Senior Transport Operations Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsible to Head of Transport Operations

Responsible for The Senior Transport Operations Manager will be responsible for the delivery of all home to school transport operations and managing and leading a wide range of employees within an assigned locality area. 

Job Purpose

Transport assistance is provided for approximately 90,000 pupils including those with special needs and students attending FE Colleges on a daily basis at a cost of nearly £75 million per year, with a current workforce of 750 drivers, 570 escorts, 60 admin staff, 25 senior drivers and 463 school crossing patrols.

The overall purpose of the role of Senior Transport Operations Manager is to lead, manage and develop the Authority’s school transport operational requirements. As a key member of the Transport Team, the Senior Operations Manager is accountable for the provision of the effective and efficient transport service which complies with statutory requirements and relevant legislation within one of three Geographical Transport Service Localities coterminous with local council boundaries.

The Senior Transport Operations Manager will assist and support the Head of Operations to ensure the successful implementation of a compliant, consistent, efficient and professional transport service within EA and ensure that service delivery is focused on meeting the needs of children and young people through provision of excellent services. The purpose of this role is to lead on the harmonisation of the transport service ensuring continuous service development and improvement of the Authority’s school transport operations.

The post holder will drive innovation and service improvement across their locality implementing new and improved ways of working and maximising the use of digital technology to support and improve business performance.

The three service locality areas are as follows:

LOCALITY SOUTHWEST

LOCALITY NORTH

LOCALITY EAST

Fermanagh & Omagh

Derry & Strabane

Belfast

Mid Ulster

Causeway Coast & Glens

North Down & Ards

Armagh, Banbridge &

Craigavon

Mid & East Antrim

Lisburn & Castlereagh

Antrim & Newtownabbey

Newry, Mourne & Down

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Transport Operations Managers have the following leadership responsibilities for their portfolio of services

Setting Vision and Strategy

In partnership with the Head of Service establish, maintain and communicate a clear and compelling strategic direction for the service.  Contribute to the development of a strategic plan for the service and lead on the development of a business plan.  Translate the Corporate vision into a service-specific direction.  Lead the regionalisation and transformation of the service, and all related processes and procedures. Lead the development and implementation of new policies in line with strategic direction.  Actively contribute to the strategic management of the service, attending Directorate, Corporate, Committee and Board meetings as required by the Head of Service. Challenge conventional approaches, harness new approaches and technology and maximise efficiencies.

Managing the Organisation to Deliver

Manage service delivery effectively to ensure the highest possible standards of performance and focuses on the needs of internal and external customers. Agree service performance targets with the Head of Service and provide regular progress reports.  Develop, agree and implement a robust annual operational plan for the service.  Delegate responsibilities and deploy staff according to their skills and abilities to meet the needs of the service.  Regularly monitor and review plans and make adjustments as required.  Manage and continuously improve the service to ensure delivery against performance targets, and to ensure that best value for money is achieved.  Ensure that the service contributes to overall Directorate and Corporate performance as appropriate, and provide update reports as required.  Ensure that the Head of Service receives high quality service-specific advice. Apply resources effectively across the service to maximise the delivery of front-line services.  Consider the financial implications relating to effective models of service delivery, and contribute to the successful achievement of the Savings Delivery Plan.  Ensure compliance with relevant legal, regulatory and statutory performance requirements.  Manage the service budget in accordance with all relevant financial policy and procedures. Monitor the financial position of the service and report regularly to the Head of Service.  Follow agreed measures to deliver the service within budget, and take immediate corrective action as required. Contribute effectively to quality and performance management systems and ensure that the service is being managed as per the requirements of these systems.  Ensure that employees within the service team are provided with clear structure, roles and responsibilities and are supported to work in an integrated way.  Focus on addressing key workforce issues including recruitment, employee engagement, retention and training and development. Investigate all complaints and adverse incidents where outcomes are below expected standards. Establish effective and rigorous quality assurance systems to maintain high standards.

Leadership

Work closely with the Head of Service to provide leadership and direction ensuring that corporate, directorate and service performance standards are achieved.  Promote the ethos and values of the Authority and ensure that the service is focused on customer needs.  Foster a culture that supports achievement of the Authority’s Strategic Plan by role modelling core values and leadership behaviours to staff in the service. Manage and communicate change and improvement initiatives within the service. Lead, manage and develop staff within the service.  Encourage staff involvement and engagement in the strategic development and operational delivery of the service.  Actively encourage teamwork and self-development, and create opportunities to maximise individuals’ potential, stimulate innovation and connection at all levels with front line services. Promote a positive culture of performance management within the service through individual and small-team accountability. Foster a culture of constructive feedback and learning, and a genuine commitment to regular and effective appraisals. Prepare and deliver reports on behalf of the Authority as required. 

Building Relationships and Working with Others 

Build and maintain effective, professional and respectful stakeholder relationships.  Ensure efficient and effective internal communication with staff in the service. Work closely with partner organisations, other Heads of Services, Assistant Directors/Directors and colleagues to benchmark services and lead, manage and monitor change. Build and maintain effective working relationships and clear lines of communication with other Heads of Service within the Directorate and in other Directorates. Develop and maintain clear lines of communication and effective working partnerships with relevant external stakeholders and service user groups. Lead and manage engagement with staff, schools and the public on major changes in the service that may affect them. Work with external agencies; for example, education sector partner organisations, to identify opportunities for joint working that might bring greater consistency across the sector, and/or improve efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.

