Director of Engineering - Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Belmond; Venezia; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discovering Belmond program

Discounted rates on trains, cruises, &

Food and beverage discounts

Health and life insurance

Access to learning platforms

Job summary

Belmond seeks a Director of Engineering to lead the planning, execution, and management of maintenance for carriages and related equipment, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient rolling stock operations in compliance with ECM 779/2019.

The role oversees ECM 3/4 and quality functions, manages budgets and cross-department collaboration, and drives continuous improvement while maintaining strong industry relationships with railway operators and external partners.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in engineering management, railway operations, rolling stock, or maintenance.
• Strong knowledge of railway safety regulations, ECM requirements, and EU Regulation.
• Experience leading engineering teams, technical projects, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to oversee fleet reliability, maintenance strategies, technical performance, and asset lifecycle management.
• Experience managing technical budgets, resources, suppliers, and subcontractors.
• Knowledge of risk management, quality assurance, audits, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong leadership, strategic planning, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in Italian or French and English; additional European languages are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning and execution of maintenance activities for carriages and equipment.
• Lead monthly meetings to review punctuality, operational performance, and safety.
• Manage on-call duties and incidents affecting service continuity.
• Ensure maintenance activities align with ECM requirements and regulations.
• Collaborate across departments to promote quality culture and continuous improvement.

Skills

Engineering management

Railway operations

Rolling stock

Maintenance

Regulatory compliance

Budget management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Languages: Italian, French, English

Job description

The Director or Engineering is responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and management of all maintenance activities related to the carriages and related equipment. This role ensures the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the rolling stock by implementing effective maintenance strategies, and adhering to all relevant regulations and standards (ECM 779/2019).

The Director of Engineering is responsible for leading the technical team, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, and ensuring effective collaboration across departments. Oversees ECM 3, ECM 4, and quality-related functions to maintain technical performance, safety, and compliance. He manages budgets, monitors performance, and drives cost optimization initiatives under the leadership of the Area Managing Director as well as promoting a strong quality culture through operational feedback, continuous improvement, and ongoing learning to enhance the overall performance and reliability of train operations

The Director of Engineering acts as the main point of contact for railway undertakings and external operators on all technical matters, oversees train operations and maintenance activities, and maintains strong working relationships with key industry stakeholders. This includes leading monthly meetings to review punctuality, operational performance, and safety; taking part in on-call duties and managing incidents that affect service continuity; ensuring maintenance activities are properly planned and carried out in line with ECM requirements; and monitoring the resources, and maintenance facilities provided by external partners to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operations.

The Director or Engineering is responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and management of all maintenance activities related to the carriages and related equipment. This role ensures the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the rolling stock by implementing effective maintenance strategies, and adhering to all relevant regulations and standards (ECM 779/2019).

The Director of Engineering is responsible for leading the technical team, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, and ensuring effective collaboration across departments. Oversees ECM 3, ECM 4, and quality-related functions to maintain technical performance, safety, and compliance. He manages budgets, monitors performance, and drives cost optimization initiatives under the leadership of the Area Managing Director as well as promoting a strong quality culture through operational feedback, continuous improvement, and ongoing learning to enhance the overall performance and reliability of train operations

The Director of Engineering acts as the main point of contact for railway undertakings and external operators on all technical matters, oversees train operations and maintenance activities, and maintains strong working relationships with key industry stakeholders. This includes leading monthly meetings to review punctuality, operational performance, and safety; taking part in on-call duties and managing incidents that affect service continuity; ensuring maintenance activities are properly planned and carried out in line with ECM requirements; and monitoring the resources, and maintenance facilities provided by external partners to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operations.

Requirements

• Significant experience in engineering management, railway operations, rolling stock, or maintenance
• Strong knowledge of railway safety regulations, ECM requirements, and EU Regulation
• Experience leading engineering teams, technical projects, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Ability to oversee fleet reliability, maintenance strategies, technical performance, and asset lifecycle management
• Experience managing technical budgets, resources, suppliers, and subcontractors
• Knowledge of risk management, quality assurance, audits, and regulatory compliance
• Strong leadership, strategic planning, decision-making, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Fluency in Italian or French and English; additional European languages are an advantage

Benefits

BELMOND AND YOU

By joining Belmond, you become part of a global family. We ask you to embrace Belmond's values, follow our guidelines, and embody the spirit of our group.

In return, we are committed to ensuring that our employees enjoy unforgettable experiences just as much as our guests.

Benefits include the Discovering Belmond program, which offers team members complimentary stays, subject to availability, at Belmond properties, discounted rates on our trains, cruises, and safaris, as well as food and beverage discounts.

Team members also benefit from comprehensive health and life insurance coverage and unlimited access to world-class learning platforms, empowering them to continuously develop new skills and advance their careers.