Operations Controller, Ealing

Department

Greenford Operational

Employment Type

Full-Time

Compensation

£29,000 per annum

(1) Summary

• We are looking for an Operations Controller to join our team in Greenford, west London.
• This role is a key part of our Operations Team and plays a vital role in the success of our services.
• This is a customer-focused role reporting to the General Manager and working with the rest of the team to ensure that all operations are carried out in a safe, professional, and timely manner.
• The role requires a degree of flexibility to collaborate with other disciplines, (e.g. transport, payroll, finance etc.) to facilitate effective and efficient:
  • delivery of passenger services;
  • vehicle management;
  • supervision of frontline staff;
  • utilisation of resources; and
  • liaison with external partners (e.g. local day care centres, local schools, local authorities).

(2) About ECT

• Ealing Community Transport (ECT) has been providing safe and accessible transport in the London Borough of Ealing since 1979. We provide:
  • a door-to-door PlusBus servicethat connects people who find public transport difficult to use with the services and facilities important to them;
  • day tripsfor PlusBus users;
  • PlusBus for Health, which provides transport to GP surgery appointments for people who would otherwise require a home visit;
  • London Dial-a-Rideservices on behalf of TfL andGroup Transportminibuses for local community groups;
  • transport Adult Day Centres;
  • and home-to-school transportfor children and young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities on behalf of Ealing Council.
• a door-to-door 
• We’re the founding part of ECT Charity, one of the UK’s leading providers of community transport, who safely provide almost 360,000 passenger trips for our communities each year In Ealing, west London, Cheshire and Dorset. You can find out more about ECT Charity here.
• ECT is an Equal Opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments during the selection process (and if a position is offered, in employment) if required.
• ECT is also a Disability Confident employer and welcomes applications from the disabled community.
• ECT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and any vulnerable person using our services. In order to meet this responsibility, we follow safer recruitment practices which are outlined in further detail in our Safeguarding Adults at Risk and Protecting People Policy.

(3) Key Responsibilities

• Engage and liaise with passengers and customers/partners via telephone and email to take bookings and manage contracts. You will be expected to conduct any communication in a polite and professional manner, showing empathy to the transport needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community.
• Liaise with, and assist, other members of the Operations Team and operational staff (drivers and passenger assistants) to ensure professional service delivery.
• Conduct day-to-day operations, schedule routes and assign vehicles and staff to each route.
• Maintain staff rotas, including coverage of “rest days”, annual leave and sickness.
• Act as a “first response” to all accidents, incidents, breakdowns or customer complaints, ensuring escalation to the General Manager where needed. This will include being part of the rota providing “out of hours” support, which includes taking the on-call mobile phone home and being available to respond to urgent issues outside of normal working hours, including weekends and evenings. Additional payment is provided for this responsibility.
• Maintain systems to ensure accurate records are held for quality, control, performance management and accounting purposes.
• Assist the General Manager in ensuring that the Operations Team’s processes and systems are adhered to and assist in implementing/developing/reviewing these as needs be to maximise efficiency.
• Work with the General Manager to ensure staff compliance with ECT policies and procedures as well as regulatory/contractual obligations.
• Assist the General Manager in monitoring the performance of drivers and other front-line staff, ensuring that quality standards are maintained (e.g. uniform, customer care).
• Ensure any incidents or accidents are reported and logged and passed onto ECT’s insurers as per charity policies and procedures.
• Run a daily check of all Vehicle Defect Logs to ensure they have been filled in correctly with all mileage recorded and action any logs found to be filled in incorrectly accordingly.
• Undertake all other reasonable duties as delegated by a senior manager within the organisation or by the Board of Trustees. Please note that specific tasks will depend on operational need and may be affected by the introduction of new services, changes to procedures, or shifting organisational priorities. A flexible approach is essential, and the need to support a smaller team during periods of high demand or staff absence.

(4) Person specification

We’re looking for someone to bring their administrative and logistical skills and experience to the team who:

• has a high degree of computer literacy (including MS Excel);
• has a high level of accuracy and attention to detail;
• is able to work in a fast-paced environment;
• has previous experience in an office-based role;
• uses initiative and is a proactive self-starter;
• is able to work as part of a team;
• is receptive to, and able to initiate change within an operational environment; and
• is able to communicate, in person and via telephone/email, in a courteous and professional manner.

Training will be made available to the successful candidate to increase their knowledge of the industry which will include MiDAS, Health & Safety and potentially Transport Manager CPC.

(5) Details of Role and Employment Particulars

This paragraph 5 provides a brief guide on the terms of employment. If we decide to proceed with your application, you will be issued with full particulars of employment.

• Start date. as soon as possible, subject to any existing job’s notice period.
• Hours. This is a full-time role (i.e. 40 hours per week).
• Location. Greenford Depot, Greenford Road, Greenford, Middlesex UB6
• The salary will be in the region of £29,000 to per annum (based on a 40 hour week), dependent on qualifications and previous experience. The salary will be paid monthly in arrears by direct credit transfer. The monthly salary is calculated on the basis of 12 equal months.
• Probationary period. The appointment will be subject to a six-month probationary period.
• Notice. Employment is subject to one week’s notice by either party during the probationary period, and one month’s notice by either party on completion of probationary period.
• Holiday. Holiday entitlement amounts to a total of 20 days plus Bank Holidays. Leave must always be taken in conjunction with colleagues to ensure that adequate cover is available.
• Pension. NEST is offered as the workplace pension scheme. Further details will be provided to you upon commencement of your employment.
• Sick pay. ECT operates the Statutory Sick Pay Scheme (‘SSP’) during periods of properly certified sickness absence. ECT also operates an Occupational Sick Pay Scheme which provides payment in excess of the SSP rates, all such payments being at ECT’s absolute discretion and will depend on full compliance with obligations in relation to sickness reporting. Any sick pay paid will be deemed to include the SSP entitlement.
• Other Benefits. In addition to the abovementioned annual leave entitlement and company pension, ECT’s benefits package also includes opportunities for continuous professional learning and wellbeing support. ECT also welcome requests for flexible working to help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.

(6) How to apply

• We invite you to submit your application by 22nd December 2025. We plan to start interviewing candidates on 6th January 2025.
• All applications should be submitted to the General Manager. Please include a covering letter that demonstrates your skills, experience, and attributes that make you suitable for the role outlined in this job description.
• Candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of their application. Those who are successful at this stage of the process will be invited to attend an interview at Greenford Depot, Greenford Road, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 9AN.
• Candidates who are not short-listed will be informed accordingly.
• ECT will process the personal data that you have supplied on the Application Form in accordance with the Privacy Notice for job applicants available by clicking here. It is important to note that ECT will only process your personal data where it has a lawful basis for such processing.
• If desired, applicants are able to have an informal chat with the General Manager, Ealing before applying but this is not essential. To arrange this, please email kez.etan@ectcharity.co.uk

Location

London, Greater London

Department

Greenford Operational

Employment Type

Full-Time

Compensation

£29,000 per annum