My client is looking to recruit a Contract Manager to work within its Rail North Partnership team on a permanent basis.

The Rail North Partnership is a partnership between the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for the North (TfN), working together to transform rail services across the north of England through joint management of the Northern Trains Limited (NTL) and TransPennine Express (TPE) rail service agreements.

My client recognises that contract management is a varied and dynamic profession, and it is not possible to characterise a standard day. Generally, the successful candidate will need to be responsive, adaptable and flexible to meet the demands of a job which is part of a dynamic industry subject to change.

Key competencies for this role will see the ideal candidate being proactive in nature, a capable communicator and an enthusiastic team member with an ability to prioritise tasks and manage own workloads to meet the demands of varying stakeholders.

What we’re looking for:

The ideal candidate will work closely with the relevant Commercial Manager and be responsible for the day-to-day contract management of a rail services contract worth over £800m per year.

Key activities include:

• Managing the relationship between the Train Operating Company (TOC) and the DfT and TfN through the Rail North Partnership.
• Monitoring TOC compliance and the delivery of commitments;
• Monitoring TOC operational and financial performance;
• Producing periodic performance reports for senior management highlighting risks and issues as they arise;
• Provide papers to senior management recommending changes and derogations to the contract;
• Maintaining accurate records of contract-related documentation;
• Producing contractual correspondence between the Partnership and the TOC;
• Providing advice and briefings
• Dealing with correspondence from external stakeholders and the public;
• Support the workstream(s) on contract management excellence for rail service contracts.

In addition, the Contract Manager will be expected to work flexibly to support the delivery of business requirement.

A quality competency we are looking for from the appointed candidate is demonstrable credibility, complemented by a sound understanding of Rail Franchises/service contracts.

To demonstrate the competence and essential role specifications, the ideal candidate must be degree qualified or have gained equivalent experience in the related subjects, together with proven knowledge of the transport industry with specialist knowledge in rail franchise/service contracts area.