Manager - Readiness And Special Events

**Manager - Readiness and Special Events**
- Opportunity for professional development
- Collaborate with a leadership team that will welcome innovative ideas
- Make a difference with a high-performing and ambitious Operations team
- V/Line's purpose is to connect Victorians through safe, reliable, and accessible transport. We believe in giving all Victorians opportunities through travel and transport - connecting them to jobs, education, family and friends, services, tourism and trade._
- V/Line is experiencing significant growth and we're delivering more services, more trains, cheaper fares, and huge projects. With more than 3700 weekly train and coach services, an expansive freight network and unprecedented rail investment, millions of Victorians depend on us to deliver. You could be one of our 3100 committed team members who are up to the challenge._

**About the role**

As the **Manager - Readiness and Special Events**, you are integral to the success of V/Line's **Operations Group**.

The role will ensure that all special events are identified and assessed for recommended service alterations (rail and scheduled coaches).

The Manager Readiness and Special Events will work collaboratively with Network Planning Officers and other key stakeholders to ensure plans can be delivered safely and efficiently to move customers to and from events.

The role will also manage Operation's readiness for major occupations and ensure key stakeholders are consulted and are ready to successfully deliver plans.

The role will ensure any planned impacts to scheduled coach operations are identified and managed in collaboration with Coach Services.

**Key accountabilities include**:

- Develop the indicative plans for all special events, and ensure they are submitted to the Department of Transport and Planning within the required timeframes
- Develop service plans for each special event based on patronage data, business and DTP requirements and requirements under the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
- Liaise with key internal and external stakeholders to review the service plans to ensure they can be safely and effectively delivered and managed.
- Identify any special events that overlap with occupations, that will pose a risk to customer experience or Operations and liaise with the Head of Network Services - Planning or Director to establish an agreed outcome.
- Attend V/Line, DTP or other operators' meetings where special events are discussed and ensure that V/Line's requirements are considered.
- Manage the readiness activities for all special events and where required develop documented Special Event Readiness Plans (e.g. New Year's Eve, Avalon Airshow, major concerts, significant regional events).
- Maintain a dashboard for all special events, occupations, yard closures and heritage trains that includes daily resources required to support these activities. High risk days / periods are to be identified for escalation and consideration.
- Lead readiness activities for occupations to ensure that Operations are ready to safely deliver and manage each occupation. This includes any required logístical support for replacement coach locations.
- Report on the readiness status for each event to the Director Operational Planning and Readiness.
- Undertake briefings and debriefs or Lesson's Learned as required for special events and occupations, including any DTP requirements.
- Review current practices for special events and occupation planning and reporting to identify continuous improvement opportunities and financial benefits.
- Ensure that any planned impacts on scheduled coach operations are identified and managed. This includes road closures, special events impacting routes/stops and events that require banker coach support (e.g. special events, long weekends).
- Liaise with the relevant Coach Services Contract Managers to ensure adherence with contractual obligations to consider in planning
- Oversee Group Bookings and provide leadership for complex requests.

**About you**

As the **Manager Readiness and Special Events**, you will report directly to the **Head of Network Services - Planning**as part of the **Operations Group**.

The Operations Group is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of train and coach services across regional Victoria and increasingly peri urban Melbourne.

The safe and efficient delivery of these services requires network planning and control and a continued focus on mechanisms to improve services and operations.

Operations have the largest workforce in V/Line with approximately 1600 staff located across the state, including Melbourne, large regional centres, and smaller country towns.

The Manager Readiness and Special Events will lead the planning and readiness for all special events.
- Tertiary qualification in Business or a related discipline is desirable.
- Intermediate to advanced computer skills in Excel.
- The ability to demonstrate planning or transport planning experience
- Understandin