Depot Operations Controller

Alstom; Greater London; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package (life,

Job summary

Alstom is seeking a Depot Operations Controller at Old Oak Common Depot, London. The role manages inbound, outbound and internal depot movements, coordinating with external operators to maintain on-time departures. It requires guarding safety procedures and ensuring trains are released only when safe.

Permanent, 42-hour week, days/nights shifts. Salary circa £61,000 plus benefits. Apply by 31 August 2026.

Qualifications

• GCSEs in science, mathematics and English are required, or equivalent.
• A higher educational qualification is expected.
• Experience in railway maintenance environments is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Represent and uphold safety procedures.
• Manage depot yard movements with a control system.
• Liaise with TOC and signaller to organise rail movements.
• Coordinate fleet maintenance with the planner manager.
• Improve maintenance processes and revise procedures.
• Highlight anomalies and implement mitigations.
• Provide real-time fleet location updates and diagrams.
• Manage yard processes to enable maintenance work.
• Respond to incidents with clear, precise instructions.

Skills

Data input & analysis

Railway maintenance knowledge

Planning & organisation

Communication skills

Working under pressure

Flexibility & adaptability

Process oriented

Approachability & teamwork

Proactive problem solving

Influencing & negotiation

Effective staff communication

Education

GCSEs in science, mathematics & English

Higher educational qualification

Job description

Req ID: 526853

Location: Old Oak Common Depot, NW10

Appointment Basis: Permanent, Days/Nights Shifts, 42 hour week.

Apply by: 31st August 2026

Salary + Benefits: CIRCA £61,000

At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, 86,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.

Your future role:

The Crossrail depot operates a fully automated yard control system that requires a Depot Operations Controller (DOC) to take responsibility for the yard. The DOC manages all inbound, outbound and internal depot movements, including passenger service diagrams, test diagrams, maintenance movements and unit deliveries. The DOC is also the main interface between the depot and external operational parties, ensuring effective communication to achieve planned departure times. In addition, the DOC manages digital protection on units and coordinates protection arrangements with external operators and contractors for ground works and depot isolations, ensuring trains are only released into service when safe to do so.

We'll look to you for:

• Represent and uphold the businesses safety procedures and methodology.
• Manage the depots yard movements using the sophisticated control system.
• Liaise with TOC and signaller to organise rail vehicle movements.
• Work alongside the planner manager to coordinate the fleets maintenance and ensure trains are in the correct location to receive maintenance.
• To work with others to enhance the effectiveness of maintenance processes, including the revision of work procedures where applicable.
• Highlight any anomalies in working practices and ensure mitigations are put in place.
• Provide real time fleet updates in terms of location and diagrams.
• Manage the yards processions and blocks to allow maintenance.
• React accordingly to any incident or accident with precise, clear instructions.

All About You

We value passion and attitude over experience. That’s why we don’t expect you to have every single skill. Instead, we’ve listed some that we think will help you succeed and grow in this role:

• Good knowledge with online databases, data input and analysis.
• Knowledge of the railway with a maintenance environment and operations.
• Knowledge of business governance (GMRT Rule book).
• Planning and Organisation skills. Plans to meet department objectives
• Communication skills-must be able to communicate at all levels.
• Good with high pressure situations
• Good with high pace roles that require high levels of concentration.
• Proactive – Willingness to think outside the box to develop new and improved methodology whilst maintaining quality standards.
• Influencing, Negotiating and Communicating – Produces well-reasoned arguments that are presented with conviction to achieve desired outcome.
• Communicate effectively with staff at all levels within the organisation.
• Flexibility & Adaptability – Has the ability to evaluate alternative ways of achieving objectives.
• Process orientated – Will work methodically to an agreed process to ensure quality of information is consistently good.
• Approachable and willing help other in often frustrating circumstances.
• GCSEs in science, mathematics, and English (or equivalent), plus a higher educational qualification.

Things you’ll enjoy

Join us on a life-long transformative journey – the rail industry is here to stay, so you can grow and develop new skills and experiences throughout your career.

You’ll also:

• Enjoy stability, challenges and a long-term career free from boring daily routines
• Collaborate with transverse teams and helpful colleagues
• Contribute to innovative projects
• Steer your career in whatever direction you choose across functions and countries
• Benefit from our investment in your development, through award-winning learning
• Benefit from a fair and dynamic reward package that recognises your performance and potential, plus comprehensive and competitive social coverage (life, medical, pension)
• Up to 52 weeks full maternity and adoption pay
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to buy or sell holiday
• A wide range of flexible benefits that you can tailor to suit your lifestyle

You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!

Equal opportunity statement

Alstom is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local law.

As a 'Disability Confident' employer, we will interview all disabled job applicants who match the essential criteria of the job description or specification. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.