Warranty Manager

Warranty Manager Location: Network‑wide (north), with travel to Care Centres and suppliers Working Pattern: Hybrid – approx. 3 days on site / 2 days from home Salary: £64,832 per annum The Situation A major UK rail operator is seeking an experienced and autonomous Warranty Manager to take full ownership of its warranty management function. The current process is underdeveloped and reactive; the organisation is now shifting towards a proactive, data‑driven approach. With a significant number of new trains entering the fleet over the coming years, this is a pivotal moment to establish strong governance, improve performance, and maximise cost recovery. The Opportunity This is a high‑impact role within the Technical Services team, offering the autonomy to define strategy, refine Quality Management System Procedures (QMSP), and build a robust governance framework for warranty activity. You will manage one direct report (Fleet & Material Support Engineer) and act as the key interface between Technical Support Engineers, train owners, and major suppliers such as Unipart, Wabtec, and CAT. Key Responsibilities Strategic Governance — Establish and enforce a consistent, robust warranty governance process across five Train Care Centres. KPI Implementation — Develop and maintain KPIs to track claim volumes, success rates, losses, and disputes. Dispute Resolution — Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers when claims are rejected, using technical insight to secure favourable outcomes. Performance Reporting — Produce clear financial and operational reporting for senior stakeholders. Stakeholder Management — Coordinate between Technical Support Engineers and external supply chain partners to ensure timely, accurate claim handling. Material Support Oversight — Manage the Fleet & Material Support Engineer, ensuring engineering changes and material challenges are resolved efficiently. Essential Skills & Experience Rolling Stock Expertise — Minimum 5 years’ experience within the rolling stock industry. Technical Background — Strong understanding of engine systems and related engineering principles. Commercial Acumen — Experience managing budgets, interpreting contract obligations (e.g., NEC4), and reporting financial outcomes. Qualifications — NVQ Level 3 or above in an engineering discipline. Analytical Mindset — Ability to trend data and use insights to drive process improvements. High Autonomy — Comfortable defining your own direction and navigating complex, ambiguous challenges. About Ford & Stanley - 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. Ford & Stanley TalentWise – Business specialising in blue collar trade & technical services – permanent and temporary. Ford & Stanley Recruitment – Business specialising in white collar spanning all company functions with specialist verticals within Digital, Rail Engineering, Civils & Infrastructure, General Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Logistics both permanent and contract. Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Business specialising in Executive Search & Executive Interim Solutions in the UK, North America, Middle East and Europe. Ford & Stanley Genius Performance – Performance is always accelerated when good people are coached, inspired, trained and focused in the right way. 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