Business Support Manager

First Bus; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Travel pass

Cycle to work

Pension scheme

Job summary

First Bus is seeking a highly organised Business Support Manager to work with the Senior Leadership Team across Scotland and York. You will coordinate cross-functional projects, monitor progress against key objectives, and ensure accountability for delivering outcomes in a fast-paced operational setting.

You will build relationships with stakeholders, drive governance and reporting, and provide insight to support strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• Experience in a Business Manager/Business Support/Project Coordination role in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong commercial and operational awareness with ability to identify opportunities to improve performance.
• Proven ability to deliver projects through collaboration and influence.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate strategic and operational projects across Scotland and York.
• Support SLT to deliver initiatives improving performance, customer outcomes and commercial results.
• Monitor progress against objectives and timelines, ensuring visibility of risks and actions.
• Establish governance, reporting and tracking processes for progress and risk management.
• Drive accountability and momentum across key priorities, ensuring timely delivery and outcomes.
• Build relationships with stakeholders to enable collaboration and problem-solving.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and briefs for leadership reviews.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Project coordination

Governance & reporting

Strategic planning

Communication

Job description

Are you ready to advance your career with one of the UK's leading bus operators? Join a forward-thinking company that embraces cutting-edge bus technology, from innovative mobile apps to environmentally friendly vehicles. We are passionate about delivering passenger journeys that are sustainable, comfortable, and efficient. We are at the forefront of innovation in the industry, connecting communities and shaping the future of public transport.

Location: Glasgow, (with travel across Scotland and York as required)

About the Role

We are looking for a highly organised, commercially minded Business Support Manager to join our team and work closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) across Scotland and York.

This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in supporting business performance, driving key initiatives, and ensuring strategic priorities are successfully delivered across a complex and dynamic operational environment.

Acting as a trusted partner to senior leaders, you will coordinate cross-functional projects, monitor progress against key objectives, and ensure accountability for delivering business outcomes. You'll bring together stakeholders from across the organisation, helping to drive collaboration, remove barriers, and support effective decision-making.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working at pace, influencing senior stakeholders, and turning plans into action.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading and coordinating strategic and operational projects across Scotland and York.
• Supporting the Senior Leadership Team to deliver initiatives that improve operational performance, customer outcomes, and commercial results.
• Monitoring the progress and impact of key projects, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives and timelines.
• Establishing effective governance, reporting, and tracking processes to ensure visibility of progress and risks.
• Driving accountability and momentum across key business priorities, ensuring actions are completed and outcomes achieved.
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders across the business to facilitate collaboration and problem-solving.
• Preparing high-quality reports, presentations, briefing papers, and business updates for leadership meetings and reviews.
• Supporting strategic planning and prioritisation activities across the region.
• Providing insight, challenge, and recommendations to support informed business decisions.
• Coordinating leadership meetings, workshops, and business review sessions where required.
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, helping to streamline processes and enhance ways of working.

About You

We're looking for someone who can confidently operate across a diverse stakeholder environment, bringing people together to achieve shared goals.

• Experience within a Business Manager, Business Support, Project Coordination, Operations Support, or similar role in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong commercial and operational awareness, with the ability to interpret information and identify opportunities to improve business performance.
• Proven experience delivering projects and initiatives through collaboration and influence rather than direct management authority.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility and lasting relationships at all levels.
• Strong organisational and planning capabilities with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience supporting governance processes, performance reporting, and action tracking.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Proactive, adaptable, and solutions-focused approach to problem solving.
• High levels of professionalism, integrity, and discretion when dealing with confidential information.

Rewards

Your health is important to us which is why we offer Simply Health & Smart Health for you and your dependents at no cost to you! This offering includes cash back benefits across optical & dental as well as virtual GP appointments, mental health support and nutrition and fitness advise. Our EAP provision offers 24hr, 365 days a year mental health support

• We are also committed to your financial wellbeing, and we offer a platform with many discounts on high street brands and supermarkets etc
• Working at First you also receive discounted train travel for you and your family after 6 months service as well as a free bus pass
• Cycle to work scheme
• Pension scheme and chance to buy discounted First Group shares
• Enhanced maternity / paternity pay

Public transport serves everyone, whatever their differences. At First Bus, we want to be an employer open to you, no matter what your differences are. We aspire to be an inclusive organisation because diverse backgrounds, thinking and experiences bring so many benefits to our customers, communities, and people. We welcome applications from all.