Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer

The Opportunity

A leading luxury transportation and hospitality operator is seeking an experienced Chief Engineer to join its senior leadership team. This is a rare opportunity to lead the engineering function for a unique fleet of heritage rolling stock, supporting some of the most prestigious luxury rail journeys in the UK.

As part of a planned succession programme, the successful candidate will work alongside the current postholder during a structured handover period, ensuring continuity of knowledge, operational excellence, and long-term fleet performance.

This is a confidential appointment and a pivotal leadership role with responsibility for engineering strategy, fleet reliability, compliance, and depot operations.

Location: London
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm (flexibility around start and finish times)

Package

Salary: £70,000 – £78,000
Up to 25% bonus
7% employer pension contribution
33 days annual leave
Private medical insurance
Employee Assistance Programme
Excellent travel and hospitality-related employee benefits

The Role

Reporting to senior management, the Chief Engineer will be responsible for the engineering management, maintenance, and ongoing development of a specialist heritage rolling stock fleet.

The role will lead depot operations, oversee maintenance and overhaul programmes, and ensure the fleet is operated safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements.

Working within a high-profile and quality-driven environment, the successful candidate will help shape engineering strategy, improve asset performance, and maintain exceptional standards across the operation.

Key Responsibilities

Fleet & Asset Management

Lead the engineering management of a heritage rolling stock fleet.
Ensure fleet availability, reliability, and performance targets are achieved.
Develop and deliver engineering strategies, investment plans, upgrades, and improvement programmes.
Drive asset condition monitoring and long-term sustainability initiatives.
Support continuous enhancement of fleet performance and reliability.

Maintenance & Overhaul Management

Manage planned maintenance, overhaul activities, and fleet modification programmes.
Oversee major overhaul programmes and associated engineering projects.
Ensure preventative maintenance plans are effectively developed and delivered.
Manage the sourcing of components, materials, and specialist services required to support fleet operations.

Depot Leadership

Lead day-to-day engineering and depot operations.
Manage, develop, and support multi-disciplined engineering teams.
Oversee workforce planning, rostering, and resource allocation.
Foster a high-performance culture focused on safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Safety, Compliance & Governance

Ensure full compliance with engineering, safety, and regulatory requirements.
Maintain robust engineering governance and assurance standards.
Promote a proactive safety culture across all engineering activities.
Support internal and external audits and regulatory inspections.

Continuous Improvement

Drive fleet reliability and performance improvement initiatives.
Enhance maintenance practices and project delivery processes.
Implement continuous improvement methodologies across the operation.
Monitor supplier and contractor performance to ensure value and service excellence.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

Significant engineering leadership or management experience.
Experience within rolling stock, rail, transportation, or another asset-intensive engineering environment.
Strong maintenance, overhaul, and asset management expertise.
Mechanical engineering knowledge and sound maintenance principles.
Relevant engineering qualifications (Degree, HND/HNC, Chartered Engineer status, or equivalent).
Experience managing engineering teams and operational environments.
Strong understanding of safety management, compliance, and engineering governance.
A proven track record of improving operational performance and delivering continuous improvement initiatives.

Suitable Backgrounds

Candidates may currently be working as:

Engineering Manager
Head of Engineering
Fleet Manager
Depot Manager
Rolling Stock Engineering Manager
Maintenance Manager
Senior Engineering Manager
About Ford & Stanley Group

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas – recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.

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Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy