Rolling Stock Contracts Manager

Etihad Rail Operating Companies; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading rail company in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Rolling Stock Contract Manager to manage third-party maintenance contractors and ensure adherence to safety and quality standards. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and 7–10 years of experience in rail maintenance, particularly with freight assets. Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills are required for this role that involves significant fieldwork and stakeholder interaction.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in rail/rolling stock maintenance.
• Proven experience managing maintenance or service contracts.
• Strong focus on freight assets and safety-critical environments.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the performance of third-party maintainers.
• Assess the quality of maintenance activities.
• Monitor contractor performance and resolution of issues.
• Support technical investigations and improvements.

Skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Conflict resolution

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Job description

Role Overview:

The Rolling Stock Contract Manager is a hands-on, field-based contract management role requiring a highly experienced engineer with a solid background in freight rolling stock maintenance and engineering. This individual will play a critical role in evaluating the technical quality of work delivered by 3rd party technicians, ensuring full control and visibility over the maintenance delivery and engineering support functions for fleet operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the on-site contract owner, overseeing the day-to-day performance of third-party maintainers and service providers.
• Assess and audit the quality and compliance of maintenance activities against contractual, technical, and safety standards.
• Serve as the technical authority on rolling stock issues, with the ability to challenge, validate, or reject third-party engineering work.
• Monitor contractor performance and KPIs, ensuring timely and effective resolution of deficiencies or non-conformances.
• Ensure contractual deliverables are met, including planned and corrective maintenance, fleet availability, and reliability targets.
• Lead or support technical investigations and root cause analyses in coordination with internal teams and external contractors.
• Maintain effective communication between engineering, operations, and contractors to align expectations and resolve field-level issues.
• Support the continuous improvement of maintenance procedures, work instructions, and engineering standards.
• Ensure adherence to safety protocols, regulations, and railway-specific compliance requirements.

Profile Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent).
• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in rail/rolling stock maintenance, with a strong focus on freight assets.
• Proven experience managing maintenance or service contracts in a high-reliability operational environment.
• Sound understanding of preventive, corrective, and condition-based maintenance practices.
• Strong analytical and technical assessment skills; ability to work independently on-site.
• Experience working in a safety-critical and regulated industry.

Key Skills:

• Self-starter with a proactive, “boots-on-the-ground” approach.
• Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to work under pressure with multiple stakeholders and shifting priorities.