Project Manager (SCO)

Location

Milton Keynes, GB

Department Name

NJ Building & Facilities Programme (618455) G2

About Network Rail

🌟 Join Our Team at 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.

Brief Description

Route Services is a division of Network Rail that provides the Routes with services so they can help Network Rail deliver a better railway for a better Britain. We support the Routes with a myriad of services and supplies they need to maintain and operate the railway. See the diagram for a breakdown of our services. To learn more, please click here to watch our video.

This role sits within Supply Chain Operations (SCO), an area of the business which supplies and delivers the logistics, materials, components, rail and road fleet that enable the maintenance and renewal of the railway. SCO keeps the materials, machinery and components required by its customers moving – making sure they are on-site when needed so work can go ahead as planned and on schedule. Watch our video Working in Supply Chain Operations.

Working with us is More than a Salary.

About the Role (External)

Project Managers work across the full portfolio of Network Rail’s infrastructure investment from minor renewals through to complex multi-disciplinary programmes. They are accountable for managing the safe and effective delivery of all projects from low complexity single discipline through to high complexity multi-disciplinary projects in order to meet client requirements to time, cost, quality, and performance.

As an experienced Project Manager, you may be required to deliver a portfolio of smaller lower complexity projects. This role will support project delivery within the PSD discipline of SCO. Key accountabilities include:

1. Accountable for delivery of complex projects or a portfolio of lower complexity projects in a safe & environmentally responsible manner to time, cost and quality, in accordance with the PACE, applicable Network Rail company standards, current legislation and procedures including HMRI guidance where appropriate.
2. Support the project Sponsor in preparing and maintaining definitions of the project requirements.
3. Lead and develop multi-disciplinary teams including commercial, programme controls, engineering, and others to identify solutions to client requirements and establish a robust baseline plan.
4. Empower and inspire others to deliver successful projects.
5. Identify and monitor project risks (threats and opportunities), plan and implement mitigations to them, and respond to other issues that affect the project.
6. Implement and manage resource allocation plans needed for delivery of the project including identification and management of critical resource requirements. Secure resources needed for projects from internal and external sources.
7. Engage with and lead stakeholder relationships including internal and external parties, taking account of their levels of influence and particular interests.
8. Establish and maintain governance arrangements for the delivery of projects, defining clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities that align with organisational practice. Managing project reviews at appropriate points throughout the project lifecycle which will inform governance decisions of projects by providing evaluations of progress, performance, risk, contingency and continuing relevance.
9. Establish, and implement where necessary, protocols to change the scope of projects and updating configuration documents as required.
10. Manage and update business cases that justify projects in terms of benefits, costs, and risks.
11. Undertake accident investigations when remitted to by the relevant designated competent person.

The Ideal Candidate Will Demonstrate the Following Criteria:

Essential

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Membership (or working towards membership) of the Association for Project Management.
• Registered PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills at all levels, including Customers; 3rd party representatives, other business & functional leaders, and key support personnel.
• Successful relevant experience in a complex project environment including demonstrable experience in team management, planning, contracting, and delivery of projects.
• Successful record of project budget management and ability to understand and interpret commercial and financial landscapes (budgets, forecasts, actual status).
• Experience in managing ambiguity in a project environment with strong evaluation and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrable project safety management practice and knowledge of Health and Safety legislation and best practice.
• Experience with safety cases in support of projects.
• Accident investigation experience.

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience in the Rail Industry Sector (including application of GRIP, Construction Design Management (CDM), and the Common Safety Method (CSM).
• Detailed knowledge of Network Rail’s Investment, Commercial and Procurement regulations and practices.
• Knowledge of structuring safety cases in support of projects.
• Formal qualifications in risk identification and assessment.
• You will be a team player and a self-starter with a willingness to learn, challenge, and get involved.
• Knowledge of Network Rail’s assets and how they are managed.

How to Apply (External)

Vacancy type: This role is permanent.

Location: This position is based at The Quadrant: MK, Milton Keynes. The location could be flexible for the right candidate, however, it would need to be within commuting distance of Milton Keynes, York or Crewe.

Hours: 35 hours per week with hybrid working and travel as required. Flexible working and part-time hours can be considered.

Salary range: Band 3C. £55,596 – £63,797 per annum, depending on skills and experience.

Closing date: 15 April 2025. Late applicants will not be accepted.

This role is being advertised internally and externally. Please note, you will need to complete a supporting statement addressing how you meet the essential criteria listed in this advert as part of your application. Please add this to your CV in one document. Please see the attached guide on how to complete a supporting statement. If you’re unable to open this, please contact our Resourcing Team via RSResourcing@networkrail.co.uk.

Click ‘Apply now’ to submit your application.

If you would like to speak to the Resourcing Team, please contact us using the email address above.

Employee Benefits

At Network Rail you will have a clear development path, access to training and enjoy a range of employee benefits, such as; up to 28 days annual leave, rail travel subsidies, a range of pension options, flexible and agile working arrangements, discounts on shopping, gym memberships and much more. Find out more about our benefits.

If you would like any reasonable adjustments support during your application or throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to contact the Resourcing Team who will happily assist.

Below are some examples of adjustments we can make:

• Changing a provision, practice or ‘the way things are done’. For example, we can give candidates extra time to complete online tasks or interviews as needed.
• Changing a physical feature of our workplace. For example, office/room layout can be adapted to accommodate individual needs.
• Providing extra equipment or assistance. For example, we can provide sign language interpreters and support workers where needed.
• Alternative document formats can be made available.

There are lots of other adjustments we can consider – please just ask!

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process will consist of shortlisted candidates being invited to take part in the following:

• Competency Based Interview. Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by phone or email.

For further information about how we recruit, please visit: How We Recruit.

This role will require a medical and Personal Track Safety Competence. Personal Track Safety (PTS) is a set of safety regulations and procedures that individuals must adhere to when working on or near the tracks of the UK rail network.

Drugs and Alcohol Standard: All prospective external candidates offered a conditional role 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.

Tagged as: Expired