Are you a strategic business manager or project manager with a commercial edge who can lead a successful bid for the direct award of a rail franchise that will secure the future of a major rail operation for the foreseeable future?

Becoming the Project Leader represents the opportunity to either demonstrate your proven expertise in rail franchise agreements, or use transferable commercial and project skills from other commercial endeavours within the rail industry.

I anticipate strong interest in this opportunity and I am looking to close my shortlist by Tuesday 5^th December. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss whether this role could meet with your aspirations.

In return for your contribution, you will receive a highly competitive industry salary, TOC travel benefits (free travel on EMT and 75% off all other rail travel), an excellent defined railway pension scheme with averages your final years salary and 32 days holiday which increases to 34 with the option to buy additional holidays. There is a bonus that will pay up to 20% on top of your annual salary.

Ford & Stanley, the rail recruitment specialists, are proud to be working exclusively with East Midlands Trains as we recruit a team that is responsible for winning a second Direct Award and planning forward thereafter. This is a business-critical position and requires an individual with leadership, commercial and rail acumen.

Working with the Commercial and Finance Directors, the project leader is responsible for the setting the commercial strategy for the programme and negotiation of financial and contractual agreements for the direct award of a rail franchise. They will build a supporting team and lead the delivery of the project accordingly.

Key responsibilities include:

1. To lead the development of revenue proposals for the franchise change programme. Core scope relates to the Direct Award, but this will include oversight of all other franchise contractual changes where appropriate
2. Establish and oversee all project approach for the revenue team relating to role scope, to ensure effective delivery to time and quality
3. Lead interface with Department for Transport Technical Revenue team in relation to the Direct Award
4. Lead engagement and development of approach with other key external delivery partners (such as Network Rail) where there are independencies within role scope
5. Internally lead positive integration between your team and the day-to-day business ensuring that you gain input from across the business on key decisions and strategic approaches
6. Oversee development of ‘revenue’ initiatives, along with ‘base’ revenue approach
7. Responsible to the Commercial Director for ensuring sign off of revenue proposals
8. Working with Bid Lead, Commercial and Finance Director responsible for securing group buy-in and sign off of revenue proposals
9. Ensure all other change projects are commercially aligned with over-arching Direct Award from a revenue perspective. For example revenue impact of Rolling Stock proposals etc

The successful candidate will be an experienced rail professional that can demonstrate a commercial acumen and clear evidence of creating strategic business plans with a high degree of complexity. The individual will have experience of working with board level individuals and have knowledge and experience of rail franchise agreements.

The individual will have at least 10 years’ experience within the rail industry and must have experience of revenue modelling. They will be expert in turning strategic concepts into practical solutions and must be able to demonstrate high competency in working to project management principles.

For further information, please submit your CV through to <email address removed> by Tuesday 5th December.