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About First Bus
Are you ready to advance your career with one of the UK's leading bus operators? Join a forward-thinking company that embraces cutting-edge bus technology, from innovative mobile apps to environmentally friendly vehicles. We are passionate about delivering passenger journeys that are sustainable, comfortable, and efficient. We are at the forefront of innovation in the industry, connecting communities and shaping the future of public transport.
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Scheduler to join our Network team on a full-time permanent basis. This is a hybrid role and will be based from our Bristol depot.
About the Role
The successful candidate will be responsible for creating efficient, legally compliant, and cost-effective bus and driver schedules. Reporting to a Senior Scheduler for their area, they play a critical role in ensuring that services are deliverable, optimised, and aligned with operational and commercial goals. They are the first point of contact for trade union relations before escalation and will foster these relationships for their area.
Key Responsibilities
- Duty and Roster Creation: Design and deliver efficient, compliant duties and rosters that align with network plans, operational constraints, driver availability, and trade union agreements, utilising the latest recommended software in First Bus.
- Tactical Scheduling and Service Change Support: Support tactical service change delivery, updating duties and rosters in response to timetable changes, operational disruptions, or local authority interventions.
- Resource Forecasting and Budgeting Support: Input into forecasting and budgeting, modelling the resource impact (e.g. drivers, hours, fleet) of planned and potential service changes.
- Regulatory and Agreement Compliance: Ensure compliance with trade union agreements, rest rules, and labour regulations – supporting operational delivery and workforce satisfaction.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate cross-functionally, working closely with Network Planning, Operations, and HR to ensure schedules support service quality and delivery goals.
- Supporting Driver Retention: Incorporate driver preferences where possible, supporting retention and wellbeing by shaping duties aligned to known preferences and operational feasibility.
- System Integration and Data Accuracy: Produce outputs for all other systems as required by the business and update them as appropriate including, EPM, DAS, Ticketer, and BODS ensuring a high-quality standard of information is delivered, to required deadlines.
- Bid and Tender Support: Assist with the preparation of tender bids for submission, with support from the Network Planner/Planning Manager and Senior Scheduler where required.
- Fleet and EV Scheduling Adaptation: Support EV and fleet-specific planning, adapting rosters and duties to accommodate vehicle capabilities, charging infrastructure, and maintenance windows.
- Planning Cycle and Delivery Rhythm: Maintain a strong delivery rhythm, ensuring timely schedule production for change cycles and supporting structured planning, review, and sign-off processes.
- Performance Insight and Data Contribution: Provide data inputs and support performance tracking, helping the business understand how schedules impact cost, efficiency, and staff availability.
- Leadership Support and Flexibility: Where appropriate, deputising for the Senior Scheduler and the taking up of other responsibilities commensurate with the role as deemed appropriate by the Senior Scheduler/Schedules Manager.
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Skills & Experience Required
- Analytical and Scheduling Expertise: Highly numerate and data-driven, with experience in the fundamentals of scheduling, optimisation, and workforce planning.
- Technical Proficiency: Understanding of scheduling and the Optibus scheduling system is preferred, though not essential.
- Local Operational Knowledge: Geographical knowledge of the areas of operation and responsibility is preferred.
- Communication and Relationship Management: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, particularly in managing union relationships and cross-functional collaboration.
- EV Scheduling Familiarity: Knowledge of electric vehicle scheduling considerations is desirable.
- Performance Under Pressure: Ability to work in a high-pressured environment consistently delivering on objectives within timeframe.
- Team Collaboration: Ability to work in a team.
- Delivery and Compliance: Ability to meet agreed legislative and internal process timescales.
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Rewards
Your health is important to us which is why we offer Simply Health & Smart Health for you and your dependents at no cost to you! This offering includes cash back benefits across optical & dental as well as virtual GP appointments, mental health support and nutrition and fitness advise. Our EAP provision offers 24hr, 365 days a year mental health support.
- We are also committed to your financial wellbeing, and we offer a platform with many discounts on high street brands and supermarkets etc.
- Working at First you also receive discounted train travel for you and your family after 6 months service as well as a free bus pass.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- 25 days' holiday + bank holidays.
- Pension scheme and chance to buy discounted First Group shares.
- Enhanced maternity / paternity pay.
- Flexible working.
Equal Opportunities
Public transport serves everyone, whatever their differences. At First Bus, we want to be an employer open to you, no matter what your differences are. We aspire to be an inclusive organisation because diverse backgrounds, thinking, and experiences bring so many benefits to our customers, communities, and people. We welcome applications from all. We are always looking for skilled and talented people to join us across our sixty plus depots from Aberdeen to Truro.
It takes a dedicated team of specialists and professionals over just about every type of role you can think of to keep us on the road and creating amazing passenger journeys. We’ve embarked on a journey of major transformation – to make sure we put our people and customers first. Our people are the beating heart of First Bus. Without them, there would be no drivers to take customers to where they need to go and no engineers to keep our buses safely on the road.
Our transformation programme is designed to reshape our business to meet tomorrow’s travel needs.
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