Nights Contract Manager

Manchester Arndale; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Award-Winning Employer

Digital Learning

Retail Perks

Professional Growth

Flexible Pay

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland’s rail contract in Central London seeks an experienced Operations Manager to oversee night-time depot activities, ensuring train presentation, cleaning, safety, and quality standards are met.

You will lead safe, compliant delivery of all contracted services, manage staffing and costs within budget, and drive continuous improvement through robust contract management and stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

• IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH, or equivalent health & safety qualification (desirable).
• Knowledge of Sentinel Scheme Rules and rail industry safety standards (desirable).
• Sentinel Card and/or PTS certification, or willingness to obtain (desirable).
• Experience managing operations within Rail, Transport, Facilities Management, Aviation, or other safety-critical environments.
• Experience in a rail depot, rolling stock, or transport environment desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee train presentation and cleaning within depot environments to meet contractual, safety and quality standards.
• Lead safe, compliant, and efficient delivery of contracted services across a major rail contract in Central London during night shifts.
• Support continuous improvement through innovative operational solutions and effective contract management.
• Control staffing levels and operational costs to deliver within budget while maintaining service excellence.
• Ensure adequate resources (labour, equipment, materials) to meet contractual standards and maintain assets.
• Deliver planned, reactive, and project works safely, on time, and to specification in a live rail environment.
• Plan shift patterns and labour deployment to meet demand and KPI targets.
• Manage absenteeism and holiday periods to minimise disruption.
• Maintain high standards of performance in accordance with client requirements and rail industry standards.
• Collaborate with teams to drive continuous improvement and exceed KPI/SLA targets.
• Foster employee engagement and develop teams through coaching and performance management.

Skills

Health & Safety

Rail safety standards

Contract management

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Education

IOSH Managing Safely / NEBOSH

Job description

About The Role

• To oversee all train presentation and cleaning activities within depot environments, ensuring rolling stock is cleaned, prepared, and presented to the required contractual, safety, and quality standards for service.
• To lead the safe, compliant, and efficient delivery of all contracted services across a major rail contract operating throughout Central London during night-time operations.
• To support the continuous improvement process as an integral part of service delivery, adding value to the business, our client, and the Operations Director through innovative operational solutions and effective contract management.
• To take responsibility for controlling staffing levels and operational costs, ensuring the contract is delivered within budgeted expectations whilst maintaining service excellence and contractual compliance.
• To ensure adequate labour, equipment, materials, and consumables are available to meet contractual standards and operational requirements, ensuring all assets are maintained, secure, and fit for purpose.
• To ensure all planned, reactive, and project-based works are delivered safely, on time, and to the required specification within a live rail environment.
• To manage resources effectively and ensure work schedules, shift patterns, and labour deployment are appropriately planned and resourced to meet operational demands and contractual KPIs.
• To manage and reduce employee absenteeism through robust people management processes and ensure holiday and leave periods are effectively managed to minimise service disruption.
• To implement and maintain high standards of operational performance, ensuring all work activities comply with client requirements, company procedures, rail industry standards, and agreed safe systems of work.
• To work collaboratively with operational and support teams to drive continuous improvement, identify efficiencies, and ensure KPI and SLA targets are consistently achieved and exceeded.
• To deliver strategies that improve employee engagement, reduce labour turnover, and enhance team performance through development programmes, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
• To communicate regularly with frontline teams through briefings, toolbox talks, and operational updates, ensuring a consistent flow of information and promoting a positive safety culture.
• To direct and support all operational personnel, ensuring they are appropriately trained, competent, and fully aware of their responsibilities within a safety-critical rail environment.
• To establish and maintain effective working relationships with client stakeholders, ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction and acting as the primary operational escalation point during night shifts.
• To ensure all personnel, subcontractors, and suppliers operate in accordance with current legislation, rail industry standards, company policies, and client procedures, with particular emphasis on health, safety, and compliance.
• To investigate incidents, accidents, near misses, and service failures, implementing corrective actions and sharing lessons learned to prevent reoccurrence.

Qualifications and Experience

• IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH, or equivalent Health & Safety qualification (desirable).
• Knowledge of Sentinel Scheme Rules and rail industry safety standards (desirable).
• Sentinel Card and/or Personal Track Safety (PTS) certification, or willingness to obtain (desirable).
• Previous experience managing operations within Rail, Transport, Facilities Management, Aviation, or other safety-critical environments.
• Experience working within a rail depot, rolling stock, or transport environment would be highly desirable.
• Understanding of rail industry compliance requirements, contractor management, and safety-critical working practices.
• Confidence in being able to develop and maintain effective working relationships with Trade Union representatives, fostering a collaborative approach to employee relations, operational change, and continuous improvement initiatives.

About The Company

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

• Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)