Who are we? South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight. Join our team and help us continue to improve quality of life, by bringing people together to get the most out of life. SWR is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport. About the job To ensure we do bring people together to get the most out of life we need to run a high performing railway on which our customers can rely, this role manages Incidents that threaten to jeopardise this on behalf of South Western Railway, bringing together key stakeholders and personnel to manage a safe, speedy and customer focused resolution to all incident types. Your main responsibilities will be: To ensure that all incidents including those involving safety of the line are managed in accordance with the SWR Service Delivery Manual acting as the primary operational commander in line with the Incident Management Standard (IMS) and other Safety Manual procedures. To be responsible for activating the On-Call and Communication procedures as and when required. To ensure that accurate information is supplied to front line staff and customers by effectively communicating with members of the Control team to ensure PIDD (Passenger Information During Disruption) compliance is maintained. Ensure the Chain of Care arrangements for Traincrew or other members of staff adversely affected by serious operating incidents or assaults are initiated when required. Ensure that relevant line managers are advised of the action taken and are aware of the need to undertake appropriate follow-up action. Ensure that all verbal communications, as well as those of SWR Controllers on shift, are compliant with the requirements of the SWR Appendix to the Rule Book Module 45. Ensure that SWR's Control actions, when dealing with passenger trains at a stand at locations other than a railway station, are compliant with SWR's Stranded Trains policy. Manage entry and removal of Emergency Speed Restrictions / Power Reduction Mode and other information in relevant systems. Achieve or retain Train Service Manager competence. Acting as the key Operational Commander to act as the bridge between Operational and Tactical Command for incident management. Any other reasonable duties and tasks requested by your line manager. STP validation/ responses Strategic contingency planning and plans for possession overruns. STP (Day A for Day C) planning Possession overrun plans on the day STP weather mitigation plans Plan for short notice sickness affecting services e.g. Covid-19 alterations VSTP planning process Creation of on the day contingency plans for disruption and Supporting the Control Team during times of disruption As a minimum, you will need to have: Experience of working within a highly pressurised operations environment Experience of strategic decision-making Good negotiating skills and ability to make objective decisions Able to manage conflict, influence others and work under pressure A thorough understanding of train planning principles and timetable composition Good geographical knowledge of applicable route and wider network Please note applicants who require a visa, must have at least 6-months remaining at the time of their appointment. Desired Experience: Previous experience of working within a safety critical communications environment. Knowledge of Network Rail and Train Operating Companies across the network and the key aspects of their business. Experience of railway industry operational rules and regulations. Knowledge of railway systems applicable to Service Delivery. Have a good understanding of commercial issues and customer flows on SWR and neighbouring routes. Computer literate. About the location Basingstoke Campus, more commonly known as the ROC, is a state-of-the-art Operating Centre and training facility located a short walk from Basingstoke station. It is a shared facility with Network Rail and is the hub for all operations across the Wessex region. The office space and technology on site are modern with the added benefit of additional facilities including a gym & canteen. Working pattern You will be working an average of 37 hours per week over 5 days. Typical shifts include: 0700 - 1424 / 1400 - 2124 The Reward In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including: Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent) 75% discount on many other train operating companies Full training and support with development Large range of exclusive retail offers Excellent pension scheme We all belong at SWR. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment. We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent. We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive. We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details. If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply. https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/ https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/