Administrative Assistant- Engineering

Northern Trains Limited; Leeds; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free travel for you and dependents

Generous pension scheme

Enhanced family benefits

Cycle to work scheme

Exclusive discounts

Job summary

Northern Trains Limited is seeking an organised and detail‑oriented Administrator at the Neville Hill TrainCare Centre in Leeds. You will provide essential administrative support to ensure records, systems and processes are accurate and efficient.

A typical day includes raising purchase orders, taking meeting minutes, managing rosters, and preparing payroll reports, while supporting sickness absence and maintenance record keeping across the department.

Qualifications

• Previous administrative experience with ability to manage competing priorities and maintain high accuracy.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications.
• Confidence with different systems and learning new technology.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support across the TrainCare Centre.
• Raise purchase orders and support purchasing processes.
• Take minutes during meetings and distribute actions.
• Manage TrainCare Centre staff rosters within time management systems.
• Extract and prepare payroll-related reports.
• Support sickness absence administration including medical referrals.
• Maintain vehicle maintenance records and related systems.
• Support managers and colleagues across the department.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Microsoft Office

Learning new technology

Organisation

Meet deadlines

Proactive approach

Work independently

Team player

Tools

Microsoft Office

Time management systems

Job description

People come to Northern for trains they can rely on. Behind every journey is a team working hard to keep our fleet safe, maintained, and ready to move millions of customers across the North.

As part of our Engineering team, you’ll play an important role in keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes. Based within our TrainCare Centre (TCC), you'll provide vital administrative support that helps colleagues maintain accurate records, manage essential processes, and keep maintenance activities on track.

This is a role where organisation really matters. One day you could be managing maintenance records and raising purchase orders, the next supporting managers with rosters, reports, and employee records. If you enjoy bringing order to busy environments and take pride in getting the details right, you'll feel right at home here.

What you'll be doing

You’ll provide a wide range of administrative support across the TrainCare Centre, helping ensure records, systems, and processes are maintained accurately and efficiently.

A typical day could include:

• Raising purchase orders and supporting purchasing processes
• Taking minutes during meetings and distributing actions
• Managing TrainCare Centre staff rosters within our time management systems
• Extracting and preparing payroll-related reports
• Supporting sickness absence administration, including medical referrals
• Maintaining vehicle maintenance records and associated systems
• Providing administrative support to managers and colleagues across the department
• Responding to queries and ensuring information is recorded accurately and on time
• Organisation, attention to detail and confidence using systems – that's the winning combination for this role.

About you

We’re looking for someone with previous administrative experience who can manage competing priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy.

You’ll also bring:

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications
• Confidence working with different systems and learning new technology
• The ability to organise your workload and meet deadlines
• A proactive approach and willingness to support others
• The confidence to work independently while being a valued part of a wider team

Most importantly, you’ll enjoy keeping things organised, solving problems, and helping others get what they need to do their jobs effectively.

What's in it for you?

At Northern, we don’t just value our people - we go the extra mile to support them. Here’s a taste of what you can look forward to:

• Free Travel: Unlimited free travel for you, your partner, and your dependents on Northern services. Plus up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.
• Generous Pension Scheme: We top up your contributions by 1.5 times.
• Enhanced Family Benefits: We offer 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save up to 42% on a bike and spread the cost.
• Exclusive Discounts: From shopping to wellbeing, Northern Perks has you covered.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support for family, lifestyle, and more.
• Training and Career Development: We offer tailored training to our colleagues and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications. Plus enhanced career pathways no matter what part of the business you’re in.
• Recognition: We know how important it is to show how much we appreciate our people. That’s why we have our Northern Lights and Northern Sparks Awards, recognising and celebrating brilliance every day.

Why Northern?

We’re more than just a train operator. We’re the heartbeat of the North – connecting communities, creating opportunities, and driving sustainable growth. With 2,650 trains running daily, we’re on a mission to improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting the environment.

Back in 1825, the first passenger train set off in the North of England, beginning a journey that would transform travel across the world. We’ve recently celebrated 200 years of the modern railway and, as we reflect on that legacy, our focus is now on the future as Great British Rail takes shape. Join us at this pivotal moment in rail history and play your part in our journey.

A place for everyone

The best journeys happen when everyone feels welcome on board.

At Northern, we don’t just move people from A to B – we’re building a team where everyone feels they belong. Our talent team can make reasonable adjustments to the process if that’s something you need. We're also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer, so if you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we’ll always offer an interview.

We automate parts of our screening process to remove any unconscious bias and to make sure every application is treated fairly. All successful offers will be subject to a DBS check and a medical assessment.

No matter your background, experience, or whether you call it a bap, barm, or cob… there’s a place for you here in the railway.

Location: Neville Hill TrainCare Centre - Leeds