Planning Assistant (Access) - Ashford
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Occupation Type
Project support officers
Occupation Code Skill LevelMedium Skilled
Sponsorship EligibilityIneligible for Sponsorship
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Description
Location
Ashford, GB
Department Name
OE South East Head of Planning (113681) G1
About Network Rail
Join the Southern Region – where your work truly matters.
Covering Wessex, Sussex, and Kent, the Southern Region is one of the busiest and most dynamic parts of the railway. Our teams keep some of the UK's most vital passenger and freight routes moving every single day. This is a place where collaboration, innovation, and resilience are key—and where your contribution will directly impact millions of journeys. We are entering an exciting new chapter as we integrate with train operating companies under one national leadership, creating even greater opportunities to shape the future of rail. From supporting major modernisation programmes to improving performance for local communities and enhancing safety across complex operational environments, Southern offers a fast-paced, rewarding environment to grow your career and make a real difference.
Brief Description
📅 Planning Assistant (Access) – Support Rail Operations
Ashford, GB
Department Name
OE South East Head of Planning (113681) G1
About Network Rail
Join the Southern Region – where your work truly matters.
Covering Wessex, Sussex, and Kent, the Southern Region is one of the busiest and most dynamic parts of the railway. Our teams keep some of the UK's most vital passenger and freight routes moving every single day. This is a place where collaboration, innovation, and resilience are key—and where your contribution will directly impact millions of journeys. We are entering an exciting new chapter as we integrate with train operating companies under one national leadership, creating even greater opportunities to shape the future of rail. From supporting major modernisation programmes to improving performance for local communities and enhancing safety across complex operational environments, Southern offers a fast-paced, rewarding environment to grow your career and make a real difference.
Brief Description
📅 Planning Assistant (Access) – Support Rail Operations
Location: Ashford
Contract: Full-Time - Permanent
Grade: Band 5 Role Clarity - £28,500 - £34,500
Join Our Planning Team and Keep Britain Moving
We're looking for a Planning Assistant (Access) to help optimise and integrate engineering access into the Route Access Plan. In this role, you'll work cross-functionally, liaising with work requesters, customers, and stakeholders to build and refine plans that keep our railway safe and efficient.
About The Role (External)
🌟 What You'll Do
Contract: Full-Time - Permanent
Grade: Band 5 Role Clarity - £28,500 - £34,500
Join Our Planning Team and Keep Britain Moving
We're looking for a Planning Assistant (Access) to help optimise and integrate engineering access into the Route Access Plan. In this role, you'll work cross-functionally, liaising with work requesters, customers, and stakeholders to build and refine plans that keep our railway safe and efficient.
About The Role (External)
🌟 What You'll Do
- Support the Planning Team in delivering all activities related to possessions, worksites, line blockages, TSRs, On-Track Machines, and engineering trains in line with standards.
- Process and integrate route access requirements into the engineering access plan.
- Attend and, when required, co-chair possession planning meetings, producing and validating publications and updates.
- Assist with creating documentation and materials to support operational delivery of the access plan.
Essential:
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Excellent communication skills with a customer-focused approach.
- Willingness to learn and document all aspects of access planning.
- Good IT skills and ability to operate planning systems.
- Knowledge of railway geography and network capability.
- Understanding of train services and network capacity.
- Familiarity with planning systems.
We offer excellent benefits, including:
- 🌞 Generous annual leave (28 days plus statutory days), with the option to buy/sell days.
- ✨ Defined benefit pension scheme.
- 🚂 75% subsidy on rail and underground season tickets.
We believe diversity drives innovation. Whoever you are, however you identify, wherever you're from—if you've got the skills and the spark, we want you on our team. No suits required. Just bring your authentic self.
📩 Ready to play a key role in planning the future of Britain's railway? Apply now and join a team that values precision, collaboration, and innovation!
How To Apply (External)
Location: Ashford
Contract: Full-Time - Permanent
Grade: Band 5 Role Clarity - £28,500 - £34,500
Closing date: 12 th March 2026 - late applications will not be accepted.
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Network Rail Benefits
– To find out about what benefits we offer, click here
Please note the recruitment process for this role is a Competency based interview.
Click ‘apply now' to apply. -
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.
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
Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety on your application.
Drugs and Alcohol Standard:
Please note the recruitment process for this role is a Competency based interview.
Click ‘apply now' to apply. -
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.
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
Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety on your application.
Drugs and Alcohol Standard:
All prospective candidates will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5 year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced