Driver Team Manager

Final date to receive applications

18 March 2026

Drivers

Kirkdale TCD

Driver Team Manager – 12-Month Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover)

Liverpool - Rail House - Kirkdale Traincrew Depot (Hybrid)

Competitive

Full Time - 12-Month FTC (Maternity Cover)

35 hours per week

We are seeking an exceptional leader to join our team as Driver Team Manager on a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. This is a critical role requiring a confident, influential, and people focused leader who can maintain high standards of performance and support a positive, collaborative culture at our Kirkdale Traincrew Depot.

As a Driver Team Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operational management of our Train Drivers, ensuring safe, reliable and efficient delivery of train services. You will provide clear leadership, strong decision making, and effective people management to maintain high levels of operational performance.

A key part of the role will involve working closely with our Union Representatives. You will need proven experience in professional negotiation, constructive relationship management, and supporting a harmonious industrial relations environment.

• Lead, support and motivate your team of Train Drivers to deliver excellent operational performance.
• Promote and develop a positive, engaged and inclusive culture across the depot.
• Build strong working relationships with Union Representatives and lead negotiations with confidence and professionalism.
• Apply People Management Policies effectively, including:
• Managing Attendance
• Conducting investigations
• Leading disciplinary processes
• Make timely and effective decisions to support operational delivery, including performance KPIs and business continuity.
• Ensure all safety, compliance and standards requirements are consistently met.
• Provide visible leadership across the depot, setting clear expectations and driving high standards and levels of engagement.
• Provide support to the business during key events throughout the year when required
• Builds strong, trust-based relationships with frontline teams, creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, heard, and confident to speak openly.
• Sets and role-models a positive, inclusive culture, consistently reinforcing behaviours that promote teamwork, respect, accountability, and safety.
• Provides compassionate leadership, demonstrating genuine empathy for frontline challenges and acting quickly to remove barriers to colleagues’ wellbeing and performance.
• Communicates with clarity and authenticity, ensuring staff feel informed, supported, and aligned with the depot’s goals and values.

• A strong, confident leader with the presence and credibility to positively influence culture and behaviours.
• Experienced in Union engagement and confident navigating discussions, negotiations and formal meetings.
• Skilled in people management, with hands‑on experience managing attendance, investigations and disciplinaries.
• Operationally decisive, able to make well‑judged decisions under pressure to support the needs of the business.
• An excellent communicator, able to build trusted relationships at all levels.
• Resilient, composed and proactive with a commitment to high standards of safety and performance.

Our people are at the heart of our success. We rely on every employee to help deliver the best possible experience for our customers, and that’s why we believe in recognising and rewarding great work. When you join Merseyrail, you’ll have access to an extensive and competitive range of benefits designed to support you both professionally and personally.

• Final salary pension scheme
• Free staff travel on our network – unlimited free travel on Transport UK train operators and Northern
• Discounted national rail travel – 75% discount on other train services across the UK, expanding to Europe after one year of service
• Family rail travel – your partner and dependents can also benefit from rail travel passes
• Health Shield membership – access discounted health…