Head of Drivers – Inspire Teams, move people, create memorable momentsAre you a bold, forward-thinking leader ready to shape the future of rail operations?Do you thrive in a fast-paced, unionised environment with the fastest trains where change is constant, and impact is real?Do you want to be at the heart of bringing track and train together as Southeastern and Network build a fully integrated Alliance. If so, this is your chance to lead from the front as our Head of Drivers!Can you move people? Apply now.Why this role?With over 1,000 drivers under your leadership and a workforce in transformation, this role is more than just management—it’s about driving cultural change, improving performance, and elevating customer experience. You’ll be at the forefront of introducing new rolling stock, navigating industry-wide shifts, and fostering a progressive, high-performance environment.What you’ll be doing:Leading a dynamic, evolving workforce—setting the vision for how our driver community operates and thrives.Creating a culture of excellence, inclusion, and accountability – making everyone feel welcome everyday to achieve the best outcomeDriving change initiatives in line with new industry standards, technology, and rolling stock introductions.Engaging directly with teams—being a highly visible and accessible leader.Ensuring operational success by aligning safety, performance, and customer experience priorities.You can be based in London or Ashford, but the expectation ist hat you will be mobile, accessible, and actively engaging with the workforce, driving buy-in through high visibility and leading by example.This means travelling across London and Kent depots. You will also be part of the on-call rota.Why join us?A chance to shape the future of our driver operations in a leading transport organisation.A supportive leadership team that values innovation and fresh thinking.The opportunity to make a lasting impact on thousands of colleagues and millions of customers.What we’re looking for:A Change champion – You’ve successfully led transformation in a unionised workforce and know how to bring people on the journey.A Union-Savvy Leader – You understand the dynamics of unionised environments and can build productive, strategic relationships.A Visible and engaging presence – You won’t be leading from behind a desk. We need someone who’s on the ground, talking to drivers, inspiring teams, and creating buy-in through action.Performance and safety focus – With 25% of our drivers having less than three years’ experience, balancing safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction is key.A Disruptor and innovator– We’re looking for a leader who challenges the status quo, drives efficiency, and inspires continuous improvement.Please see attached information pack for more about the role.As proud members of the Armed Forces Covenant and Disability Confident Scheme, we will offer you an interview if you apply under these schemes and meet the minimum criteria for the role. Find out more here.Other things to knowThis vacancy may close early if we receive a large number of applications. So, make sure you get yours in early.All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references, a right to work verification, a basic criminal record check, and a pre-employment medical assessment. Work visa sponsorship isn’t available for this role.If you applied but weren’t successful in getting a similar role at Southeastern, please wait six months before applying again.Find out more about our recruitment process and get tips to help you apply.What you’ll get in returnAlong with your salary, the rewards you’ll get include:a final salary pension25 days annual leave allowance (plus bank holidays)free rail travel across our networks.Meaning you can feel secure in your career as well as fulfilled by your work. Click here to see our full range of amazing benefits.A bit about SoutheasternWe’re one of Britain's busiest train operators, serving London, Kent and parts of East Sussex. We run over 1,700 trains a day, carrying more than 500,000 passengers and serving 180 stations.However, working on our railway is more than getting passengers from A to B. It’s about all the little moments that make a difference to their journey.It’s also about making our railway a great place to work. With a team that represents the communities we serve. This is a journey we’re fully committed to and we’re proud to have been named a ‘Great Place to Work’ at the 2023 National Rail Awards and endorsed as a WORK180 Employer for Women.Our ways of working are what we expect of everyone at Southeastern. They are powerful. Tiny moments, every day, from every one of us, add up to massive, positive change. Improving how it feels to work here and how it feels to travel with us.Learn more about our railway.
