a varied number of operations.

Role Description

Our Operations Department looks after the safe operation of all trains on the line, and we are proud to work with a large team of volunteers, including guards, footplate staff, traffic management, incident recording, contingency planning, shunting, special traffic, site security, and administration of the Heritage Operations Processing System (‘HOPS’), a web-based tool for the day-to-day running and management of preserved and heritage railways.

The Operations Manager provides leadership and day-to-day management of this team, and the volunteer Heads of Department (covering Steam, Diesel, Carriage and Wagon, Signal and Telecommunications, and Stations). A key part of the role is the training, mentoring, and ongoing assessment of all staff within your remit (both paid and voluntary), ensuring consistently high standards of safety, competence, and customer service.

Experience

Experience of working on an operational railway in an operations role with both paid and volunteer staff, either on the national network or a heritage railway, is essential. Hands-on experience as a guard, signalman, or footplate crew would be desirable.

Key skills and attributes

This role requires someone who has a proven record in promoting and improving customer service to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction, and a proven record of strong organisational and planning skills. An effective and engaging networker, you should be an excellent communicator who understands the importance of building and nurturing relationships with our vast network of stakeholders, including our neighbours along the five miles of the B&KR line and in the wider railway eco-system.

You should be an experienced leader and a team player used to working with people to get the very best from them, with a can-do attitude, and who takes responsibility for getting tasks done in a safe and compliant manner.

You should have the ability to establish systems and processes to enable the smooth coordination of activities. You should personally align to our values of:

• Preserving our traction and rolling stock, our infrastructure, our archives, and our people. Preserving the best of, and learning from, our history.


• Supporting our volunteers to achieve what they are passionate about, recognising that passion is different for different people.


• Protecting, valuing, and continually cultivating a robust and positive safety culture, training people to be mindful of the dangers of railways.


• Promoting the aims of the Society internally, to the wider public, and to industry bodies.


• Looking after our people and creating a sense of belonging, and engaging with visitors to celebrate Scotland’s railway heritage.


• Advocating two-way communication to cultivate a sense of unity across the organisation.

You will be responsible for ensuring ongoing compliance with Society policies, procedures, and guidelines, placing the health and safety of visitors, staff, volunteers, and contractors at the forefront of your thinking. You will be able to manage the administration of the Society’s day-to-day activities. You will have appropriate IT and communication skills to undertake this role effectively.

You will support the Board in delivering the Society’s strategic objectives, including the financial budget, as well as pursuing the highest standards of quality in all work carried out in your role as Operations Manager. You will be responsible for the following Heads of Department that operate across the Society: Steam, Diesel, Carriage and Wagon, Signal and Telecommunications, and Stations.

Key Responsibilities

• Principal contact with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), His Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate (HMRI), and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).


• Primary contact with other senior managers (Engineering Manager, Business Development Director) on operational matters.


• Ensure and monitor competency compliance with assessors.


• Ensure and monitor compliance with the Rule Book and all other operational rules and procedures.


• Ensure the Rule Book and PTS Instructions remain relevant, accessible, and are consistently observed.


• Review all incidents on the railway, ensuring appropriate actions are taken.


• Maintain and publish Operating & Training Procedures (taking guidance from ORR, RAIB, and HRA).


• Maintain and publish the Emergency Plan.


• Manage traffic, approve regular train schedules, and review and approve all requests for trains and planned outages.


• Prepare and publish STNs and Special Notices – prepare and publish on HOPS and noticeboards.


• Oversee control of the SRPS Safety Management System (SMS) and Competence Management System (CMS), ensuring compliance and regular review.


• Identify and monitor training needs for the workforce and ensure that all required certifications are current and appropriately recorded and updated.


• Control the budget for the Operations Department, including forecasting, monitoring, and reporting on performance against budget.


• Deal with day-to-day operational issues such as trespass and contractor access.


• Review and approve all changes to operational procedures and any changes which could affect the operation of trains on the B&KR.


• Uphold the values of the Society and setting an example for others.


• Lead and manage volunteers in a manner that is consistent with the values of the Society.


• Provide appropriate management information to the General Manager and Board (or its sub-committees) in a timely manner.


• Work with our Steam, Diesel, and Carriage and Wagon departments to allocate rolling stock, ensuring it is fit for purpose and is at the right place at the right time.


• Ensure that the railway is adequately staffed each day with the appropriate rostering and forward planning in place.


• Provide high level operations training as required, as well as Rule Book and PTS Courses.


• Roll out developments in the HOPS system to the wider Operations Department.


• Ensure trains are prepared, clean, and fit for service in a timely manner.


• Liaise with the Business Development Department and other third parties in order to prepare annual operating and working timetables.


• Assist with bespoke projects such as filming contracts.


• Appoint On-Call Responsible Officers who are contactable 24x7.


• Monitor and manage issues that affect staff performance including fatigue, drug, substance and alcohol abuse, and mental wellbeing.

Benefits

• Join a fantastic, friendly team of over 15 staff and over 400 volunteers.


• Work within a beautiful and unique location, immersed in Scottish railway history.


• Employers’ Pension Scheme.


• Free parking.


• Work for a charity in the heritage sector where all profits are reinvested into further developing the museum, its people and our communities.

About the Society

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) operates passenger trains on the five-mile Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway (B&KR) on around 150 days per year, with a busy programme of special events and welcomed over 50,000 visitors in 2023.

As one of the country’s leading heritage railways, we have a reputation for high standards of customer service and commercial success.

Our museum tells the story of the history of the Scottish railway industry and our collection has been recognised as being of national significance.

We have a large, diverse audience and we rely upon talented people who are able to demonstrate exceptional skills and personal characteristics to deliver the outstanding experience we offer to visitors.

The railway also hosts filming and location hire, and our connection to the national rail network at Manuel enables trains to operate to and from the B&KR and further afield in the UK mainland.

If you believe that you are the right person for this role, send your CV and covering letter highlighting why you would be suitable for this job, please click the ‘Apply’ button to submit your application.

We will aim to hold initial interviews in WC 20 January 2025.