Start Hill
Unit 1 Stansted Distribution Centre , Bishops Stortford, CM22 7DG

Head of Engineering

Salary: Up to £85,000 per annum + car allowance + bonus
Working Pattern: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: 38
Closing Date: Mon 02 Nov 2026 - 07:00 am UTC
Apply Now
Head of Engineering

Head of Engineering

National Express are recruiting an experienced Head of Engineering to lead, control, and coordinate engineering operations across our London & Airports locations.

The successful candidate will act as a pivotal link between garage engineering teams, operational stakeholders and executive leadership to drive vehicle reliability, minimise lost mileage, manage R&M contract costs and champion low/zero emission fleet initiatives. You will promote a collaborative and inclusive working environment and ensure the highest standards of vehicle servicing, repair, safety, and fleet presentation.

What you'll do:

  • Lead and manage local garage engineering management, depot supervisors, and teams across all locations, supporting individual development, shift planning and operational alignment.
  • Ensure vehicles are serviced and maintained in line with company, manufacturer, and legal standards, driving absolute focus on safety and compliance (MOT, Tax, LOLER, Tachograph calibrations, and DVSA reporting).
  • Target minimal Vehicle Off Road (VOR) times and breakdown rates to maximize peak vehicle requirement (PVR) and prevent lost mileage.
  • Control repair & maintenance (R&M) contracts, oversee arrival/departure and end of contract costs for leased/rented fleets, and strictly manage departmental budgets.
  • Act as the subject matter expert to the Executive Team and 24/7 Control Room on vehicle technology, accident and incident investigations, safety improvements, and performance KPIs.
  • Advise the Board on low and zero emission operational strategies, leading trials and sustainable engineering best practices.
  • Partner closely with Operations teams to build seamless relationships and implement best practice maintenance standards across all sites.

What you'll need:

  • Extensive experience in the road passenger transport sector, with deep knowledge of coach and bus operational engineering, legal compliance, and daily garage procedures.
  • Holder of a National Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for Bus and Coach Operations.
  • Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate engineering teams within a unionized environment.
  • Hold a valid UK Driver’s Licence (Car) and the ability to pass an Airport Security Review to hold an airside access pass.
  • Desirable: Category D / PSV Licence and the ability to speak Spanish (beneficial for liaison with group parent company Alsa).

What we offer in return for your hard work and commitment...

  • Competitive salary of up to £85,000 per annum
  • Car Allowance of £5,760 per annum
  • Performance bonus of up to 20%
  • Comprehensive company pension, life assurance and executive development programs
  • Free Bus & Coach travel for yourself
  • Employee Assistance programme and private online GP service

 

National Express is committed to creating an inclusive workplace that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and should you require any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process please let us know.

You are applying for...
Head of Engineering
Salary: Up to £85,000 per annum + car allowance + bonus
Working Pattern: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
OR
Please upload your CV
Simply drag and drop your CV here, or select a file from your machine
Drop here upload_file
For Security purposes you can only upload the following types of documents:
Documents (.doc, .docx, .pdf)
Images (.jpg, .jpeg, .png)
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
?
We collect the following information to monitor our recruitment selection processes to offer fair and equal opportunities for all applicants.
In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, these details are strictly for monitoring purposes only and the information you provide is not visible to our recruitment team as part of your application.
Criminal Convictions
Have you been convicted of any criminal offence(s) which are not spent under the rehabilitation act 1974.
?
We ask anyone who wants to join our team if they have any unspent criminal convictions. This doesn't mean we won't consider your application, but we need to assess the relevance against the nature of the role and whether the conviction(s) mean the role isn't suitable.
Questions
Are you eligible to work in the UK?
Do you require sponsorship to work in the UK?
Where did you hear about this vacancy?
Inclusivity is at the heart of what we do at National Express. We are a Disability Confident Committed organisation and will offer an interview to candidates with disabilities or long-term conditions who meet the minimum skills criteria for the role. If you have a disability or long term condition and need us to make any adjustments or do anything differently for your interview, please let us know below?
Have you ever worked at National Express or any affiliated companies before? If yes, please confirm the dates, location and your reason for leaving?
If you are an internal applicant, have you informed your current line manager?
Are you a Service Leaver/ Veteran or a Spouse / Family member of a Service Leaver?
If we need to contact you regarding your application, what is the best time of day to contact you?
Have you been recommended to apply for this role at National Express by a current employee? If yes, please state their name, title and department/location.
?
We ask this because we're interested in your suitability.
References
Reference 1
The following sections are incomplete
Personal Details
CV
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Criminal Convictions
Questions
References
?
Once you are happy with your application please click 'submit application' below
You may also be interested in…

Coach Driver Leicester

Leicester
Permanent
Full Time
£15.57 per hour