Operations Manager - Rail

Lord Search & Selection; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Soft Facilities Management provider is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to oversee a key national rail cleaning contract. This pivotal role involves significant operational responsibility and offers growth opportunities for managing a GBP 7 million contract across 16 stations and 9 lounges.

Benefits

Car Allowance

Free First Class rail travel

Company pension

Additional perks

Qualifications

• Strong background in Soft FM/Rail/Transport cleaning operations.
• Proven experience managing large-scale teams across multiple sites.
• Commercially aware with ability to manage budgets and drive efficiencies.

Responsibilities

• Full operational responsibility for delivery of cleaning services across the contract.
• Lead, manage, and motivate a large multi-site team across the Midlands rail network.
• Ensure compliance with service level agreements (SLAs) and safety standards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organisational skills

Job description

Operations Manager Rail Cleaning (Soft FM)

Midlands-based (Coventry to Preston patch)
c. GBP55,000 + Car Allowance + Benefits (including free First Class rail travel)

The Opportunity

A leading Soft Facilities Management provider is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to take ownership of a key national rail cleaning contract. This role comes at a pivotal time, following the retirement of a long-standing manager, and offers the chance to oversee and further develop a GBP7m contract with significant growth potential.

About the Contract

• Sector: Rail Soft FM

• Coverage: London Euston to Edinburgh (majority of work between Coventry and Preston)

• Sites: 16 primary stations and 9 First Class lounges

• Current Value: GBP7 million (with expansion opportunities)

• Team: Direct line management of 120 employed staff

  • Note: No agency staff permitted on this account

Key Responsibilities

• Full operational responsibility for delivery of cleaning services across the contract

• Lead, manage and motivate a large, multi-site team across the Midlands rail network

• Ensure compliance with service level agreements (SLAs) and safety standards

• Manage budgets, resource planning, and performance reporting

• Drive continuous improvement and identify opportunities for contract growth

• Liaise closely with client stakeholders and internal support functions

• Maintain high levels of employee engagement and operational excellence

Candidate Profile

• Strong background in Soft FM / Rail / Transport cleaning operations

• Proven experience managing large-scale teams across multiple sites

• Excellent leadership, communication, and organisational skills

• Commercially aware with ability to manage budgets and drive efficiencies

• Able to travel frequently across the contract patch

• Comfortable working in a regulated, customer-facing environment

Package & Benefits

• Salary: circa GBP55,000

• Car Allowance

• Benefits: including free First Class rail travel across the network

• Company pension, holidays, and additional perks

Location

This role is Midlands-based, ideally located for travel between Coventry and Preston. Regular travel across the network is required.