Rail Scheme Advance Planning Manager
Location - Birmingham
Permanent full time
Salary - £45,645 - £51,379 per annum + exclusive benefits
Hours of Work: 36.5 per week
Closing Date: 4pm, 23rd Oct 2019

The West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) is the devolved body with responsibility for working with the rail industry and local authority partners to deliver better rail services in the West Midlands. We jointly manage the West Midlands Rail Franchise with the Department for Transport and actively support the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and other strategic bodies with their ambitious development agendas. Our area covers the wider West Midlands Region and we are accountable to the 14 local authorities who are full members of the WMRE Board.

This is an exciting time for the West Midlands - the Commonwealth Games will be here in 2022, the arrival of HS2 will help make us a world class business location and a new £350m housing deal aims to deliver 215,000 new homes by 2031.

Against a backdrop of a uniquely challenging and evolving environment, we are looking for the right people to ensure we can meet the demands of delivering an ambitious agenda that aims to build a healthier, happier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands.

About the role

We published our West Midlands Rail Investment Strategy in January which outlines our ambitious plans to deliver improved rail services across the region in the short, medium and long term.

In the short term we are taking forward a major rail investment programme with projects worth over £100M currently under development. The West Midlands Rail Programme includes the development of brand new stations such as at Willenhall and Darlaston and on the Camp Hill Line, as well as major upgrades at stations such as University.

For the medium and long term we are developing a future pipeline of schemes through the early stages of the rail industry development process, and also actively supporting partners such as Midlands Connect in their plans to invest in the rail network. As the Rail Scheme Advance Planning Manager, you will lead the identification and sponsorship of these future schemes, working with rail industry and local authority partners to develop business cases and feasibility studies, and identifying funding sources for development and delivery.

The projects will range from new and rebuilt stations, to track and infrastructure projects of differing scale and scope. Your role will be to champion these projects until they are ready to be handed over to be developed and delivered as part of the West Midlands Rail Programme.

You will lead the management of the Rail Enhancement Advance Planning Group which oversees the coordination of the projects on behalf of the West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration, and oversee the high-level strategic programme of projects that support the Rail Investment Strategy. You will also have close involvement with the West Midlands Stations Alliance which is actively developing plans to improve stations in the region.

To succeed in the role

You will need, drive, passion and the following….

• Experience of providing senior level technical leadership in a relevant industry.
• An in-depth understanding of rail industry structures and processes.
• A strategic understanding of how rail supports the West Midlands region economically, socially and environmentally.
• Evidence of excellent communication skills which can inspire change in others i.e. ‘winning their hearts and minds’.
• Be commercially astute, persuasive, and customer focused, with proven influencing and negotiating skills.
• Have a proven ability to write coherently, conveying report / investment information in a concise manner.
• You will also ideally have:
• Experience of specifying rail projects and challenging industry processes and standards.
• Experience of working within a public sector environment and with local government governance processes.
• A good understanding of the West Midlands rail network and its operation.
• Experience of managing resources appropriately, ensuring that the quality of service is upheld and that appropriate programme and project management, risk management and financial resource management skills are delivered effectively.
• Experience of analysing and evaluating pros and cons and identify risks in order to make decisions that take account of the wider context.
• Experience of creating a working environment where people are inspired to achieve their goals
• An ability to develop and motivate others through personal influence.

In return for your hard work and commitment, we will reward you with a range of competitive and attractive benefits.

To view and apply for these opportunities please visit our website, where you will be required to register with our Online Recruitment System which is quick and easy. Please provide detailed information in your application outlining your suitability for the post and ensure it is submitted by the closing date.

A CV may be uploaded for extra information, but please note that personal details should be omitted, and a CV alone will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 23 October 2019 at 4pm

Interviews held: To be confirmed

We are committed to equality of opportunity in service provision and employment. Our recruitment policies, procedures and practices enable all applicants to be considered on merit and ability to do the job. We will make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act, for disabled applicants if these are needed.