Fleet Manager- Rail​/Rolling Stock

Position: Fleet Manager- Rail/Rolling Stock (Contract)
Duty Fleet Manager (DFM)
Reporting to

Fleet Performance Manager

Location

Primarily based in the Merseyrail Engineering Centre (MEC), with regular duties at Kirkdale Rail Depot and Rail House as required.

Purpose of the Job

The Duty Fleet Manager (DFM) is a business-critical operational support role responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient and timely mitigation of faults affecting Class 777 units. The role exists to minimise disruption to customers by ensuring fleet incidents are managed expediently, safely, and in line with fleet engineering best practice.

The DFM acts as a key liaison between Merseyrail Control (MCRC/MEC) and Stadler Rail Service UK (SRSUK), ensuring all technical incidents are accurately documented, communicated, and followed through to satisfactory close-out.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities
Fleet Incident Management

Ensure availability, quality, and safety standards are achieved through active and robust management of the Fleet Maintainer.

Manage and monitor defects affecting Class 777 units, ensuring appropriate mitigations are applied prior to units being offered for service.

Facilitate the rotation of defective units out of service and coordinate their movement to appropriate maintenance locations.

Escalate issues through the Technical Services Delivery Manager (TSDM) and wider Fleet Team when required.

Continually monitor remote off-train data in real time to identify emerging faults not captured by rules, ensuring early intervention and mitigation.

Work Order and Systems Management

Ensure detailed work orders are raised by SRSUK MCRC using SRMS for all defects, clearly describing:

The fault

Mitigations attempted

Outcomes and next actions

Review work orders for accuracy, completeness, and traceability from fault identification through to close-out.

Notify MCRC of any open work orders prior to unit handover for service.

Monitor SRMS and RDS to ensure faults are accurately reported and acted upon.

Maintain an accurate register of identified faults and “faulty but used” units reflecting true fleet status.

Control, Coordination and Communication

Act as the primary interface between Merseyrail Control staff and SRSUK representatives.

Attend twice-nightly SRSUK-chaired production meetings, ensuring:

Operational day requirements are clearly communicated

All concessions are authorised, recorded, and understood

Review the previous day’s Control Log and action any outstanding issues.

Maintain a Duty Fleet Manager Log and Diary, ensuring accurate records and structured handover briefs for relief cover.

Coordinate with MCRC and third parties where additional technical advice or support is required.

Safety and Compliance

Ensure the DOTE process is consulted and discharged in accordance with industry standards for defective units in service.

Monitor the offering of defective units from maintenance facilities to ensure compliance with DOTE instructions.

Promote and monitor the use of the DST as best practice for recovery of defective units.

Ensure safety-related fleet incidents, including RM/RT8250 Fleet Safety Advice, are recorded, communicated, and acted upon by both MEC and the Fleet Maintainer.

Deal with Urgent High-Risk Defects (UHRD) and Safety-Related Defects (SRD), ensuring:

Immediate acknowledgement of reports

Notification of all relevant parties (including out-of-hours escalation)

Accurate recording in the Daily Incident Log

Fleet Performance and Reporting

Monitor daily fleet distribution to ensure service specifications and delivery requirements are met, including:

Coverage of all unit diagrams

Recording fleet status and short formations in the Daily Incident Log

Populate and maintain the Class 777 availability spreadsheet daily.

Ensure Energy

X is updated to reflect fleet locations for Network Rail billing purposes, including switched-out units.

Receive and manage National Incident Reports (NIRs), ensuring:

Acknowledgement within 24 hours

Logging in the Daily Incident Log

Notification of nominated Fleet and on-call staff where required

Planned Maintenance and Presentation

Ensure units requested for Planned Heavy Cleaning (PHC) are delivered within agreed timescales.

Monitor the cycling plan for exterior…