Exercise Planning Lead

Purpose of the Job

To support the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager in driving and delivering effective exercise planning for live trials and simulated desktop exercises.

Principal Accountabilities

Supporting the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager to develop plans and workshops for the community.

Refining the governance and reporting procedures and development and production of trial documentation including exercise packs and trial observer sheets.

Supporting the development of reporting processes to make sure that the outputs from both Simulated Desktop Exercises and live trials are driving appropriate interventions to enable the Infrastructure Manager to stand up and then enter Revenue Service respectively.

Supporting bringing the Central Operating Section into operation.

Supporting the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager in day to day management of core operational readiness activities.

Supporting delivery of Simulated Desktop Exercises through production of pre-briefing material, participation as part of delivery team (injecting scenarios, managing HUGO, delivering briefings etc.) and identification of key outputs and critical actions. Progress the outputs either in support of mobilisation or refinement and further development of Live Trials.

Progressing close-out of actions from trial desktops, Subject Matter Expert reviews and Simulated Desktop Exercises.

Representing and acting as nominated deputy to the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager as required.

Contributing to the development and refinement of live Trials evidence collection and assurance methodology.

Conduct regular reviews of progress against plan for critical operational readiness deliverables including Exercise Packs, OECS, and action close-out and produce accurate and timely reporting on progress of these key activities.

Contributing to ongoing revision and refinement (as required) of the Joint Trials Plan and Schedule.

Delivering the review of scope reduction (C620, C660 and others as required) in relation to its impact on Trial activities as currently designed (i.e. against full scope).

Contribute to delivery of live Trials.

Delivering timely and accurate reporting on key operational readiness activities.

Participating in all key operational readiness meetings including Trials & Operations Review Group, Trials & Operations Delivery Working Group, SDE go/no go and SDE de-briefs, chairing on behalf of the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager as required.

Leading ongoing reviews of live Trials planned exercises and their schedule against developments in relation to reduced scope/functionality as information becomes available from project delivery.

Representing the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager at the Trial Running Working Group as required.

Undertaking either Head of the Exercise (HotE) or Trial Lead roles during live Trials.

Take reasonable care of your own and others’ health and safety and of those who may be affected in the day-to-day delivery of this role by taking personal responsibility for working to Target Zero principles.

Co-operate in all matters relating to health and safety, including following safe working procedures at all times.

Act as a role model for vision and values, behaving in ways that are in alignment with Ways of Working. Encourage and support others to do so too.

Promote equality in the workplace and adopt appropriate behaviour when interacting with colleagues.

Take necessary care to properly protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of corporate information from unauthorised disclosure, modification or destruction. Never knowingly put information or information systems at risk.

Main challenges of the job

Maintaining a strong liaison with RfL, TfL, MTR-C and London Underground.

Managing the development of accurate and timely reporting and integration with multi-stakeholder governance processes to drive value from simulated and live trials.

Supporting the Operational Readiness and Mobilisation Manager and the community to deliver the operational railway, and live Trials.

Person Specification

A degree or equivalent is desirable.

Experience of managing large scale live trials in a railway environment.

Experience at a middle management level in railway operations.

Experience of similar railway projects and an understanding of future Elizabeth line operations.

Team player with good leadership and motivational skills.

Good interpersonal and communications skills.

Experience of major infrastructure construction projects on railway infrastructure is desirable.