A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SERVICE DELIVERY MANAGER

In part two of our deep dive into life as a service delivery manager (SDM), Toni-Anne Davis, communications coordinator, asked Matt Hayes and Selin Igdimir a few questions to understand what it's like to work as an SDM.

Why did you want to become an SDM? I wanted to move into a role that would challenge me and be different but also allow me to use my experiences in both rail and aviation. My time as a delay attributor, working in ARL's operations Control, gave me an in-depth understanding of how our network operates. However, stepping out of a front-line role, I learnt that I missed working with people and the variety of being in that position. It's a great feeling to make a positive difference in someone's day, and this was a role that would allow me to do this. Several people in the business have worked as an SDM at some point in their career, and learning from them about the job cemented in my mind that it was right for me and I should apply. (Matt Hayes)

What are common challenges you experience as a service delivery manager? The biggest challenge is that, in a business where anything can happen at any moment on a given day, I need to be flexible and plan my day, knowing that my plan might be changed anytime (and it does!). I need to deliver the main responsibilities without fail as it would affect too many people if we don't. So ensuring the intricate details of the job are maintained. Time management can be a problem as although you have organised yourself so that you know your priorities if there is an issue that takes you away from your day-to-day duty, you will need to make up the time somehow, so organisation and forward planning is a must. I think of work weekly rather than daily, so I know what needs to be achieved for the week. That helps a lot. Adapting to the changes in shift patterns and being on call has taken some time to get used to. Also, I find it challenging not to deliver a requirement for one of my stations when it is out of my jurisdiction. (Selin Igdimir)

What have you enjoyed about your role so far? Getting to know and work with my team and meeting various people who work on or use our network. We have some great people who work in our stations, and I've learnt a lot about their passions, how they take ownership and the pride they take in running an excellent service for our customers. I've enjoyed getting to experience what our network means to our customers and how supportive everyone is when I propose making enhancements to my stations. I enjoy the fact that no two days are the same, and when you start the day, you never know what will happen. Although it can sometimes be hectic when it comes to planning, it is an exciting and a fast-paced role, and you may have to rearrange your day at very little notice. Stations and Control work hand in hand in providing the service, and I have enjoyed continuing to work with my former colleagues in my new role and keeping those relationships alive. It's been great. (Matt Hayes)

What would you want other departments to understand about your role?
This role is not an office job where you go to a station and wait. It’s a busy and challenging role so we must prioritise at a moment's notice. So, we might need more time to deal with or speak to other departments, but we will! Good communication is a must between departments, and again building positive relationships is very important.
We are the middle ground between front-line staff and senior management, so we have a real understanding of the culture and the business we work in. (Selin Igdimir)

What qualities will you bring to your role? A quality that has served me well comes from another part of the business. I had already established relationships with other departments, particularly with Control. It's easier to reach out to someone for support or advice if you already know them, and this has helped me in my role. My experience has allowed me to pass on my experience, dispel some myths and also help our front-line colleagues understand why Control may make decisions to protect the service but can be unpopular with our customers and stations.

I am quite an outgoing person too, which I think is important when meeting and working with different people daily. (Matt Hayes)

Want to read part one of our chat with Daniel and Selin? Click here.