Bus Operations Graduate

Every day, millions of people rely on transport to access the people, places and opportunities that matter most. At Arriva, we're shaping the future of passenger transport and investing in the people who will help lead it.

We are one of Europe's leading passenger transport partners, helping people get to work, education, healthcare, family and the moments that matter. Operating across 11 countries, with around 35,000 colleagues and more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys each year, we're a business with the scale to make a difference and the ambition to keep moving forward.

Through our Graduate Programme, we're looking for talented graduates who are curious, motivated to learn and ready to grow their careers with us.

If you're ready to make an impact, we'd love to hear from you.

The Graduate Opportunity

As a Bus Operations Graduate, you'll gain hands-on experience of the people, processes and decisions that keep our bus services running safely, reliably and efficiently every day.

Public transport plays a vital role in connecting people to the places and opportunities that matter most. Through this role, you'll develop an understanding of how a large-scale transport operation works, gaining experience across different areas of our bus business and contributing to the delivery of services that make a difference to local communities.

Throughout the programme, you'll gain exposure to a range of operational activities and teams, which may include service delivery, depot operations, network performance, customer experience, safety, engineering and workforce planning. You'll work alongside experienced colleagues to understand how operational decisions are made and how different parts of the business work together to deliver a safe, reliable and sustainable service.

You'll have opportunities to contribute to operational improvement initiatives, analyse performance information, solve day-to-day challenges and support activities that help improve outcomes for our customers, colleagues and the wider business.

By the end of the programme, you'll have developed a broad understanding of Arriva's bus operations and built a strong foundation for a future career within operational management.

Location: This role will be based within one of our three business areas: Arriva North & Wales, Arriva South, or Arriva London . To give you an idea of where you may be located during the programme, our graduates are typically based from key operational sites such as Aintree, Doxford Park (Sunderland), Wakefield Bus Station, Thurmaston (Leicester), Luton, and either Lacon House or Finsbury Park in London, although exact locations may vary depending on business requirements. The role will provide hands-on experience across our operations. During operational placements, you’ll be required to work on site five days a week.

What We’re Looking For:

We're not expecting you to have all the answers. We're looking for graduates with curiosity, drive and the confidence to keep learning. People who take ownership, build positive relationships and want to make a meaningful contribution from day one.

What matters most is your potential. We're looking for people who are eager to learn, motivated to grow and ready to develop their Arriva Graduate EDGE.

About You:

We're open to applications from graduates of all degree disciplines. We're particularly interested in people who:

Enjoy working with and supporting people

Are curious about how large-scale operations are planned, delivered and improved

Enjoy solving problems and finding practical solutions

Can balance competing priorities and remain calm under pressure

Have strong communication and relationship-building skills

Enjoy analysing information and using insights to support decision-making

Are interested in delivering excellent customer service

Enjoy working collaboratively with different teams and stakeholders

Are motivated to take ownership and make a positive contribution from day one

Want to contribute to the future of public transport

Are interested in working in an international environment and collaborating with colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds

Are comfortable using AI tools to enhance productivity, generate insights, improve problem-solving and identify new ways of working

The Graduate Programme

Alongside your role, you'll be part of our two-year graduate development programme, benefiting from structured learning, mentoring, exposure to senior leaders and a connected graduate network across Arriva.

The breadth of experience gained throughout the programme will help you explore different career pathways and build a strong foundation for your future career.

You'll have opportunities to develop your operational, commercial and leadership capabilities while gaining valuable experience across different areas of the business.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for this opportunity, you'll need:

To be on track to achieve, or have already achieved, a degree (2:1 preferred, with strong 2:2 applications considered)

The right to work in the UK permanently

Availability to join the programme in September 2027

Willingness to travel where required as part of the programme

If you have any questions about the role or the application process, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Early Careers team at earlycareers@arriva.co.uk . We're always happy to help.

The closing date for applications is close of play Friday 27 November 2026. We'd encourage you to apply at your earliest convenience, as we review applications as they are received and may close this opportunity early.

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