Travel Operations Manager

Luton; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car benefit allowance

Job summary

Luton Council is seeking a Travel Operations Manager to lead the Passenger Transport Service based at Kingsway Depot/Town Hall. You will ensure safe, reliable and accessible travel assistance for eligible residents, balancing statutory duties with value for money and sustainability.

You will oversee day-to-day operations and externally commissioned services, drive performance, safety, and cost-efficiency while supporting the council’s net zero ambitions and the Luton 2040 vision.

Qualifications

• Lead and develop high-performing teams in passenger transport.
• Review, audit and improve service delivery and compliance.
• Engage with senior leaders and stakeholders to improve performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of passenger transport operations.
• Balance statutory requirements with budget and value for money.
• Implement transport policies and safeguard standards across services.
• Use data and insight to drive efficiency and improve customer outcomes.

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Kingsway Depot/Town Hall

£51,928 to £55,224 a year plus £3,203 car benefit allowance

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Kingsway Depot/Town Hall

Closing Date:

17/11/2026

Job Category:

Directorate:

Children, Families and Education Services

Business Unit:

Job Introduction

Salary: £51,928 to £55,224 a year plus £3,203 car benefit allowance
Hours: 37 hours a week
Contract type: Permanent

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

What You’ll be doing

As Travel Operations Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the Council meets its statutory responsibilities to provide safe, reliable and accessible travel assistance for eligible residents. You will lead the effective day-to-day management of passenger transport operations, ensuring services are delivered to the highest standards of quality, legal compliance, value for money and sustainability, while supporting the Council’s net zero ambitions and Luton 2040 vision.

Working closely with the Service Manager, you’ll provide both operational and strategic leadership across the Passenger Transport Service, helping to shape and deliver efficient, customer-focused transport solutions. You’ll oversee the effective use of the Council’s transport fleet and externally commissioned services, ensuring transport commitments are met through a seamless end-to-end service that balances statutory requirements, customer needs and financial sustainability. You’ll also support the implementation of transport policies, champion health, safety and safeguarding standards, manage travel demand within budget, and identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve service efficiency while ensuring the best possible use of public funds.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for an experienced and proactive transport professional who can lead, motivate and develop high-performing teams while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. You’ll have the ability to review, audit and challenge existing practices, ensuring work is delivered to a high standard and identifying compliance, coordination and service delivery issues before driving effective resolutions.

You will be a confident communicator, able to influence, negotiate and build productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, service providers, schools, parents and partner organisations. With strong analytical and problem-solving skills, you’ll use data and insight to make informed decisions, develop innovative solutions and identify opportunities to improve performance, efficiency and customer outcomes.

A strong understanding of passenger transport operations is essential, particularly in relation to Home to School Transport for children and young people with SEND and those with ASC. You’ll also be experienced in managing change, using performance management techniques to deliver sustainable service improvements, ensure compliance and support the delivery of high-quality, value-for-money transport services.

About us

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision - that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty - is at the heart of everything we do.We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council - and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

Application Process

Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.