SERVICE-SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Delivery, Implementation & Review

Develop and implement effective school transport operations in line with the Authority’s strategic priorities. Provide strong leadership and direction to create and implement significant ongoing change and harmonisation of school transport operations; Manage and lead on service delivery within your Geographical Transport Service Locality to include direct management of senior staff, service budget and physical resources; Ensure compliance of all aspects of statutory policies and guidance within the operational functions; Engage with other professionals and agencies as well as work co-jointly with other Service areas across the Authority to implement consistent and cohesive Digital Transformation Programmes; Lead on the management of operational procurement requirements including that of Private Hire vehicles for the purpose of school transport services; Manage the implementation of effective systems to monitor, measure, control and report on the work of the service, to take account of changes which may impact on and influence priorities and needs; Ensure that effective management systems are in place to record and provide information and required analysis, to support the Head of Service on all relevant aspects of progress on targets, standards and performance metrics. Achieve high levels of performance and excellence against key performance indicators, and other workforce measures. Build and maintain momentum for change in order to continuously improve the quality and value of service provision.

Leadership & Management

Advise the Head of Operations on all matters relating to service delivery and ensure on-going monitoring of the Service. Ensure full compliance with all relevant policy and legislative requirements. Ensure information stored within the assigned Geographical Transport Service Locality is fully compliant with GDPR. Foster a culture that supports achievement of EA’s Business Plan by role modelling core values and leadership behaviours to staff in the service. Lead/manage and communicate change and improvement initiatives within the service. Lead, manage and develop staff within the service. Provide leadership to all frontline staff including, Drivers; Escorts and School Crossing Patrols, and also all administrative staff in the service locality and contribute to and support management in the other locality should it be required. Encourage staff involvement and engagement in the strategic development and operational delivery of the service.  Actively encourage teamwork and self-development, and create opportunities to maximise individuals’ potential, stimulate innovation and connection at all levels within the Transport Service. Ensure the design and delivery of all regional training programmes associated with the delivery of School Transport Services. Lead on the development of recruitment initiatives and harmonisation of HR functions within the Transport service. Ensure that the EA’s Managing Attendance Policy is implemented consistently and robustly to ensure continuous service delivery. Harmonise and ensure the implementation of the induction of new staff and ongoing professional development of all staff in relation to the core objectives, expected outputs and outcomes in relation to the School Transport Services. Prepare and deliver reports as required by the Head of Service. Delegate responsibilities and deploy staff in accordance with their skills and abilities, the needs of the EA and service specific priorities.

Service Development & Quality Assurance

Provide input to the future development and management of a regional framework for the EA School Transport Service in terms of advice, support and training to internal and external stakeholders. Ensure effective and rigorous quality assurance systems are implemented to maintain high standards. Contribute significantly to service reviews and developments aimed at improving service delivery and including where required, involvement in and contributing to ongoing programmes of transformation. Develop staff skills in relation to negotiating and collaborating with all stakeholders in accordance with the EA’s Customer Charter. Liaise and work co-operatively with colleagues in other sections of the authority to ensure consistent and coherent approaches towards School Transport Services. Lead, guide and support the work of officers in contributing to the delivery of the service. Provide advice, guidance and support across directorates and other stakeholders in the area of School Transport Services.

Managing Financial Resources

Ensure that corporate governance procedures and financial control frameworks are adhered to in relation to all operational decisions, to ensure effective management of the budget for the School Transport Service. Monitor expenditure ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money within allocated budgets; Provide accountability for the significant recurrent budgets and spend within the Geographical Transport Service Locality. Ensure operations are in line with reporting protocols that are required by the EA and in compliance with DE guidelines; Continuously monitor the financial implications relating to service delivery and ensure necessary systems and procedures are in place to evaluate the outcomes of resource allocation.

Partnership Working

Develop links across the Authority’s Directorates as necessary in relation to the co-ordination of work related to the delivery of the School Transport Service. Ensure effective systems are in place for communication and consultation with service users, both internally and externally. Lead /manage engagement with staff, schools and the public on communicating major changes in the service that may affect them. Liaise and work co-operatively with a wide range of bodies including the Department of Education, schools and other statutory and voluntary agencies on policy matters relating to the School Transport Services. Build and maintain effective working relationships and clear lines of communication with colleagues across the Transport Service, within the Directorate and in other Directorates. Attend and contribute at meetings relating to School Transport Services both internally and with other stakeholders, in accordance with corporate goals, service targets, multi-agency actions plans and in line with EA and DE requirements.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

Represent the Head of Service on working groups, committees or meetings as appropriate. Manage/lead on and/or participate on selection panels as required. Undertake such training as may be required for the role. Undertake such other relevant duties as may be reasonably expected of the post holder Comply with the Authority’s policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post.

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