Senior Development Manager -

Are you ready to make a difference in people's lives? At Network Rail, we connect passengers and freight customers, ensuring safe and efficient transportation across the country. We're an organisation where people truly matter, and when you join us, you matter to us and millions of others. Click here to watch our inspiring video to learn more about us!

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Investing in our people is key to enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of our railway system. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact, then this opportunity is for you!

About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work-life balance.

We're also a Disability Confident Leader employer, and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to support people with disabilities access, apply, and interview for roles.

You will be part of the North West & Central Region (NW&C), which consists of three routes - North West, Central, and West Coast South - and a regional team supporting Regional Major Programmes & Professional services.

Brief Description

This role sits within our Passenger function, which provides enhanced capability in sponsorship and performance, and new capability in Operating and Passenger Strategy. It helps NW&C realize its Putting Passengers First vision for key stakeholders by improving the way we operate the network. Our goal is safe, reliable services for passengers and freight customers. Working collaboratively with the wider rail industry, we will deliver passenger excellence and value for money.

The successful candidate will work within the Industry Programme Director North's team within NW&C Team Passenger. They will lead on early development activities for programmes including the Manchester & North West Transformation Programme (MNTP), West Coast Main Line (North), and integration of HS2 services into the North West, as well as other proposed enhancements requiring early development activity across the North West area.

About the role (External)

1. Develop interventions as part of the funding and commitment process to gain funding from, and be accountable within, the company governance processes.

2. Create clear and costed remits with defined timescales, developed from various inputs to secure funding and advance projects.

3. Support cost planning and economic analysis activities to ensure robust business cases.

4. Work with stakeholders to establish scope, baseline conditions, and delivery options that optimise value for money, considering whole life costs using a systems approach.

5. Identify and quantify risks associated with interventions, and incorporate these into procurement and contracting strategies.

6. Consider company and industry requirements such as risk, system integration, project interdependencies, asset protection, and payment regimes in output specifications.

7. Present findings effectively through reports and presentations to stakeholders.

8. Manage tasks throughout their lifecycle, ensuring they stay on time, within scope, and within budget.

9. Build and manage stakeholder relationships internally and externally, including working with suppliers, balancing the needs of the Government, Network Rail, and the wider industry.

10. Prioritize effectively as programmes evolve.

In order to succeed, you should have or be able to demonstrate:

- Ability to articulate complex business problems into contractable work packages.

- Commercial acumen, persuasiveness, and customer focus.

- Ability to write clearly and concisely.

- Influencing and negotiating skills.

It is desirable to have or be:

- Qualified to degree level or equivalent.

- Experience converting risk into commercial requirements and overlaying contractual agreements.

- Experience negotiating contracts successfully.

- Leadership experience in management roles.

- Familiarity with the North West rail network and projects like MNTP.

- Knowledge of Business Case/Engineering stages and other Network Rail processes.

How to apply (External)

Closing date: Thursday 15 May 2025. Late applications will not be accepted. The advert may close early if we receive many applications.

Interviews: Between 22-30 May in Manchester.

Click apply now to submit your application.

Visit Evenbreaks Career Hive for accessibility support advice. Please include any reasonable adjustments needed in your application.

• 28 days annual leave, with options to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Contributory pension schemes, potential salary bonuses
• Up to 75% subsidy on rail/underground season tickets
• Discretionary leisure travel discount of 75%
• Season ticket loan and discounted annual tickets
• Flexible 35-hour week, hybrid working options
• Healthcare, discounted cycle hire, online shopping discounts
• Paid volunteering leave (5 days)
• Paid reserve leave for Armed Forces community (2 weeks)