London Underground Administrator

Please note, before applying for this role, you must fully read and understand the full job description and all associated links.  

We are pleased to announce that we are looking for Administrative Assistants on an 18-month secondment to the Customer Operations Managers - Trains and Customer Operations Managers – Service Control (COM) to support with the smooth running of London Underground’s train service. 

This recruitment campaign also aims to recruit candidates to a waitlist for opportunities as they arise.

We’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals to provide accurate and effective frontline administrative support to our teams in Train Crew Depots and Service Control Centres.

Due to the expected high response to these vacancies, we reserve the right to close this campaign once we have a suitable pool of applicants, which could be prior to the published application closing date.

Applying for this role means you have read and understood this advert and any associated links. 

We strongly advise that you read about the LU Administrator Application Process before submitting your application.

Salary/Band: ADC0 £42,053 pa*

Contract: London Underground Fixed-Term Contract -18 months. Permanency and extension are possible dependent on business requirements and performance in the role.

Reporting to: Customer Operations Manager Trains / Customer Operations Managers Service Control (COM).

Location:  You will be based at one of the 29 Train Crew Depots and 8 Service Control Centres in London Underground across the London Underground Network (Greater London Area). You might be asked to move from one location to another during the term of the contract depending on business needs.  Please note, the location you will be allocated to may change during your secondment and will be in line with business needs. 

 Working Hours: 35 Hours per week from Monday to Friday starting between 0800 and 1000 and finishing between 1600 and 1800. 

This is not a hybrid role and you will be expected to work at your given location. 

If successful, you will be entitled to 29 days Annual Leave and 8 Bank Holidays. 

The closing date for applications is 23/11/26 @ 23.59pm. We reserve the right to close the application window early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

To understand more about what this role entails, read our Day in the Life of a COM Trains or COM SC Assistant 

Job Purpose

 To plan the ‘coverage of frontline staff’, which is a crucial aspect of workforce planning and scheduling. This involves ensuring adequate staffing levels for each shift, planning rosters in advance, liaising with managers and staff to ensure the required people resources are in the right place at the right time to ensure smooth delivery of the London Underground train service.

To provide effective and professional administrative support to the COM and management team to enable the effective management of their people, information, and other resources in line with their business objectives.

Key Accountabilities

Staff coverage:  To ensure maximum staffing levels are met to meet business and safety needs and requirements. The role of the administrator is to provide shift planning support to the COM, advising operational managers on coverage issues, overseeing the planning of annual leave, periodic medicals, training, entering payroll variations and investigating pay queries.

Employee records maintenance: Maintenance of staff records utilising corporate personnel systems to monitor attendance and prepare attendance at work warnings.  Handle written and personal enquiries from staff on a variety of issues such as jury service, maternity, age related medicals, pay queries, season ticket loans, grievances, annual leave, overtime, uniforms, and travel facilities, etc.

Meetings and note taking: To take notes and prepare items, agendas and minutes for local Health and Safety and Industrial Relations meetings. Note taking may be required for disciplinary meetings and Case Conferences.

Attendance management support: Supporting the COM in managing sickness and staff leavers, obtaining information for employees such as pension estimates and entitlements and processing resignation/retirement/service termination forms.

Letters: Preparing responses to staff queries via email or letter.

Procurement: Placing orders of stationery, safety and security items such as security tags and seals, keys, uniforms, etc.

 Filing: Organising and storing paperwork, documents and computer-based information for Staff, Discipline and Training files.

Ad Hoc requests: You may be required to organise training, Freedom of Information, Subject Access requests and Staff File viewings amongst other admin related tasks. 

Key Interfaces in the role:

 ·     COM Trains, COM Service Control and frontline operational managers 

·       Operational staff (Train Operators, Service Controllers, Signal Operators, etc.

·       Trade Union representatives 

·       Skills Development department 

·       Occupational Health department

·       Payroll Services 

·       Establishment Planning teams 

·       Other Administrative Assistants to the COM Trains and COM Service Control

Please click here to view the full job description with the Skills, Experience and Knowledge 

 Application Process:

We advise that you read about the LU Administrator Application Process before submitting your application.

Cheating and plagiarism in any part of the assessment process undermine the core values and behaviours of TfL. We uphold strict policies and standards to ensure fairness, originality, and ethical conduct. 

To apply for this role, you will be asked to attach a CV, however this does not form part of the screening process. 

Please ensure you have a valid email address that can be used to send correspondence to.

The recruitment process consists of 4 stages. You will need to pass each stage to progress onto the next:

Stage 1: Online Application form and screening questions

Stage 2: Online Assessment

Stage 3: Assessment centre at Ashfield House consisting of three written based exercises - one prioritisation / in-tray exercise; two coverage tests.

Stage 4: Competency Based Interview (CBI) online.

It will take 10-14 days after the final assessment event to hear the outcome.

*Please note - we reserve the right to add an additional assessment (Stage 2) should we receive a high number of applicants.

Attending an Assessment Event  

You will receive an email request inviting you to book into an assessment event. You will receive confirmation of your booking together with any relevant information required for your assessment at the time of booking.  

Please ensure:  

You have an active email address where correspondence, invitations to assessment events and practice material can be sent.  

All your contact details including phone numbers, address and email are updated and current on your application.   

Confidentiality of the recruitment process 

Please be aware that sharing any details of your assessment process, or internal information with others may result in your offer being withdrawn immediately. 

This includes posting or discussing details in online forums, social media groups, or messaging platforms. Maintaining confidentiality is essential to ensure fairness and compliance throughout the recruitment process.  

If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact us directly rather than seeking advice in external groups. Failure to comply with this requirement will lead to withdrawal without notice. 

Reasonable Adjustment Process

If you require reasonable adjustments, you must notify the recruitment at least 48 hours (excluding weekends) prior to your scheduled assessment event to allow us to accommodate your requirements. You will then be sent a confirmation email which you will need to bring to your assessment. If you fail to bring this on the day your adjustments will not be granted, and you will be unable to re-book.  

We will consider that you are the expert regarding your own requirements, and we will consider all requests fairly within the context of the role.  

Please take the time to read the Disability Charter here.

Please note: Part of the online test is timed, therefore if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to assist you, then you will need to advise us before you begin the test. Requests for reasonable adjustments cannot be made after the test has been started. 

Campaign Timetable

The campaign is running to a very specific delivery timescale as determined by the business and there will only be enough slots for the number of candidates invited. Dates for the Assessment Centre will be opened on an ongoing basis, therefore if there are no slots available, please check again the following day. You are encouraged to schedule into an assessment event as early as possible. If you do not book an assessment, you will be withdrawn from the campaign.

Candidate Charter

You can download a copy of the Candidate Charter  here.

This outlines our commitment to you as a candidate by providing insight into our recruitment process.  It also outlines our expectations with regards to your engagement with us, to ensure that you receive the best recruitment experience possible, as we believe you should know the standards of service you can expect from us. You must read this document prior to submitting your application to understand every aspect of the process.

Notice of Cancellation

We require you to give a minimum of 48 hours' notice of cancellation or re-schedule. Non-attendance at your Assessment Event may lead to your application being withdrawn.

Please note: Your assessment may be rescheduled once only and reschedules will only be granted if there are assessment slots available, so please make sure you check you can make an appointment before booking. Subsequent cancellation may lead to your application being withdrawn. If you do not follow the process outlined in the Candidate Charter, you risk being withdrawn from the campaign.

Outcomes

Results from the assessment centre will not be communicated until all assessments have been completed. You should expect to receive your result within 2 weeks of the final assessment day.   

Appointment to post      

Candidates must successfully pass our pre-employment checks such as a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check and employment referencing. Failure to pass any of these will result in the offer of employment being withdrawn at any stage.

Although you may be successful and offered the role – you may not commence employment in the role or start training immediately. There may be a requirement to delay your start date until you are required.

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.

Vetting Process

At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application, but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect, and clear communication throughout.

Training

Appointment to the Fixed Term Contract is subject to successful completion of a full-time training course including classroom and local training. Candidates who do not pass the training will have their offer of employment withdrawn.

 Visa Sponsorship

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.

Location

You could be based anywhere in the Greater London area, depending on business requirements.

Contacting Us

If at any time you need to speak to anyone within the Recruitment Team, then please contact us on 0203 005 1680 (local rate charges from all phones including mobiles) or email HighVolumeCampaigns@tfl.gov.uk.

Benefits

In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow.  Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:

· Final salary pension scheme

· Free travel for you on the TfL network

· A 75% reimbursement scheme on National Rail

· 29 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays

· Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)

· Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme

· Retail, health, leisure, and travel offers.

· Discounted Eurostar travel

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and aim to reflect the diverse communities we serve. We believe that a diverse workforce enables us to deliver better services and outcomes. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people. As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we aim to offer an assessment or interview to candidates who apply via the scheme where the minimum essential criteria for skills, knowledge and experience has been met. In some circumstances, it may not be practical to offer an interview or assessment to every candidate who applies through the scheme and meet the minimum essential criteria; in these situations, we select candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than interviewing all who meet them.   

Across all recruitment activity, we recognise that selection methods may vary depending on the nature and scale of the campaign and will be applied fairly, consistently and proportionately in line with our Disability Confident commitments. 

We operate a transparent recruitment process that seeks to remove barriers for candidates with a disability. Please let us know if you require adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.