Bus Performance Lead (Bus Operations)

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Key Information

Job title: Bus Performance Lead (Bus Operations)

Salary: Circa £90K (Depending on experience)

Grade: Band 4

Contract type: TFL                           Reference: 5105

Team: Bus Performance Management Directorate: Business Operations

Contract details: Permanent                  Location: Palestra (Southwark)- London /Hybrid*

Application closing date: Sunday16/08/2026 at 23:59

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.

*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.

Overview of project/role

TfL’s Bus Operations team is responsible for service delivery on London’s extensive bus network consisting of nearly 9000 buses operating across over 650 routes across London. More than five million passengers use our services every day, and the performance of our network is critical to providing those customers with the journey experience they expect.

This senior leadership opportunity within the TfL Bus Operations is responsible for driving high-quality service performance across one of the world's largest and most complex public transport operations. The role leads the performance management and evaluation of our contracted bus operators through the analysis of operational data, development of network-wide improvement initiatives, stakeholder engagement, policy development, and the effective management of bus operator relationships.

The successful candidate will be responsible for shaping and delivering strategies to improve network performance, managing service disruption planning, and ensuring operators comply with contractual obligations, including mileage declarations, statutory driver hours, and other regulatory requirements. Working closely with senior internal and external stakeholders, the role plays a key part in maintaining reliable, customer-focused services while delivering value for money and operational excellence.

With accountability for performance improvement initiatives exceeding £1 million, oversight of annual operator incentive payments of approximately £40 million, and responsibility for a schedule optimisation platform delivering around £1.5 million in annual savings, this position has significant commercial and financial impact.

The role also supports consultancy activities by providing specialist bus network expertise and operational insight to generate additional revenue opportunities.

Reporting to the Head of Bus Performance Delivery, the postholder will regularly engage with senior leaders across the organisation, including Directors, senior managers and TfL Board members, as well as key external stakeholders such as bus operator Managing Directors and CEOs, elected representatives, local authorities, disability advocacy groups, and passenger bodies. This is a highly visible role requiring strong strategic thinking, commercial acumen, stakeholder management skills, and a passion for delivering continuous improvement across London's bus network.

Key Accountabilities

Performance Leadership & Operator Management

• Lead the strategic management of bus operator performance across the network, establishing KPIs, monitoring contractual delivery, and negotiating performance improvement plans to achieve customer, operational, and commercial objectives.

Contract Compliance & Regulatory Assurance

• Ensure bus operators comply with contractual obligations, including mileage declarations, statutory driver hours regulations, and network operating standards.

Service Reliability, Network Optimisation & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead strategies to improve service reliability, minimise disruption, maximise operational efficiency, and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to remove barriers to performance and mitigate the impact of wider transport initiatives.

Network Development & Infrastructure Delivery

• Lead the planning and delivery of network changes and infrastructure improvements, including route assessments, operational readiness, risk management, and the provision of modern passenger and driver facilities.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience