Operational Readiness Manager (Training)

BUSINESS FUNCTION: Operations
SALARY:  Circa £53,500 per annum
ROLE TYPE: Hybrid
LOCATION: Manchester
HOURS: 37 per week

Training is a big part of keeping our railway moving. Getting the right people trained, with the right route and traction competence, at the right time takes careful planning, good data and a team that knows how to make things happen.

As Operational Readiness Manager, you’ll lead that work. You’ll manage a team of Training Coordinators and bring together training plans, operational data and future requirements across our depots. You’ll help Northern reduce outstanding training, improve the way we use our traincrew and make sure our people are ready for the railway we’re planning for tomorrow.

It’s a role where your ability to understand complex information and turn it into clear, practical action will make a real difference.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll lead a team of Training Coordinators, making sure training is planned consistently and effectively across our operations. You’ll develop the processes they use and look for better ways of working, sharing best practice across the business.

You’ll also:

• Plan and oversee traincrew training across business-as-usual (BAU), project and ad hoc requirements.
• Work with Traincrew Strategy, the Training Academy, Resource Planning Centre (RPC) and local management teams to reduce outstanding training and time-to-train, while increasing link competence.
• Own the quality and accuracy of traincrew training, route and traction data across our systems.
• Analyse training performance and use it to forecast future requirements, helping us understand whether we’re on track to meet our targets.
• Audit driver training information and matrices, making sure outstanding training requirements are accurate.
• Use data from our Driver Training Toolkits to identify the route learning that could make the biggest difference to traincrew efficiency.
• Support Operational Managers (OMs) with the linking process, using your expertise to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and support implementation.
• Provide analysis and forecasting for timetable changes, service changes and major operational projects.
• Support resource planning by modelling different scenarios and understanding the level of train service our traincrew resources can support.
• Analyse trainee driver route learning and help develop core route plans for each depot.
• Work with Operational Readiness Managers and OMs to understand diagram coverage and traincrew utilisation.
• Lead the planning and delivery of traincrew training projects linked to infrastructure and engineering work.
• Work with Service Planning, Control and Engineering colleagues when additional units or train paths are needed for training.
• Keep our operational training dashboards, reports and project trackers accurate and up to date.

About you

You’re comfortable leading people, working with complex information and making sense of numbers. You can take a large amount of data, understand what it’s telling you and turn it into a clear recommendation that people can act on. You're able to build relationships and influence multiple stakeholders with competing priorities. 

You’ll bring:

• Experience of leading and managing a team, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to use sound judgement when priorities compete.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, with the confidence to manipulate and interpret complex data.
• The ability to produce clear, concise reports that bring together both quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• High-level Microsoft Excel skills.
• A willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues across different operational and business areas.
• Experience working with traincrew grades would be highly beneficial.
• Knowledge of the Northern network and operation.
• Experience working with trade union partners would be beneficial.
• Experience using IRMA and TRACS Roster would be an advantage.

Most importantly, you’ll enjoy finding a better way of doing things. Whether that means spotting a trend in the data, improving a training process or helping a depot make better use of its traincrew, you’ll be someone who can turn insight into action.

What’s in it for you?

At Northern, we don’t just value our people - we go the extra mile to support them. Here’s a taste of what you can look forward to:

Free Travel: Unlimited free travel for you, your partner, and your dependents on Northern services. Plus up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.

Generous Pension Scheme: We top up your contributions by 1.5 times.

Enhanced Family Benefits: We offer 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.

Cycle to Work Scheme: Save up to 42% on a bike and spread the cost.

Electric Car Scheme: Lease a brand new electric or plugin hybrid car.

Exclusive Discounts: From shopping to wellbeing, Northern Perks has you covered.

Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support for family, lifestyle, and more.

Training and Career Development: We offer tailored training to our colleagues and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications. Plus enhanced career pathways no matter what part of the business you’re in.

Recognition: We know how important it is to show how much we appreciate our people. That’s why we have our Northern Lights and Northern Sparks Awards, recognising and celebrating brilliance every day.

Why Northern?

We’re more than just a train operator. We’re the heartbeat of the North – connecting communities, creating opportunities, and driving sustainable growth. With 2,650 trains running daily, we’re on a mission to improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting the environment.

Back in 1825, the first passenger train set off in the North of England, beginning a journey that would transform travel across the world. We’ve recently celebrated 200 years of the modern railway and, as we reflect on that legacy, our focus is now on the future as Great British Rail takes shape. Join us at this pivotal moment in rail history and play your part in our journey.

A place for everyone

The best journeys happen when everyone feels welcome on board.

At Northern, we don’t just move people from A to B - we’re building a team where everyone feels they belong. Our talent team can make reasonable adjustments to the process if that’s something you need. We're also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer, so if you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we’ll always offer an interview.

We automate parts of our screening process to remove any unconscious bias and to make sure every application is treated fairly. All successful offers will be subject to a DBS check and a medical assessment.

No matter your background, experience, or whether you call it a bap, barm, or cob… there’s a place for you here in the railway.