National Drone Manager

Brief Description

Route Services is a division of Network Rail that provides the Routes with services so they can help Network Rail deliver a better railway for a better Britain.We support the Routes with a myriad of services and supplies they need to maintain and operate the railway To learn more, please to watch our video.

This role sits withinSupply Chain Operations (SCO), an area of the business which supplies and delivers the logistics, materials, components, rail and road fleet that enable the maintenance and renewal of the railway.

SCO keeps the materials, machinery and components required by its customers moving – making sure they are on-site when needed so work can go ahead as planned and on schedule. Watch our video

Working with us is

About the role (External)

Join our Asset Information Services function who specify, collect, evaluate, collate, analyse and share data and information about our infrastructure assets. This data is used to create insights and intelligence, helping asset managers, engineers, network infrastructure planners and maintenance teams make better informed business decisions.

You’ll help support the railway through repeatable, sustainable, reliable services and products. Our methods for collecting data are cheaper and safer than track-side inspections. The power of our data allows our customers to plan and deliver effective maintenance and renewals of railway assets. Together we are delivering improved safety and performance.

Main responsibilities:

As National Drone Manager, you’ll be the accountable manager for one of the UK’s largest drone operators. You will be responsible for all internal drone operations within Network Rail, including the implementation and maintenance of rules, guidance and associated governance activities. This role will also involve managing organisational change so that Network Rail can scale the use of drone technology effectively and compliantly.

What will you be doing?

·Defining and maintaining all internal documentation relating to the operation of drones, regularly updating relevant Network Rail standard(s), supporting policies and our Operations Manual to enable the business to meet its safety and legal obligations.

·Establishing and executing a robust governance and assurance programme for all in-house drone activities to include, record keeping, pilot assessments, currency and battery management to confirm pilots are operating legally and to mitigate against the risk of incidents occurring on the network.

·Implementing new or changes to existing legislation or Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB/ Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recommendations affecting drone operations to enable Network Rail to meet its legal obligations.

·Leading the daily drone activity schedule for the organisation, and effectively managing the ‘Drone Framework’ to drive value for money, maintain supplier performance and high customer satisfaction levels.

·Managing the flight management system/UTM, monitoring performance against the contract and escalating service issues as they arise to enable drone operators to operate safely.

·Managing all aspects of in-house drone pilot training to include but not be limited to; selection process, appointment of training provider(s) and annual re-assessment of pilot competence levels that enables Air Operations to meet the needs of the business in relation to the provision of aerial surveys in a safe and legal manner.

·Assisting the Head of Air Operations in relation to the investigation of any incidents or accidents involving drones, liaising with appropriate government agencies and preparing reports/briefings as required to help the organisation to learn, improve procedures and prevent repetition.

·Providing high quality evidence-based advice concerning industry use of drones/Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) to the Head of Air Operations and other senior stakeholders that helps to drive future business decisions and strategies for aerial surveys and inspection of track assets.

·Regularly monitoring and researching the development of new technology within the drone/SUA commercial sector, especially concerning the development of survey equipment and associated data processing techniques, seeking out opportunities for progression within Network Rail, for example, ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights’.

·Participating in drone projects from conception to close, travelling to relevant sites to support contractors and Network Rail drone operators e.g. sharing knowledge and expertise to help inform

The Ideal Candidate

Sound interested? This is what you will need to have:

Essential

·Expert knowledge of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations, especially around the operation of drones/Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) and thorough understanding of policy development processes and techniques

·Excellent understanding of the technological landscape concerning the development of drones/SUAs, camera sensors and data processing techniques, combined with practical experience of embedding these into business as usual

·Relevant experience of working within a drone and/or aviation environment with the ability to design and deliver 1-2-1 and group training sessions

·Experience of operating drones/SUA in the commercial sector and holder of General Visual Line of Sight Certification (GVC)

·Proven stakeholder and contract management experience

What could set you apart

·Knowledge of aerial survey/operations/equipment

·Knowledge of data processing

·High customer service level

·Team player comfortable working within in a fast-moving business

·Degree or equivalent