Performance & Standards Manager - Central Scotland (FTC)

Maternity Cover – FTC to April 2027

About Caledonian Sleeper

Caledonian Sleeper is an iconic overnight rail journey connecting Scotland with London, operating nightly (except Saturdays), serving major cities and rural destinations. Established in the late 19th century, Caledonian Sleeper has a long-standing reputation for comfort, hospitality, and delivering a unique travel experience across the UK's scenic routes. The service operates primarily overnight, allowing passengers to sleep comfortably on specially designed sleeper trains, arriving refreshed at their destination.

As a service operated on behalf of the Scottish Government, it is part of the UK's public sector efforts to promote sustainable and convenient travel.

At Caledonian Sleeper, our core values of Togetherness, Respect, Integrity and Passion underpin everything we do. We believe that fostering a collaborative, respectful, and passionate approach is essential to delivering an exceptional guest experience. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve.

The Opportunity

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated Performance & Standards Manager to join the Caledonian Sleeper (CSL) Guest Experience Team in Scotland. This role is Maternity Cover on a fixed term basis until April 2027 and would require travel between Central Belt and the Highlands.

The primary objective of this role is to cultivate a fully trained, motivated and well-supported team capable of delivering industry-leading levels of hospitality to our guests—whether onboard, at the station, or within our guest lounges in your designated region. You will embody and promote our values, leading with integrity, passion and a spirit of togetherness to inspire your team and ensure our standards are consistently exceeded.

How our Values shape this role:

· Togetherness: Foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where all team members feel valued, supported and motivated to work towards shared goals.

· Respect: Lead by example in interactions with colleagues, guests and stakeholders, promoting open communication and mutual regard.

· Integrity: Uphold the highest standards of honesty, transparency and ethical behaviour in all aspects of your work.

· Passion: Demonstrate enthusiasm and commitment, inspiring your team

In this role you will, emphasise the importance of first impressions by managing onboard Coaches to support Team Leaders, Hosts, and CSL lounge and station teams, fostering a highly effective and collaborative environment. Your role involves being present on the service, as well as in stations and lounges, to ensure visibility and audit the consistency of service to delight our guests.

Additionally, this role includes periodic project management tasks to support the overall Guest Experience function.

In this hands-on position, you will lead a team of approximately 25 frontline Team Leaders, Hosts, Lounge, and Station Staff. Your responsibilities will involve overseeing performance and people management, ensuring audit quality standards, and fostering an inclusive 'one team' culture.

Main responsibilities of the role include:

· Safety - Foster a Zero Harm culture by conducting scheduled Leadership tours and timely completion of General Inspections, with actions taken being Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART).

· Training - Ensure timely completion of all mandatory CSL training for employees, in addition to any supplemental training requirements, and maintain comprehensive training records.

· Absence Compliance – Oversee the meticulous management and accurate recording of all absences through HR and Absence Manager to ensure compliance.

· Voice of the Guest – Drive overall guest satisfaction targets by monitoring complaints versus compliments and taking necessary actions to align with business strategy to exceed guest expectations.

· Lead team recruitment and onboarding processes for frontline teams to ensure that the Guest Experience Service Delivery team is staffed with skilled individuals who embody CSL Values.

· Inspire and develop the cross-functional service delivery team in your region to achieve CSL's objectives and vision.

· Manage absences for all employees, ensuring compliance targets are met and providing full support to teams. Take the lead on absence management processes, including stage triggers and Capability assessments.

· Implement performance management for all direct reports through personalised development plans using My Catch-Up. Take the lead on all people management policies, including Disciplinary, Grievance, and Safety Investigations, ensuring resolution.

· Motivate, develop, and create growth opportunities for the entire GE service delivery team in your region to achieve CSL's goals and aspirations.

· Collaborate closely with the Catering & Ops Manager and Service Delivery Coordinator to uphold best practices in our service delivery function in alignment with our service standards.

· Support all aspects of Guest Experience disruption and recovery through effective team management.

· Exemplify and uphold CSL values in interactions with guests, team members, stakeholders, the community, and the public, fostering collaborative relationships.

· Ensure compliance with statutory Health and Safety regulations and CSL mandates, updating and closing regional actions within specified timelines.

· Participate actively and engage with local union representatives in monthly meetings, taking necessary actions as required.

· Support the establishment of robust processes to ensure consistency across service delivery operations.

· Ensure all colleagues are adequately assessed to meet safety and service standards.

