Professional Head – Railway Rolling Stock Fleet Maintenance; Locomotives & Wagons

The Professional Head – Railway Rolling Stock Fleet Maintenance (Locomotives & Wagons) provides strategic leadership, technical governance and comprehensive engineering assurance for freight rolling stock fleet, encompassing both locomotives and wagons. The role establishes and oversees maintenance strategies, engineering standards and operational readiness arrangements that maximise safety, reliability and availability, and leads lifecycle engineering management to ensure safe, reliable and efficient freight operations throughout the fleet's operational life.

Acting as the Technical Authority for rolling stock, the position directs depot mobilisation, fleet acceptance, maintenance regime development and OEM support arrangements, and provides rolling stock assurance to the Operations Safety Case and regulatory authorisation. Prior to commercial operations, the role will focus on operational readiness activities in respect of fleet maintenance as determined by the Operational Readiness Plan.

• Technical Authority and Fleet Engineering Governance:
• Act as the Professional Head (Technical Authority) for locomotives and wagons, owning fleet engineering standards, maintenance policies and assurance frameworks.
• Approve maintenance regimes, engineering changes, modifications and fleet-related technical documentation.
• Provide rolling stock assurance and technical sign-off for submissions to the Operations Safety Case and regulatory authorities.
• Fleet Maintenance Strategy and Delivery:
• Develop and implement whole-life maintenance strategies, exam regimes and overhaul plans for locomotives and wagons to maximise availability, reliability and lifecycle performance.
• Establish depot operations, maintenance planning, materials and spares strategies, and OEM/technical support agreements.
• Lead fleet acceptance, warranty management and reliability growth through Testing & Commissioning and early operations.
• Implement maintenance management systems, condition monitoring and data-driven fleet optimisation.
• Build and mobilise the fleet maintenance organisation, including recruitment, competence development and contractor arrangements.
• Define roles, responsibilities and authorisation requirements for fleet maintenance positions.
• Establish depot readiness, tooling, plant and special equipment for locomotive and wagon maintenance.
• Operational Readiness Management:
• Oversee the preparation and implementation of operational readiness strategies and plans related to fleet maintenance, including fleet acceptance, depot readiness and participation in testing & commissioning.
• Coordinate operational readiness activities including testing & commissioning support, trial operations, training and resource mobilization in line with the Operational Readiness Plan.
• Ensure that all systems, processes and procedures within the area of responsibility are fully functional, validated and compliant with safety and performance requirements ahead of Entry into Service.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
• Act as the focal point for internal and external stakeholders on all matters related to rolling stock engineering and fleet maintenance.
• Facilitate seamless communication and interface management between internal teams, contractors, suppliers and external partners.
• Ensure alignment of deliverables with stakeholder expectations, contractual obligations and regulatory requirements.
• Risk and Issue Management:
• Identify potential risks and issues impacting operational readiness and steady-state operations within the area of responsibility.
• Develop mitigation plans and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Maintain the relevant risk registers and report regularly to senior management on status, progress and emerging risks.
• Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement:
• Conduct reviews and audits to identify lessons learned and implement improvements for future initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, data-driven decision making and operational excellence.
• Leadership and Team Management:
• Lead, develop and manage the fleet maintenance leadership team, including locomotive and wagon senior managers, ensuring the right structure, capability and capacity…