Fleet Controller

Ford & Stanley Group, The Rail Recruitment Specialists are partnered with a leading operator in the UK Heavy Haul rail freight market, on their search for a Fleet Operator.

Situation

This Rail-Freight market leader has 160 locomotives which transport containers from all major deep-sea ports to their national network of inland terminals. With the challenge of ensuring this fleet remains operationally safe, there is a requirement for a capable Fleet Controller.

Opportunity

Requirement for a proactive Fleet Controller to take responsibility for the 160-strong fleet of locomotives. You will be a confident individual, ready to spin multiple plates, including maintenance schedules/safety critical deferrals, whilst striving to ensure customer expectations are met, and keeping the fleet operating safely.

 Key responsibilities:

Co-ordinate and provide a focus for mainline locomotive incidents including, breakdown and recovery management, liaising with staff on site and ops control rendering assistance where necessary.
In conjunction with operations control and relevant drivers helpline, assist in the speedy resolution of problems with traction and rolling stock equipment where delays are being incurred.
Monitor locomotive pools to ensure availability is maintained to meet the requirements of the business.
Monitor reported in service defects for locomotives ensuring repairs are managed to return vehicles to service efficiently. This will require identifying resources to attend locomotives for repair in the field.
Liaise with maintenance depots/mobile teams to ensure that the maintenance plan is delivered. Ensure that any changes to planned locomotive assignments or releases are communicated and appropriate actions are in place to minimise the impact to the business of the amendments. All alterations to the plan and agreed recovery arrangements are to be logged.
Produce, implement and monitor the plan ensuring workload matches agreed depot capacity whilst complying with policy.
Ensure maintenance events are managed to prevent peaks in workload. Monitor fleet utilisation of fleets on mileage-based maintenance are managed to ensure maintenance events are managed to meet resource and fleet availability requirements.
Actively manage, monitor and report progress of all maintenance campaigns including Special Checks and Modifications ensuring the plan is delivered.
Manage the response to Wheel Impact Load and Hot Axle Box Detector reports in accordance with Procedures
Update and provide management reports on fleet availability etc.
Ensure all applicable asset management systems and databases are updated as required. This includes updating AMS to include, vehicle operational status, assignments and work orders.
Manage all in service defects, liaising with drivers, ground staff, control and depots to ensure the most optimum return to service of the fleet.
Ensure that where vehicles are being sent to maintenance facilities for attention, the necessary information is passed at the same time. E.g. Defect details, repeat failure information etc
Monitor progress against the plan of facilities, eg tyre turning at 3rd parties, identifying where action is required as acting on it where necessary.
Monitoring (policing) locomotive releases and the asset management system to ensure that all planned and unplanned work is closed out before a vehicle returns to service.
Lead the deferred work and concession process, authorising, recording and managing deferred work where appropriate in accordance with the requirements of MIE 0777.
Update TOPS maintenance data where required including provision of ‘Freight Vehicle Maintenance Control’ service.
Taking an active role in the reporting of safety critical defects and incident management / follow-up, including the acknowledgement and processing of NIR’s
Monitor defect reports ensuring any that are considered to be ‘High Risk’ are identified and reported as required by MIE 0717.
Prepare CCF’s for internal and/or external wheel lathes and maintain wheel set size database.
Manage the wheelset concession process for vehicles with wheelsets below last re-profiling size in accordance with standards
Provide information to senior management on accidents, derailments, and other serious incidents as required.
Manage diesel locomotive engine oil and electric locomotive transformer oil sample monitoring process. Ensure actions required are completed by assigning locomotives and ensuring work required is completed.
Carry out other duties as directed.
Location: Leeds or Crewe. Office Based with option for hybrid working in future.

Essential criteria: 

Rolling Stock maintenance experience with leadership planning responsibilities OR Train Operational Planning experience with an interest in getting into engineering planning.
ONC level education (any subject)
Strong administration skills e.g. planning, organisation
Likely Job Titles:  Fleet Controller, Fleet Manager, Transportation Supervisor, Service Manager, Logistics Controller, Logistics Manager.

About Ford & Stanley Group

Ford & Stanley Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness.

Ford & Stanley Group Ltd is a Disability Confident Committed employer and is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy