Programme Development Manager
Network Rail
Manchester
£42,000 - £47,250

Network Rail is at the heart of revitalising Britain’s railway. From Crossrail – Europe’s largest civil engineering project – to investment in world-class stations and major programmes of electrification, we're involved in some of the most ambitious and diverse ventures that this country has ever seen.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved from the beginning of a new major programme.
The System Operator function at Network Rail manages the day to day development and implementation of the timetable nationally, alongside developing medium and long-term capacity and capability plans for the Network.

Transport for the North (TfN) brings together local representatives from across the North of England to allow the North to speak with a single voice to Government. TfN is working in partnership with the DfT, HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to develop a Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Programme. This is looking to transform the economy of the North by introducing faster more frequent train services between city centres.

This vacancy is for a Programme Development Manager for Northern Powerhouse Rail to deliver economic benefits across the North. You will support the development of a programme to improve connectivity to best meet the conditional outputs. This is expected to be a complex programme of railway projects across the North of England encompassing two of Network Rail’s mainline routes with multiple stakeholders.

You will direct and manage the development and implementation of major renewal and enhancement projects, funded by government, customer, stakeholder, or multiple funders. Key will be delivering the project benefit to the agreed scope, time and cost of the projects.

Please note there are three roles available and Manchester is the preferred location, although other locations may be considered.

Key Accountabilities:
• Build effective relationships, (internally & externally) to balance the requirements of the funder, Network Rail and the industry as a whole. Champion the interests of clients, customers and stakeholders acting as the focal point for escalation within Network Rail.
• Review and interrogate client remits to confirm their viability. Work with internal and external stakeholders to establish a scope which optimises funder requirements, value for money, network availability and capacity for future development and whole life cost.
• Be responsible for the conversion of the remit into an agreed specification. Be accountable for the development of the initial project plan and budget; working with the project manager to specify how the project is going to be delivered, expected milestones and associated timescales, resource requirements, risks & issues and funding needs/sources.
• Produce business cases and investment papers for projects.
• Devise solutions which maintain the ‘business as usual’ accessibility for our customers, take consideration of the 7 day railway principles and therefore minimise disruption to end rail users. Take a national/route wide view across portfolios to generate additional benefits, identify and resolve conflicting work and drive efficiencies.
• Lead the process of quantifying risk associated with the project. Devise mitigating actions and periodically review recovery progress.
• Interrogate and challenge plans to assess the deliverability of agreed scope within stated timescales and cost parameters, presenting any required scope changes to the client for approval.
• Hold the delivery partner accountable for delivery to cost, time and scope parameters. Hold periodic reviews to understand and challenge delivery progress against the output specification and agreed contract terms. Communicate progress status against defined milestones and expectations to stakeholders.
• Negotiate with customers and stakeholders on the project’s commercial and contractual terms in accordance with relevant corporate policy and strategy. Act as the focal point for negotiations and resolution of external scheme interface requirements, including any Parliamentary or Statutory processes, external consents issues to optimise the value of the scheme to Network Rail and funder(s).
• Comply with the requirements of investment regulations, and other corporate and project governance frameworks. Adhere to corporate processes, including those related to safety, finance, legal and corporate affairs.
• Facilitate the discharge of the duties assigned by the Client as detailed within the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015 for the programme of projects allocated to you.

Essential
• Qualified to degree level or equivalent
• Experience of dealing with client portfolios and liaising with people at all levels
• Ability to articulate complex business problems into manageable work packages and produce synthesised logical solutions
• Proven ability to write coherently; conveying report / investment information in a concise manner
• Commercially astute, persuasive, and customer focused
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills
• Experience of leading a successful team

Desirable
• Experience in management roles in a commercial environment
• MBA or other related postgraduate qualification
• Experience in negotiating contracts to finalisation and ability to demonstrate commercial success

To apply, please click on the apply button to visit our website.

Closing date: 5 July 2017.

Network Rail welcomes applications from a diverse range of candidates regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, membership or non-membership of trade union, social class or any other irrelevant factor. We are committed to interviewing all applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria advertised. We are two ticks accredited and we continue to strive to create a workforce as diverse as the communities we serve.