Head of Engineering

About First Bus:

Are you ready to advance your career with one of the UK's leading bus operators? Join a forward-thinking company that embraces cutting-edge bus technology, from innovative mobile apps to environmentally friendly vehicles. We are passionate about delivering passenger journeys that are sustainable, comfortable, and efficient. We are at the forefront of innovation in the industry, connecting communities and shaping the future of public transport.

Position: Head of Engineering

Location: Home based with travel to our UK based portfolio of Coaching entities.

The Head of Engineering will provide senior engineering leadership across all coach operations, ensuring the consistent application of engineering standards, regulatory compliance and best practice. The role will work closely with the Managing Director Coach, Coaching Directors, General Managers, Operations teams and depot engineering leaders to drive performance, reliability and continuous improvement while supporting the business's commercial, operational and sustainability objectives.

Key Details:

• Salary up to £95,000 - £100,000 DOE
• Monday-Friday

The Head of Engineering is accountable for establishing and maintaining a robust engineering framework across all coach operations.

Operating as a key member of the Coach Leadership Team, the role holder will provide visible leadership across multiple businesses and locations, ensuring engineering activities support the delivery of safe, reliable and customer-focused transport services.

The role will develop and embed engineering standards, governance and continuous improvement practices while acting as the senior escalation point for complex technical, compliance and fleet performance issues.

Through strong stakeholder engagement and coaching of local engineering leaders, the Head of Engineering will build engineering capability, drive operational performance and support the successful delivery of the Coach strategy.

What We're Looking For:

• Significant senior engineering leadership experience within a transport, fleet, automotive, commercial vehicle, coach, bus, logistics or related engineering environment.
• Extensive knowledge of vehicle engineering, maintenance management and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to lead engineering performance improvement across multiple sites or business units.
• Strong understanding of engineering governance, risk management and assurance processes.
• Demonstrable success in coaching and developing engineering leaders.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Experience leading transformation, change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to analyse complex operational and technical data to drive performance improvements.
• A strategic thinker who is equally comfortable operating at both operational and executive levels.
• Professional engineering qualification or equivalent technical experience preferred.

Applicants are advised that background checks will be conducted as a standard part of our recruitment process and to comply with UK employment requirements, we ask all applicants to confirm their right to work in the UK.

Rewards:

• Your health is important to us which is why we offer Simply Health & Smart Health for you and your dependents at no cost to you! This offering includes cash-back benefits across optical & dental as well as virtual GP appointments, mental health support and nutrition and fitness advise. Our EAP provision offers 24hr, 365 days a year mental health support
• We are also committed to your financial wellbeing, and we offer a platform with many discounts on high street brands and supermarkets etc
• Working at First you also receive discounted train travel for you and your family after 6 months service as well as a free bus pass
• Free onsite parking + cycle to work scheme
• Up to 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays
• Pension scheme and chance to buy discounted FirstGroup shares

Why work here?

We are always looking for skilled and talented people to join us across our sixty plus depots from Aberdeen to Truro. It takes a dedicated team of specialists and professionals over just about every type of role you can think of to keep us on the road and creating amazing passenger journeys.

About Us

We’ve embarked on a journey of major transformation – to make sure we put our people and customers first. Our people are the beating heart of First Bus. Without them, there would be no drivers to take customers to where they need to go and no engineers to keep our buses safely on the road.
Our transformation programme is designed to reshape our business to meet tomorrow’s travel needs.