Head of Fleet

East of England Ambulance Service; Melbourn; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional ambulance service in the United Kingdom is seeking a Head of Fleet to lead the development of a comprehensive fleet strategy. The position involves ensuring the reliability and safety of operational vehicles and managing a diverse team focused on service delivery. The ideal candidate will have a Master's Management qualification, extensive experience in fleet management, and a strong grasp of transport legislation. This senior role emphasizes collaboration with clinical leaders and requires robust communication skills, alongside a commitment to sustainability practices.

Benefits

Employee benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Inclusivity initiatives

Qualifications

• Master's Management qualification or substantial equivalent experience.
• Experience in road transport law and fleet management.
• Senior management experience with large fleets (>100 vehicles).

Responsibilities

• Lead fleet strategy development to ensure operational efficiency.
• Manage and support fleet professionals across the Trust.
• Establish performance metrics for fleet management.

Skills

Transport legislation knowledge

Fleet management experience

Communication skills

Strategic planning

Education

Master’s Management qualification or equivalent

Job description

Job overview

EEAST is a great place to work, great people, great career opportunities and a career that can take you anywhere. No two days are the same, if you are looking for a varied and supportive environment EEAST can offer you that and more!

Hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work :

• Great employee benefits :
• Our equality networks :
• Our vision & values :

#Careerforlife

Head of Fleet – Chief Operating Officer Role

The Head of Fleet is a key senior leadership position within the Trust. This role will lead the development and implementation of a Trust-wide fleet strategy, ensuring the availability, reliability, and safety of all operational vehicles to support high-quality patient care.

You will be responsible for initiating, leading, and managing business and operational change initiatives. This includes stakeholder engagement, effective communication with staff, drafting and delivering business plans, driving cost improvement programmes, and ensuring benefit realisation across the organisation.

The role requires strong collaboration with managers and staff at all levels, including senior operational and clinical leaders, to ensure a unified approach to fleet management and service delivery.

The postholder will establish robust performance and governance arrangements to ensure the delivery of cost-effective, safe, and reliable fleet services consistently across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

• Manage the Trust’s fleet to meet its operational, financial and corporate targets, and have a vision for future delivery of fleet and workshop services.
• Develop and deliver a clear strategic vision for Fleet Services including responsibility for creating a future fleet strategy aligned with EEAST’s operational priorities and sustainability goals. This should explicitly incorporate the Trust’s Green Plan objectives and outline an Electric Vehicle (EV) implementation roadmap as part of long-term planning.
• Support the development and implementation of fleet strategy and policies, including fleet design, procurement and management.
• Develop, prepare and approve annual vehicle replacement programme designed to meet the ever-changing clinical requirement of the paramedic profession and other capital projects.
• Lead and manage fleet professionals across the Trust, providing technical expertise, support and direction to both internal teams and external bodies while ensuring alignment with national ambulance fleet strategies and emerging technologies.
• Develop and maintain data and information systems to report on all aspects of fleet performance, providing recommendations for action(s) required.
• The postholder will provide expert advice to the Deputy Chief of Clinical Operations and report compliance with the Trust’s Statutory and Mandatory Requirements relating to all fleet issues through the Trust’s Governance Structure.

Working for our organisation

You'll have the opportunity to work in one of the most diverse regions in the country, with the vibrant capital city just a stone's throw away and the invigorating North Sea coast to the east.

The East of England offers a unique blend of innovation and opportunity, surrounded by picturesque countryside, historic towns, and quick access to both the bustling capital and serene coastlines.

At EEAST we bring together all our skills to provide 24 hour, 365 days a year urgent care to those in need of emergency and non-emergency medical treatment and transport in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

We are always looking to innovate our approaches and work together to offer the best possible patient care across our counties.

We aim to represent and value the diversity of our local communities through our workforce and service provision. We therefore positively encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as Black, Asian, or other ethnic groups, individuals with a Disability, or LGBTQ+ individuals who meet the specific criteria.

We at EEAST want to support our employees achieve a balance between work and other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, family commitments, further learning, and other interests. We therefore welcome flexible working requests.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the role, including all its specific requirements and responsibilities, please consult the attached Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides an in-depth overview that will give you a clear and detailed picture of what the position entails.

Please note, should you be successful in your application, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks, prior to receiving an unconditional offer, if full employment checks cannot be achieved (this will include existing and unserved disciplinary sanctions), then your offer may be withdrawn.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the advert and the Job Description and Person Specification (attached)

Step 2 - Complete the Supporting Statement - Your statement needs to indicate how you meet each of the criteria contained within the Person Specification.

Step 3 - Complete the online application and upload your statement. Please note, CVs are not accepted.

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Master’s Management qualification, or equivalent level, or equivalent experience.
• Possess suitable qualification and experience to provide professional advice relating to road transport legislation, vehicle construction and use regulations, and vehicle and driver licensing regulations.
li>Qualified AEDM (Authorised Examiner Designated Manager) – MOT Testing Operations

Desirable criteria

• Member of a relevant fleet body (ie Ambulance Transport Advisory Group (ATAG), Institute of Car Fleet Management, and (IRTE) Institute of Road Transport Engineers).
• National Operators Licence (Department of Transport).

Experience

Essential criteria

• Senior management experience in a transport or fleet environment, with significant demonstrable experience with large scale fleets in excess of 100 vehicles.
• Experience of fleet strategy development including budget management and the development of management accounting systems.
• Experience in performance management and achieving challenging KPIs and targets of in-house service and external providers.

Desirable criteria

• Proven experience in managing specialist vehicles, including Blue Light vehicles and equipment, together with procurement and maintenance programmes.

Candidates who require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the United Kingdom can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this position by assessing their circumstances against the criteria specified on theCheck if you need a UK visa - website. We encourage all applicants to review these criteria carefully to understand their eligibility for sponsorship.

References and Employment History : All references from current and previous employers, will be sought via their Human Resources Department and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and email address of the Human Resources Department and indicate your current / previous line manager and their departmental details.

All appointments will be subject to currently having a clean disciplinary record.

Please be advised that a No Smoking Policy is in operation throughout the Trust.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - Under the Trust's commitment 'Positive about Disabled People', if you consider yourself as having a disability and you meet the minimum selection criteria for any post, you will get an automatic interview. By minimum selection criteria we mean that you must provide us with evidence in your application form which demonstrates the essential requirements as set out in the person specification and advertisement for a post.

We aim to represent and value the diversity of our local communities through our workforce and service provision. We therefore positively encourage applications, regardless of age, race, religion & belief, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity or disability.

Equal Opportunities

EEAST is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is inclusive and we do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, or sexual orientation.

Disclaimer

All advertised posts are subject to the NHS new graduate recruitment policy 2025. All applicants will be required to undergo fitness and background checks before accepting a job offer. EEAST provides a supportive working environment and encourages diversity and equal opportunities. We are a leading provider of high quality services across the Trust and a thriving proprietor of 2012.