Operations Director

Job Purpose

Responsible for the management of all aspects of Rail Operations within OER with the objective of ensuring the safe, reliable and cost-effective running of rail services. This role involves the management of all operational personnel, including those responsible for train control, train planning and rostering together with all terminal operations relating to rail. This role carries specific responsibility for a primary interface with the regulator together with development of operational procedures and compliance with the safety case and licence.

Principal Accountabilities

• Develop all necessary rail operations procedures in order to ensure the safe and efficient running of the rail services in accordance with the provisions of the licence and safety case.

• Engage with the appropriate rail regulation authorities in order to firstly obtain and then retain a licence to operate OER services both in Oman and UAE.

• Ensure all operational incidents are thoroughly investigated in a timely manner in accordance with agreed procedures and appropriate learning is disseminated throughout OER.

• Perform the duties of Professional Head of Operations in accordance with the requirements of the safety case.

• Develop and ensure compliance with a comprehensive and compliant competency management system for all operational staff.

• Act as an industry expert in all operational matters ensuring that best practice is embodied in all OER operations.

• Act as a key stakeholder for training and development of all operational staff grades.

• Ensure that customer requirements are translated into robust and reliable operational plans including train paths, train plans and rosters.

• Develop robust contingency arrangements to respond to disruptions in operations from any source and prepare a comprehensive emergency response procedure with an appropriate testing and exercise regime.

• Produce comprehensive KPIs to demonstrate the performance of the operations function to be reported up to Board level.

• Ensure that train services are properly and efficiently sentenced and regulated on the network.

• Liaise with ER in order to ensure OER train services are properly regulated whilst on the ER network.

• Develop a comprehensive delay attribution system in order to understand the nature and route cause of any delay on either the OE ER or Terminal infrastructure.

• Provide expert advice on the capacity of the network and develop operational plans and protocols to increase capacity over time.

• Represent OER at industry forums with respect to operational matters.

• Represent OER for operations interface matters with ER.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in an operations related subject or a related field.

• Minimum of ten years' relevant experience in rail operations at a senior level.

• Strong understanding of railway logistics in the context of international operations.

• A strong safety background would be desirable.

• Strong leadership qualities with demonstrable experience in senor operational leadership roles.

• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.

• Analytical skills for data interpretation.

• Familiarity with relevant industry regulations and GCC market dynamics.