Operations Manager (DLR, Beckton)

CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles); Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Real Living Wage employer

Armed Forces Covenant signatory

Pension scheme

Health care cash plan

Bike2Work scheme

Professional Sponsorship scheme

Flexible Working policy

Volunteer days

Tree-planting

Job summary

CAF in London seeks an Operations Manager to lead the delivery of contractual services and drive performance with engineers and technicians. The role may involve UK and Europe travel to engage with CAF projects and suppliers.

You will oversee contract governance, budgeting, reporting, and mobilisation, ensuring high safety and quality standards across depot and manufacturing interfaces.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree required.
• Prev. rail industry project management experience.
• Strong leadership and contract management skills.
• Willingness to travel UK/Europe.

Responsibilities

• Deliver contract management services and performance reports.
• Monitor spend and ensure alignment with contract budget.
• Coordinate with manufacturing to support commissioning programmes.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary team of engineers and technicians to meet contractual targets.
• Engage with suppliers and conduct contract reviews and governance.

Skills

Engineering management

Rail project delivery

Project leadership

Contract management

Budget & reporting

Team development

HSQE knowledge

Risk management

Commercial procedures

People management

Education

Engineering Degree

Job description

About Caf

Innovation is in our DNA - we thrive on pushing boundaries and adapting to new challenges with a flexible approach. Proud to be a global leader, our fast-paced growth provides exciting opportunities for our team and the community.

About Caf

Innovation is in our DNA - we thrive on pushing boundaries and adapting to new challenges with a flexible approach. Proud to be a global leader, our fast-paced growth provides exciting opportunities for our team and the community.

Committed to maintaining trains and trams, our mission is to enhance vehicle safety and reliability. Our ultimate goal is to deliver a comfortable, dependable, and sustainable commuting experience for all passengers.

Based out of multiple locations across the UK, our 24/7 operation means we’re always on hand to deliver reliable technical support. Utilising the latest digital technology, we strive to enhance dependability, helping people to get to where they need to be!

We wouldn’t be where we are without our people. Working together as a team, we strive to achieve great things while supporting each other to thrive along the way. We’re going places, so apply today and become part of our exciting journey.

What can you expect from CAF?

• Positive Work Environment: You will work in a positive environment, based on mutual respect and team spirit.
• Professional Development: Our projects are often measured in years, sometimes decades, giving you and the organisation a future.
• Learning and Autonomy: We will encourage you to work autonomously, being able to propose and decide 'what' and 'how'.
• Security and Reliability: CAF has been working for over 100 years on a path that stretches into the future, giving you the security you need.
• Cutting-edge technology: You will work with the latest technologies, facing the challenge of devising innovative approaches and solutions every day.

What will be your role in the company?

As the Operations Manager, you will have overall responsibility for the delivery of all activities relating to the provision of clearly defined contractual services and business objectives. You will lead a team of engineers, managers, and technicians with the primary focus of driving your team to meet and exceed contractual performance targets, utilising strong leadership and mentoring skills. The role may on occasion involve some UK and Europe travel to engage with other CAF projects or suppliers.

Your daily duties will include:

• Deliver contract management services in accordance with the policies, processes and procedures.
• Monitor expenditure against contract and ensure that actual spend profiles are within contract budget. Accountable for contractual performance and reporting on performance to the client.
• Project Programme compliance ensuring that all plans are produced in the required format/hierarchy/structure and contain the relevant information.
• Monitor and review contract performance through agreed performance measures (KPIs). This could include the following dimensions – payments; variations; demand planning and inventory data management; technical support; supplier interfaces; warranty claims; repairable float management; responsibilities for spares and repairs supply and material ownership.
• Conduct regular contract reviews meetings, internally and with the client as appropriate at the Project Review Meetings. Facilitate internal interfaces with client on material availability, warranty, stores and failure information.
• Prepare reports on contract performance, budgetary variations and supply of information required by contracts to be provided to and received from suppliers.
• Schedule and run end of contract performance reviews against contractual obligations.
• Working with the manufacturing facility to ensure that the depot organisation can deliver the commissioning programme for the Units.
• Developing, managing and delivering the mobilisation stages of the contract.
• Setting up, monitoring and management of the procedures and processes required to deliver the Services for the client.
• Manage any contract disputes that may arise and subsequently escalating when necessary.
• Plan, undertake and monitor audits in accordance with the agreed Audit Plan, supporting external audits as and when required.
• Responsible for the governance of all key project and business processes and procedures on the project, including but not limited to, HSQE, Training and Competence, Risk Management, Financial Reporting, and Materials Management.
• Attend cross-project functional meetings.
• Approval of Warranty Engineering Change Requests (WECRs).
• Working with the HR Business Partner, identify recruitment needs and maintain employee relations.
• Governance of the employee appraisal process.
• Client training plan approval
• Update and review of the project business plan(s).

What salary will you be paid for this role?

For this role you will be offered a competitive salary, including London allowance.

What will make you successful in this position?

• Engineering Degree – Mechanical or Electrical.
• Previous relevant experience in a similar role within the Rail industry.
• Track record of project management experience delivering complex medium and large-scale projects.
• Ability to undertake technical and safety investigations in a wide range of areas.
• Produce detailed, high quality regular reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of managing and developing a project team.
• Detailed knowledge of Health, Safety, Quality and Environment standards and systems.
• Risk identification and control.
• Strong contract management and client relationship building attributes.
• Knowledge of commercial and financial procedures.
• Proven previous experience in a project or operational management and people management role
• Previous experience working in an engineering or rail environment
• Proven experience in commercial contract management

About What We Offer

• A Real Living Wage employer and proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, RSSB Mental Health Charter and Women in Rail EDI Charter
• 25 days annual leave
• An excellent workplace pension scheme (with up to 10% contribution from us)
• Generous health care cash plan
• Bike2Work scheme
• Professional Sponsorship scheme
• Flexible Working policy and Family Friendly culture
• Paid volunteering days
• Tree-planting
• Company-wide donation drives
• Support to the homeless community and refugees

As a socially responsible business, we actively promote a variety of social value initiatives, including tree-planting, company-wide donation drives, and providing support to the homeless community and refugees. We’re creating waves of positive change through delivering meaningful social value impact on and off the tracks!