Location
London, GB
Department Name
GC Industry Partnership Digital Railway (382300) G4
About Network Rail
Are you ready to make a difference in people's lives? At Network Rail, we connect passengers and freight customers, ensuring safe and efficient transportation across the country. We're an organisation where people truly matter, and when you join us, you matter to us and millions of others. Click here to watch our inspiring video to learn more about us!
We're dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the passengers we serve. To achieve this, we're committed to becoming an open, diverse, and inclusive workplace, leveraging the skills and expertise of our talented workforce. Together, we strive to create a safe and accessible railway for everyone. Discover more about the importance of Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail by clicking here .
Investing in our people is key to enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of our railway system. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact, then this opportunity is for you!
About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.
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.
About GBRX
At GBRX, we are at the forefront of transforming the railway industry, driving innovation, and delivering complex projects that push the boundaries of transportation. We are seeking a Lead Portfolio Manager to manage the Digital Signalling Portfolio.
At GBRX, we foster a values-driven culture rooted in curiosity, pioneering spirit, and tenacity. By applying a first principles approach, we tackle the most complex challenges in railway modernisation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and driving transformative change. Our mission is to reshape the future of the railway and improve customer experiences within the railway industry.
You’ll work on ground breaking projects that make a real-world impact. This hybrid role offers a balance of regular in-office collaboration with remote work, encouraging flexibility while enabling you to work closely with our diverse team of experts.
Industry Partnership for Digital Railway (IPDR) is a national and cross-industry enterprise within GBRX with the mission of creating the next generation railway, through the deployment of European Train Control System (ETCS) digital train control technology. This represents a migration to a safer, higher-performing, more resilient, more efficient, better skilled, more productive, and greener railway, delivering passenger benefits in the areas of safety, punctuality and resilience, and taxpayer benefits through reduction in capital and whole life costs.
IPDR is leading the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), which will see ETCS put into use across the south of the East Coast Main Line and tens of industry organisations migrated to using it. ECDP is the foundation for the network digital strategy and over two-thirds of its investment will enable and support the deployment of ETCS on other parts of the network.
Within IPDR we also operate the Digital Signalling Portfolio to oversee the wider rollout of ETCS across Great Britain and make it easier for Regions and schemes to deploy ETCS. Through the portfolio we will co-ordinate and deliver fleet fitment activities, work to develop robust, repeatable approaches to technical delivery and business change, increase supply chain capability and capacity, and deliver initiatives to build the industry’s capability to efficiently plan, design, deliver, operate and maintain an ETCS railway.
Brief Description
We are recruiting for a Lead Portfolio Manager for Industry Partnership for Digital Railway to work on the Digital Signalling Portfolio.
About The Role (External)
The role will be to lead the Market Application Readiness (MAR) workstream which forms part of the industry wide Train Control Systems Framework (TCSF).
The TCSF facilitates the ongoing allocation and delivery of the national Signalling workbank throughout CP7, CP8 and beyond.
The MAR workstream specifically focuses on the European Train Control System (ETCS) capability required by multiple deployment schemes with four Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) in development contracts to develop their ETCS product in line with the UK Reference Design.
Working within a wider team of engineers, commercial managers and planners you will lead the successful development and testing of the four OEM’s ETCS product at our national test facility to the point of acceptance prior to it being deployed on schemes such as TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and West Coast North Route Modernisation (WCNM).
You will work with industry stakeholders to develop, monitor progress against requirements and software development and report against the overarching portfolio delivery plan and seek to resolve arising issues in plan delivery.
You will also set out the strategy against which the workstream will need to be delivered to fulfil the national Digital Signalling Portfolio objectives. managed and assured, working in a safe and environmentally responsible manner to cost, time and quality in line with legislation, company standards, procedures and corporate governance
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and approval processes for assigned projects, focusing on specific, measurable outcomes to facilitate seamless procurement and efficient contract awards.
- Collaborate with clients and funders to identify optimal solutions, aligning projects with strategic goals and business cases.
- Design funding strategies that secure incremental financing and reflect project SPEED and PACE principles.
- Integrate clear and measurable KPIs and KRAs into pre-contract documentation to guide effective project monitoring and control throughout the contract.
- Oversee contracting and procurement strategies, ensuring alignment with legal, corporate, and governance standards, while fostering collaboration with the supply chain.
- Evaluate supplier proposals and ensure timely contract awards, aligning with the broader programme objectives.
- Lead Level 1 assurance reviews and support Level 2 assurance activities across the capital delivery portfolio, ensuring compliance with CDM 2015 regulations.
- Implement and monitor an assurance framework to ensure supply chain compliance, ensuring projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.
Essential Qualifications And Experience
- Degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent demonstrable experience.
- Membership (or working towards membership) of the Association for Project Management or equivalent.
- Registered PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent.
- In-depth knowledge of Health and Safety legislation and best practice.
- Understanding of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM 2015).
- Strong experience in procurement, assurance processes, and project governance.
- Practical experience applying CDM and Common Safety Method (CSM) regulations.
- Proven ability to lead and foster collaboration across teams and stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex issues proactively and think strategically about costs, business priorities, and customer impacts.
Desirable Qualifications
- Knowledge of investment, commercial, and procurement regulations.
- Experience working within the PACE framework.
- Familiarity with Network Rail’s asset management practices.
- Commercially astute with experience of managing NEC4 contracts.
- Experience of managing complex development and delivery programmes in close collaboration with internal and external engineers.
- Experience of collaboratively working with large Original Equipment Manufacturers to jointly resolve issues.
Ready to drive the future of railway systems? Bring your expertise to GBRX and make a lasting impact.
Apply today to join our team and shape the future of rail travel!
How To Apply (External)
Salary: £55,596-£65,966
Closing date: 10/12/25. - Late applications will not be accepted.
Click
apply now to apply.
This role can be based in either London Kings Cross or York, and requires working from either of these offices 3 days per week.
What does our recruitment process look like?
- Once you have applied, our Recruitment Specialist and Hiring Manager will look at your CV.
- If your experience matches what we're looking for, you'll be invited to an interview
You can visit Evenbreaks 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.
Network Rail Benefits - To find out about what benefits we offer, click here
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information
- Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. Further details will be shared with you as part of your formal offer.****
