Head of Engineering

First Bus Central Services; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 95,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstGroup plc in the United Kingdom is seeking a Head of Engineering who will establish and maintain a robust engineering framework across coach operations. You will lead a multi-site engineering function, ensure safe, reliable transport, and embed governance and continuous improvement practices.

Reporting to the Coach Leadership Team, you will coach local engineering leaders, drive performance improvements, manage stakeholder expectations, and help deliver the Coach strategy while ensuring

Qualifications

• Senior engineering leadership experience within transport/fleet environments.
• Knowledge of vehicle engineering, maintenance management and regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to lead improvements across multiple sites.
• Experience in governance, risk management and assurance processes.
• Coaching and developing engineering leaders.
• Strong stakeholder management and influence.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain a robust engineering framework across coach operations.
• Provide visible leadership across multiple businesses and locations.
• Develop engineering standards, governance and continuous improvement practices.
• Coach local engineering leaders and drive operational performance.
• Act as senior escalation point for complex technical, compliance and fleet issues.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Transport/Vehicle engineering

Maintenance management

Regulatory compliance

Performance improvement

Governance & risk management

Coaching

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Change management

Data analysis

Strategic thinking

Education

Professional engineering qualification or equivalent

Job description

About Us

FirstGroup plc is a leading provider of transport services in the UK and Ireland, and a member of the FTSE 250. Our 30,000 colleagues work across the UK to provide easy and convenient mobility, improving quality of life by connecting people and communities.

Position

Head of Engineering

Location: Home based with travel to our UK based portfolio of Coaching entities.

Key Details: Salary up to £95,000 - £100,000 DOE Monday-Friday

The Head of Engineering is accountable for establishing and maintaining a robust engineering framework across all coach operations. Operating as a key member of the Coach Leadership Team, the role holder will provide visible leadership across multiple businesses and locations, ensuring engineering activities support the delivery of safe, reliable and customer-focused transport services. The role will develop and embed engineering standards, governance and continuous improvement practices while acting as the senior escalation point for complex technical, compliance and fleet performance issues. Through strong stakeholder engagement and coaching of local engineering leaders, the Head of Engineering will build engineering capability, drive operational performance and support the successful delivery of the Coach strategy.

What We're Looking For

• Significant senior engineering leadership experience within a transport, fleet, automotive, commercial vehicle, coach, bus, logistics or related engineering environment.
• Extensive knowledge of vehicle engineering, maintenance management and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to lead engineering performance improvement across multiple sites or business units.
• Strong understanding of engineering governance, risk management and assurance processes.
• Demonstrable success in coaching and developing engineering leaders.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Experience leading transformation, change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to analyse complex operational and technical data to drive performance improvements.
• A strategic thinker who is equally comfortable operating at both operational and executive levels.
• Professional engineering qualification or equivalent technical experience preferred.

Applicants are advised that background checks will be conducted as a standard part of our recruitment process and to comply with UK employment requirements, we ask all applicants to confirm their right to work in the UK.

Equal Opportunities

We aspire to be a diverse and inclusive employer because we believe that diversity brings benefits for our customers, communities and our people.

Valuing our differences and drawing on our collective knowledge and experience helps us develop new services, open up new markets and broaden our customer base.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome everyone regardless of social background, gender or gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership status, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, sex or age.

Our Commitment

FirstGroup is a leading private sector provider of public transport. We provide easy and convenient mobility, improving quality of life by connecting people and communities. Our services are a vital part of society – transporting customers for business, education, health, social and leisure purposes. We create solutions that reduce complexity, making travel smoother and life easier, and work hard to reduce our impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more responsible methods of transport. Our businesses are at the heart of our communities, and the essential services we provide are critical to delivering wider economic, social and environmental goals.