Head of Engineering

4 days ago

Leeds, United Kingdom Northern Trains Full time

BUSINESS FUNCTION: Engineering

GRADE: Exec

SALARY: Competitive with fantastic benefits

ROLE TYPE: On Site

HOURS: 37 per week


At Northern Trains Ltd., we are proud to be the largest train operator outside of London and the second largest in the UK. With a team of over 7,000 dedicated employees, we deliver more than 2,500 services every day, connecting 100 million passengers to their destinations each year. Our extensive network serves 15 million people, with our trains calling at nearly 550 stations – that’s approximately 20% of all UK stations We also manage 477 of these stations and operate a modern fleet of 345 trains, playing a key role in keeping the North moving.


Purpose of the Role:


The Head of Engineering is a vital leadership position responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, and compliant operation of Northern’s fleet. As a strong and experienced leader, you will guide the technical teams while acting as the professional conscience of the engineering function. Your role is crucial in driving continuous improvement in safety, reliability, and performance across the fleet.


Key Responsibilities:

  • Leadership & Technical Management: Lead the technical team, with overall responsibility for over 1700 people in the department, ensuring technical safety and standards are met across Northern’s fleet of over 345 vehicles and multiple TrainCare Centres. As a robust and strong leader, you are experienced in team development and mentoring future leaders, including graduates, while investing in Northern's engineering future.
  • Safety & Compliance: Ensure compliance with ROGS and Entity in Change of Maintenance legislation, Railway Group Standards, and maintenance policies. Be the duty holder for water and electrical safety and be Professional Head of Engineering for the company.
  • Fleet Management: Direct major fleet projects and performance improvement initiatives. Develop and implement lifecycle management policies to ensure the long-term, effective operation of the fleet while understanding risk management principles to mitigate potential issues and enhance overall fleet performance.
  • Risk Management & Assurance: Ensure technical safety assurance is maintained through audits and governance processes. Promptly mitigate high-risk safety defects and incidents, demonstrating your ability to navigate difficult situations as a problem solver and influencer. Actively develop strategies that promote safety and enhance operational effectiveness.
  • Staff Development: Lead team development, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth. Provide mentoring and ensure that staff are competent in safety-critical roles.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders, including ROSCOs, suppliers, and train manufacturers.

Experience & Qualifications:

  • Chartered Engineer (Electrical or Mechanical) is highly desirable or working towards chartership, within six months.
  • At least 5 years of leadership experience in an engineering role, preferably in the rail sector.
  • Strong knowledge of safety regulations, and fleet management.
  • Experience managing large technical teams and projects over multiple sites.
  • Proven ability to drive safety, compliance, and operational excellence within an engineering context.

Key Challenges:

  • Continuously improving fleet safety, availability, and reliability, while managing a geographically dispersed technical team.
  • Ensuring cost-effective and compliant operations of an ageing fleet, particularly around corrosion management and maintenance.
  • Leading and motivating the team through significant change and ensuring standards of technical competence are upheld.

Reporting Structure:


The Head of Engineering reports to the Director of Engineering and works closely with the Engineering Senior Leadership Team. The role manages Northern’s technical support and fleet teams, which operate across 5 major TrainCare Centres and 5 smaller maintenance locations.


Safety Responsibilities:

  • Lead by example on all health, safety, and environmental matters, ensuring a positive safety culture across the engineering team.
  • Authority to make difficult decisions and withdraw any fleet from service if unacceptable risks are present.
  • Ensure compliance with safety management procedures and conduct regular safety audits.
  • Ensure the health and wellbeing of team members and maintain ongoing safety training programs.

Ready to lead the charge in engineering at Northern? Join us to drive innovation and excellence as we shape the future together. We want to hear from you


Help transform the way millions of people travel across the North. Apply now to make a real impact

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