Professional Development Specialist

Professional Development Specialist

Location

Glasgow, GB

Department Name

Scotland's Railway

About Network Rail

At Network Rail, our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We’re an organisation where people matter. Watch our video to find out more!

Scotland's Railway is part of this large family and it covers a large geographical area from the Borders to Thurso at the far tip of the North East of Scotland, accounting for almost 20 per cent of the UK rail network. We provide rapid access along busy commuter routes to our seven cities, servicing the varied needs of our business and leisure commuter services, including cross border services and rural services. We have up to 50 freight services operating every day and we are steadily building capacity for this to grow. Our ambition to be responsive to passengers and freight users, drives us every day and we're empowered to do the right thing for those who use the rail network. We actively challenge unsafe practices and take responsibility for addressing risks, resolving issues and protecting safety and wellbeing.

Our colleagues are encouraged to work flexibly as we know that busy lives don’t always fit around a traditional working pattern, if you need flexibility to complete your role just let us know and we will do our upmost to help you to invest in your career with us while balancing other aspects of your life. We're also a Disability Confident Leader employer and we’ll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.

We want to help deliver a railway which is safe, reliable, affordable and that provides great customer service to everyone. For more information about Network Rail click here.

Brief Description

As the Professional Development Specialist you will provide a professionalised service to Route Operations in aspects such as training, managing competence and operations capability. Maintaining assurance, competence of operations staff and complete certification of all relevant employees, providing input to the design and delivery of training solutions.

About the role (External)

Here are some of the duties your role will include: -

· Develop and consistently deliver training plans in line with customer requirements to maintain a high standard of training in Operations.

· Provide input into the construction and continuous development of training packages, including improvement to content, coordinating the production of training courses and support materials to address local needs to improve the training solutions.

· Provide localised ad-hoc operational change briefings and update training content as directed to maintain compliance with Network Rail Health & Safety and post incident compliance.

· Maintain the condition of Network Rail training facilities in line with requirements to deliver an excellent an excellent training environment for colleagues.

· Establish effective relationships and share best practice with other Training & Competency Management / Development Management teams to coordinate a consistent quality of training provision throughout Operations.

· Specify and implement consistency in training content, objectives and required outputs across the business, aligned to operational training requirements, to deliver a high quality of training provision to Operational teams.

· Implement and comply with the relevant National Operations Procedures, the Rule Book/Signal Box Special Instructions (SBSI) and, maintain the Signalling Centre security to comply with applicable elements of Safety Management Systems and Occupational Health & Safety Management.

· Deliver the competency assessment processes of the Operations team on the required competencies, as well as gathering evidence for assessments. Implement necessary development actions as required where shortfalls in standards are identified during assessment to maintain a high level of competence in signalling teams.in Operations.

· Provide professional guidance to the Operations team on additional training and upskilling opportunities to develop their careers and skills.

· Proactively identify training and development requirements from emerging trends highlighted in reviews and reports based on outcomes from audits and investigations to continually build operational capability and support performance improvement.

Please note that this role will be based at our Glasgow St Vincent Street Office or our West of Scotland Office.

The successful candidate will be required to attend Initial Signaller Training, an 11‑week residential course held at either the Shettleston or Perth training centres (with exception to Control Discipline position). They will also be expected to travel to locations within the operational area to which they are appointed.

Essential Requirements

• Ability to develop and deliver training courses
• Ability to provide technical support
• Excellent planning and prioritisation skills
• Knowledge of training methodology
• Good knowledge of assessment processes
• Excellent communication skills with proven ability to present information effectively and appropriately (written and verbal)
• Ability to gain relevant training qualification(s)
• Ability to gain Level 2 rules competency
• Ability to gain assessor competence
• Proven track record in an operational post, managing real-time incidents
• Effectively assessing and evaluating delegate enhanced knowledge and skills
• Designing, facilitating and delivery of appropriate training interventions
• In depth knowledge of company standards and training processes
• Detailed understanding of railway operations.

Desirable Requirements:

• Thorough knowledge of the technical, safety or vocational capability relevant to the discipline of the role.
• Verifier competence
• I.T Skills
• Experience of working in complex change orientated environments
• Experience of managing multiple stakeholders.

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How to apply (External)

Salary: £43,588 - £51,719

Network Rail Benefits – To find out about what benefits we offer, click here

Closing date: Midnight of 6th May 2026

Please note proof of all essential qualifications will be required.

Late applications will not be accepted.

Please note the recruitment process for this role is a competency based interview.

We're dedicated to creating an inclusive environment and we welcome applications from everyone!

Network Rail is a Disability Confident Leader and we’ll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.

You can visit Evenbreak’s Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you’re unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information