Who are we?

Mistral Data is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and one of the largest bus operators in the UK.  FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier.  FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job

We are looking for a Senior Mobile Applications Subject Matter Expert with significant experience of Mobile application use by frontline staff in the Railway environment.

The role will be focused on Mistral's Solano mobile application, the front-line solution that connects colleagues through shared information in real-time and brings together in one place a range of capabilities and information to enable staff to best support customers. This includes providing live data for train movement, stock, loadings, reservations and on-board amenities; notifications of disruption and changes to the daily plan; consolidating and digitising forms for incidents, facilities, defects and safety; into a single unified platform.  Working closely with the Solano Product Manager and Project Manager the role will provide subject matter expertise and insight to contribute to all phases of project delivery; from pre-sales activities through to project implementation and customer adoption.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Project Planning & Delivery

• Support for Solano Project teams in eliciting requirements, and generating functional specifications, business rules and training materials
• Work with the Solano Product Team in the creation of project plans ensuring that scope has been fully captured, and accurately reflects the customer need
• Support the Solano Product Team by negotiating, influencing and guiding client approaches and plans to ensure pragmatic, realistic and achievable outcomes
• Work with key Solano stakeholders to agree a solution to project challenges relating to operational processes or approaches to unlock project delivery
• Take ownership of key risks or issues related to Solano delivery where experience and insight are integral to resolution
• Support the seamless transition of Solano Project outputs into the business-as-usual environment by a deep understanding of customer and business processes

Customer Engagement

• Promote MDL's reputation as market leader in delivery of Staff Apps solutions with existing and prospective customers
• Develop relationships with key customer stakeholders to build trust in MDL Solano delivery and quality
• Obtain customer testimonies to help promote future new Solano customer adoption
• Influence ABP cycles to promote budgetary planning for future MDL Solano development

Strategic Guidance & Advice

• Support the estimation and evaluation of new Solano opportunities by comparing current offerings in the market, evaluating risks to delivery and product gaps that may present a new commercial opportunity
• Keep abreast of broader industry movements, challenges and directions in relation to systems development for Solano
• Support the Solano Product Team in formulating the Solano product roadmap based on a strategic assessment of MDL, customer and market priorities balancing complexity of delivery and competing product demands
• Identify opportunities for enhanced Solano functional solutions using a combination of product sets or capability, new areas of development and mobile application technology
• Present advice, recommendations and business justifications to the MDL leadership team in relation to future Solano strategic investment and product direction working closely with the Head of Product Strategy Rail Operations

Commercial

• Support the Commercial and product team in costing new Solano deployments
• Provide insight into commercial opportunities in the market
• Work closely with the Customer Engagement Manager and Customer Success Manager to resolve customer issues relating to Solano or promote future opportunities
• Take an active role in Solano presentations, demos and engagement in MDL Showcase events, Industry events and domestic and international trade fairs
• Develop customer Solano case studies to promote how product delivery met a challenge or promoted a positive impact to frontline mobile application communications and usage
• Contribute to competitive tender processes on behalf of MDL, both in writing materials and presenting where relevant

You should be: 

• Strategic Thinker seeing broader opportunities and long-term growth
• Performance and delivery oriented
• Analytical mindset with a problem-solving aptitude
• Ability to communicate to a wide range of business audience, to ensure their requirements are understood and prioritised
• Willingness to confront and ask probing questions to understand colleagues needs
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Operate effectively in unfamiliar environments, remaining calm under pressure and agile in approach
• Proactive and positive attitude
• Transparent and open style
• Takes responsibility for personal objectives

As a minimum, you will need to have:

•    10+ years' experience working in front line and management positions working with train operating companies
•    5+years' experience working with mobile staff applications for front line colleagues. Experience both as a user, and in a role with responsibilities for front line staff.
•    Experience working with colleagues, consolidating feedback and prioritising requests or roadmaps for software applications based on user feedback
•    Proven ability to engage with customers in a language style they are comfortable with avoiding unfamiliar terms and reference
•    Demonstrable experience of good customer engagement, including the ability to communicate effectively, manage expectations, negotiate and influence and resolve concerns
•    Proven leadership style capable of promoting products, encouraging positive relationships, supporting effective teamwork, raising morale and empower and inspire individuals and Team members 
•    Team player, who can operate effectively as part of a team, working with colleagues to overcome challenges
•    Self-starter with an enthusiasm to learn and an inclination to look for solutions to challenges

We all belong at Mistral Data. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/