Location
Milton Keynes, GB
Department Name
IC NWC CD Eng - MRH & Central ONW (453325) G2
About Network Rail
Join Our Dynamic Capital Delivery Team!
You will be part of the North West & Central Region (NW&C) which consist of three routes – North West, Central and West Coast South – and a regional team supporting Regional Major Programmes & Professional services. You can learn more about our region here: North West & Central region - Network Rail .
Are you ready to be part of the driving force behind the region's rail transformation? Our Capital Delivery team is at the heart of delivering innovative projects that meet the soaring demand for rail travel. Here's how we make a difference:
- Boosting Capacity : We expand our network to welcome more passengers and increase freight movements.
- Enhancing Speed and Reliability : By upgrading tracks, we enable faster trains and shorter journey times.
- Renewing Infrastructure : We keep the network dependable, ensuring smooth travel for people and goods.
- Revamping Stations : We elevate the passenger experience with modern, user-friendly stations.
Our team members bring a wealth of expertise and experience, allowing us to tackle a diverse range of projects, from high-speed, high-volume tasks to politically sensitive and complex challenges.
Collectively, we commit to ‘
Making Tracks Together’ across Capital Delivery and our Supply Chain, to
drive efficiency,
champion safety, and
build the best possible railway for passengers and freight. This pledge is driven by innovation, shapes our interactions and defines our commitment to excellence.
Why Network Rail?
Network Rail has been recognised as one of the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equity for the fourth consecutive year! 🎉 You can find out more about this here: The Times Top 50 Listmakers 2024 - Business in the Community (bitc.org.uk) .
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 .
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.
Brief Description
We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated engineering leader to take on a dual role as Project Delivery Engineering Manager (PDEM) and Head of Engineering Assurance (HoEA) within the East West Rail Alliance (EWRA). This is a pivotal position responsible for leading engineering assurance across one of the UK’s most exciting rail infrastructure programmes, ensuring technical integrity, safety, and compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
The HoEA within the EWRA provides strategic leadership and independent oversight of engineering assurance throughout the life cycle of the project, ensuring all engineering deliverables are safe, compliant, and meet the highest standards, while fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.
As a key member of the Alliance Management Team, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and continually improving engineering assurance processes, ensuring alignment with national standards, statutory requirements, and the Alliance’s integrated management system. You will be expected to lead by example, by upholding the Alliance Charter, principles, and values, demonstrating collaborative behaviours throughout.
You will act as the interface between project teams, regulatory bodies, and independent assessors, guiding the project through to successful delivery and handover while upholding a strong safety and assurance culture.
Based in Milton Keynes with part-remote working, the role requires a minimum three days per week in the office and close engagement with stakeholders both inside and outside the Alliance.
About The Role (External)
- Develop and manage processes to deliver, monitor and review the multi-functional engineering outputs to support the project schedule, budget, safety, environmental and quality requirements.
- Monitor compliance with legislation, Railway Group and Network Rail Company standards and establish remedial action if any non-compliance is identified.
- Implement an engineering competence management process, applied to both internal and contractor's design and construction personnel of engineering disciplines, so that only suitably qualified and experienced staff are utilised to control the engineering aspects of the project.
- Manage the introduction of new or amended system architectures including the attainment all necessary approvals prior to Entry Into Service.
- Manage all design and construction activities to deliver an integrated system architecture able to achieve whole life reliability, maintainability, operability and cost effectiveness targets.
- Advise project management on the progress and compliance status of all engineering design, construction, testing and commissioning activities.
- Develop and manage a project engineering assurance regime system that monitors design and construction activities to confirm whether safety, environmental and quality of design, construction testing and commissioning and management systems is adequate.
- Undertake the role of Designated Project Engineer as defined by NR/L2/INI/02009 ‘Engineering Management For Projects'.
In order to be successful in this role, we would like you to have/to be:
- Degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline;
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or equivalent professional recognition preferred.
- Membership of an appropriate Professional Institution
- Proven track record in leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and managing complex assurance activities across project lifecycles.
We would also like but it isn’t crucial to have/to be:
- Extensive experience in engineering assurance, systems engineering, or technical management within the rail, transportation, or large-scale infrastructure sectors.
- Strong knowledge of UK rail industry regulations, Network Rail standards, and relevant statutory requirements.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
- Demonstrated ability to foster a culture of safety, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
- Experience engaging with regulatory authorities and independent assessment bodies is highly desirable.
How To Apply (External)
Salary : £71,163 - £84,437
Closing date : Monday 11 August 2025. Late applications will not be accepted. We may close the advert early if we receive a large volume of applicants.
As this is a role in a regional team, regular travel across NW&C is required.Candidates should be comfortable with frequent travel to client sites, regional offices, or other business locations as needed.
Click
apply now to apply.
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
- 28 days annual leave – with the opportunity to buy and/or sell upto 5 days
- Access to a range of contributory pension schemes, and the potential to top up your competitive salary with a bonus
- A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train
- Privileged staff travel – Discretionary leisure travel discount of 75%
- We can offer you a season ticket loan, annual season tickets are discounted.
- A 35-hour-per-week contract with flexible working options available to help support your work-life balance
- Hybrid working where possible and enhanced family-friendly support
- Take advantage of healthcare offers (including discounted healthcare club membership), discounted cycle hire, and online shopping sites
- 5 days of paid volunteering leave
- 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community
To find out about what benefits we offer, click 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.
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information
Drugs and Alcohol Standard:
Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard has changed. If successful at interview you 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. 