· Collaborate with the GE Business Lead on projects and initiatives to improve the service delivery

· Assist fellow Line Managers in handling crew-related correspondence, such as investigation paperwork and crew letters.

· Contribute to the design and implementation of projects within the Guest Experience Service Delivery.

· Collaborate with the relevant colleagues to organise hotel, uniform, crew kits, and IT requirements as part of the onboarding process.

· Assist in monitoring disruptions, communicating with hotels, and coordinating breakfast orders as needed.

· Work with the roster function to meet weekly staffing requirements.

· Review Team Leader Reports, escalate issues to relevant departments, and update team members to drive continuous improvement.

· Coordinating all Drug & Alcohol testing for adhoc, for cause, and random testing, with monthly reporting.

· Establish, update, and track mandatory training for onboard crew, including Fire & Rules training, using a spreadsheet and provide monthly reports.

· Cultivate and strengthen relationships with other Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and Network Rail at stations in your region. Serve as the primary point of contact at stations, organising monthly meetings with minutes to be submitted at the end of each period.

Responsibilities may evolve with changes in the business, and the post holder should be flexible and adaptable to meet new demands.

What you'll need to do the role:

· Profound product and service knowledge necessary for providing an exceptional hospitality experience that delights our guests.

· Leadership and management experience within a team.

· Demonstrated excellence in customer service skills and leading by example.

· Operational background in delivering outstanding customer service in transportation or hospitality settings.

· Experience in bringing a company's vision to life consistently and robustly in an operational setting.

· Exceptional communication skills adaptable to various audiences.

· Strong presentation skills for delivering presentations at a senior level.

· Proficiency in writing documents related to standards, policies, and procedures.

· IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft applications.

· Sound office management and organisational skills.

· Flexibility in approach.

· Preferable experience in back-office management of an EPOS/POS system.

· Ability to efficiently manage data output.

Preferred experience:

· Previous experience in a unionised environment.

· Competency in managing large teams in a customer-facing setting.

Additional / special features of the role:

· Caledonian Sleeper is an overnight service, and this position will require working both dayshifts and nightshifts. Weekend and evening work will also be necessary.

· Willingness to travel for overnight stays away from the home base and regular travel across the network for oversight responsibilities.

· Flexibility to travel to all CSL bases to ensure standards in Lounges and Stations and engage face-to-face with teams.

· Daytime accommodation is provided when working.

· Collaboration with your fellow team planning to ensure adequate management and front-line exposure over each period for span of control.

· Scheduled for Guest Experience on Call Duty every 8-12 weeks to assist with service delivery, with an On Call Pay Enhancement provided.

WHAT WE OFFER

· 25 days annual leave (plus public holidays) per annum

· Free travel on ScotRail for you and eligible family members

· Free travel on Caledonian Sleeper for you and eligible family members

· Significant discount on other UK rail travel for you and eligible family members

· Allocation of "friends and family" tickets for Caledonian Sleeper travel

· Healthcare cash plan

· HAPI Benefits membership with discounts at selected retailers, hospitality venues, gyms, etc.

· Contributory pension scheme

At Caledonian Sleeper, our mission is to connect people and places through a hassle-free, convenient travel experience — and that starts with you. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Passion, Togetherness and Respect, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every guest feels valued and every colleague is supported.

We are committed to creating a safe, supportive, and sustainable working environment. We recognise that managing fatigue and respecting personal commitments are essential to the wellbeing and performance of our people.

We take a proactive approach to fatigue risk management through structured rostering, open communication, and flexible working practices. We encourage a culture where employees feel empowered to speak up, seek support, and work collaboratively with managers to find practical solutions that balance operational needs with personal wellbeing.

We also expect employees to take personal responsibility for managing their own fatigue and commitments. This includes being aware of the impact of fatigue on safety and performance, planning rest appropriately, and engaging in honest conversations with their line manager when support or adjustments are needed. Everyone has a role to play in creating a healthy and resilient workplace.

Together, we build a culture of shared responsibility—where wellbeing is prioritised, and people are supported to thrive both at work and at home.

If you're ready to bring your enthusiasm, empathy and dedication to a night-time operation that truly makes a difference, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and be part of a team that's passionate about delivering delightful journeys, every time.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your CV by 5th January 2026. It is our intention to schedule interviews for this role during week commencing 12th January 2026.

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Contract length: 14 months

Pay: £48,313.86 per year

Application question(s):

• Do you have the right to live and work in the UK with no time limits or restrictions?
• What is your notice period?
• What are your salary expectations?
• Have you previously been employed by Caledonian Sleeper Ltd?

Work Location: In person