Service Operations Manager - CH

Welcome to Transport for London Careers
 
Take a look at job opportunities with us and you may be surprised at what you discover: a rich heritage, a commercial outlook, an iconic brand, a unique public service. It all adds up to make Transport for London a great place to develop your career.  Here you can start your journey!

Key Information

Job title: Service Operations Manager - Cycle Hire 
Salary: £62,00 - £67,340                                           
Grade: Band 3
Contract type: Permanent               
Reference:  5107
Location: Southwark with hybrid working

Application closing date: Monday 17th August 2026 @ 23:59pm  

*Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.  

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks.  Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.  At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.  

Overview of project/role

The Service Operations Manager (SOM) will play a critical role in the modernisation, expansion and operation of the London Cycle Hire scheme (LCH). Responsible for the performance management and delivery of fixed assets in 800 stations and the interface of operational, customer information and payment related systems the SOM will contribute to TfL’s investment to increase Cycle Hire journeys each year, providing London with a safe, affordable and financially sustainable bike share scheme integrated with the wider public transport network as part of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

Key Accountabilities

Through the management of the contracted operator and in collaboration with internal teams, this role will lead the service performance of fixed station assets and operating and payment systems, including the schemes app, to support delivery to agreed standards and at agreed targets. Key accountabilities include:

• taking actions to ensure a reliable operating service to customers, targeting quick and easy customer access to bike hires, delivered through achieving operating performance KPI's that support growth in cycling trips and revenue growth
• the delivery of bike hire revenue through good performance of station terminals, the app and integrated payment systems, and the introduction of bad debt mitigations to reduce revenue losses, supporting the delivery of financial targets - promote good Health and Safety standards to Vision Zero ambitions, escalating related Health and Safety incidents and risks, as required, to the contracted operator and internally (as appropriate)
• championing the protection of customers and TfL from cyber-security and data management breach risks, and actively seeking assurances that LCH remains compliant with industry, legal and internal standards and best practice
• managing emerging performance issues and risks on a day-to-day basis, with integration within TfL command and control to ensure systems remain operable with minimum customer impact and key stakeholders made aware.
• leading on behalf of the Head of Cycle Hire change and development of related work, and, where required, manage projects from implementation, scheduling of activities and testing and acceptance of change to minimise customer impact.
• To provide good leadership and support to direct report, role-modelling the TfL People Leader Framework
• Acting as the primary point of contact for LCH, and lead of related responsibilities during the transition to the new delivery contract model. Including the development of performance monitoring and reporting, and establishing new processes in collaboration with internal teams and contracted operators, such as incident management.
  
  

Skills, Knowledge & Experience 

Skills

• Computer literate – including Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
• Confident written and verbal communications at all levels, both within and outside the organisation.
• Good analysis, risk identification and problem-solving skills.
• Commercially astute - good understanding of contract management
• Exceptional change and Incident management skills
• Good general understanding of technical and data based systems and interfaces
• Ability to review and challenge delivery of performance and work under pressure
• Good organisational skills and can develop and work to a defined plan/milestones.
•  Good stakeholder management skills

Knowledge

• Project Management to APMP level would be an advantage
• Educated to degree or demonstrated work experience at an equivalent level
• Ability to deal with complicated system interfaces directly or through the management of contracted services .
• Can demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of complex contractual issues, approaches to handling these and managing a service provider to deliver public sector aims.
• Understanding of risk management concepts related to payment systems.

Experience 

• Extensive experience working with complex operating systems and interfaces required.
• Contract management and project management experience highly desirable.
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in service management desirable.
• Experience in service delivery management bringing in new implementations in public transport or a similar customer service based sector.

 Application Process   

• Please apply using your CV and a two-page covering letter 

• Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV and cover letter 

• PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images 

Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. 
 

Benefits  
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow.  Rewards vary according to the level of role but mostly include the below:
 
Final salary pension scheme 
Free travel for you on the TfL network 
Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket
30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays 
TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow
Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional) 
Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
Retail, health, leisure and travel offers 
Discounted Eurostar travel
 

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

Vetting Process

At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application, but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect, and clear communication throughout.