Rail Fleet Maintenance Planner

Location: Derby (2 days), Rugby (2 days), 1-day WFH
Salary: £51,000 + Excellent Benefits

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Rail Fleet Maintenance Planner to take full ownership of the maintenance schedules, performance, compliance, and reliability of our fleet of 60 diesel and electric freight locomotives.
This is a hands-off, engineering management role—ideal for professionals with a background in rail, heavy plant, aerospace, military, or similar sectors who understand the why behind maintenance activities, not just the how.
You will lead all asset management activities, identify root causes behind recurring faults, recommend engineering solutions, and manage component change requests and cost justifications.
Key Responsibilities

Assess asset performance: Analyse locomotive breakdowns and recurring faults to recommend engineering improvements and component replacements.
Engineering decision-making: Raise and track change requests, dispensations, and cost justifications within internal systems.
Plan and manage fleet maintenance: Oversee maintenance plans and ensure work aligns with compliance, safety, and reliability goals.
Documentation & reporting: Maintain accurate records of inspections, non-conformities, and engineering actions.
System & data management: Log requests, manage asset data, and support digital quality and inspection systems.
Stakeholder collaboration: Work cross-functionally with engineering, procurement, stores, and leadership teams.
Continuous improvement: Propose and implement asset management process improvements.   
What You’ll Need

7+ years’ experience managing heavy machinery, rolling stock, or fleet assets.
Strong understanding of asset management principles, including lifecycle, fault investigation, and maintenance planning.
Excellent IT skills and familiarity with asset management software or quality systems (e.g., Q-Pulse).
Ability to analyse data, diagnose technical issues, and recommend solutions.
NVQ Level 3+ in Engineering or equivalent.
Full UK driving licence. Preferred: Health & Safety qualifications and ex-military or cross-sector experience (rail, aerospace, plant, or similar).
Benefits Package

£51,000 salary
34 days annual leave
Private Healthcare & Dental options
Company pension scheme
Company van
Flexible hybrid working Why Join Us?
If you want to step into a leadership role where you apply your technical expertise to manage fleet assets strategically, this is your next career move. You’ll have a direct impact on locomotive reliability and performance while collaborating with some of the industry’s best professionals.
Apply today and take the next step in your engineering management career