Job Description

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Location

Blackfriars, GB#

Department Name

CL Quality (113659) G1#

About Network Rail

Join Network Rail - Where People and Connections Matter



If you're ready to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you!

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Brief Description

We're seeking an

IT Programme Manager (Change)

to lead and manage the strategic planning for IT Services within the Southern Region, covering all elements of the Strategic Business Plan including investments, financial planning, people and workforce skills/capability planning. This senior leadership role blends programme delivery with strategic oversight, ensuring our digital initiatives align with business goals, architectural standards, and deliver long-term value.

This is a 6-month opportunity with the potential to go permanent in the future.

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About the role (External)

Strategic IT Leadership:

Lead and drive the Southern Region IT strategy, ensuring alignment with regional objectives and enterprise-wide technology direction. Compile and get approval for a Regional IT Strategy. Convert the strategy into a practical plan and a resource plan. Negotiate the right level of budgeting with senior stakeholders in the Region, particularly the Finance Director. Build strong relationships with DDaT, functional leaders, and senior stakeholders to shape and deliver strategic digital plans for the region and the Integrated Business Units.

Promote and communicate

the Regional IT strategy across the wider business and key stakeholders, advancing the exploitation of information systems, to gain stakeholder support and commitment for technology adoption which has a measured business value.

Engagement with National teams:

Lead engagement with Route Services (DDAT) to determine their overall strategic directions and plans and define and understand Region's requirements of Digital and IT Services for today and the future, enabling the requirements to be translated into the function's strategic planning processes.

Lead and drive the Southern Technology Board

(STB) to support delivery of the Southern Region IT strategy. Prepare the agenda to maximise the efficiency of the meeting. Ensure that decisions on key aspects are actively driven. Document actions and follow up with individuals in between meetings. Escalate where appropriate. Report progress of the STB to other governance meetings.

Regional IT Governance & Risk:

Develop the regional IT delivery processes, in line with the DDaT Guardrails, to ensure all IT delivery in the Region complies with this National standard, Own and coordinate the review of the Regional IT risk register, ensuring mitigation actions are implemented and issues are escalated to the STB and other relevant regional governance meetings.

Job Skills, Experience and Qualifications

Essential


Excellent communication skills and the ability to develop relationships with a wide range of key stakeholders up to Director and Executive level Demonstrable experience in leading the formulation and application of a strategy, as well as its conversion into a practical plan and budget.


Educated to degree level (such as Business Management, Project Management, Computer Science) or equivalent experience.


Excellent knowledge and understanding of project and programme management methodologies and their practical application in a technology setting, particularly Agile methodologies.


Extensive experience of leading, championing and deploying large-scale change programmes / portfolios.


Proven experience leading large-scale IT programmes with business change elements. Strategic thinking and experience in shaping IT strategy and enterprise architecture. Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and commercial acumen.


Desirable


Good knowledge of / experience in the UK rail industry.

Professional qualification in Project / Programme / Portfolio Management and member of a related professional body e.g. APM, MSP, MOP, P3O, PRINCE2.

Understanding of the Information Technology sector.

Prior experience in leading / developing management reporting / data analytics teams. #

How to apply (External)

71,163 - 84,437, Plus an Inner London allowance of 3,270 per annum, pro/rata and many more benefits.


This is a 6-month FTC opportunity with the potential to go permanent in the future

Been referred by a friend, then please complete this form

We're an organisation where people matter. We matter to millions.

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.


Up to 75% off leisure travel.


? Interest-free travel loan for train and car park season tickets.


Discounts at stations with your Network Rail pass.


Flexible/hybrid working arrangements.


? Volunteer leave to make a positive impact.


? Healthcare Scheme, GymPass discounts, Cycle to work plus more.


We offer generous maternity, paternity, and adoption leave to support our employees during significant life moments


Plus, more
.


We are proud to be recognised as a Times Top 50 Employer for Gender Equality for the third year in a row.


We are committed to a diverse workplace enriched with representation from diverse cultures, backgrounds and skills. We pride ourselves on creating an environment where difference is embraced, and individuals can thrive. We recognise that the success of the team is dependent on a multi-cultural, multi-disciplined group of individuals, aligned to deliver successful solutions.


At Network Rail, we have a number of employee networks to reflect our diverse population and help to raise issues to the wider workforce and support their membership and support our Everybody Matters strategy, led by our central Diversity & Inclusion team. We have Diversity & Inclusion Champions who take part and lead on many activities, to drive through more initiatives to support an inclusive environment for all its people and promote a professional and positive working environment. For more information on Diversity & Inclusion at Network Rail, please follow this link

Do you consider yourself to have a protected characteristic? If so and you require any additional support with your application, please do not hesitate to contact the Resourcer who will happily assist.

Drugs and Alcohol Standard:

Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard is changing as of 16.01.2023. All propective candidates who have not been offered a conditional role by 16.01.2023 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.

Network Rail adheres to pre-employment Baseline Personal Security Standard (BPSS), this is government standard for pre -employment vetting. BPSS government standard pre-employment vetting requires Network Rail to screen a potential employee's unspent criminal convictions and undertake 3 year career checks. Employment at Network Rail is subject to employees meeting the BPSS government standard pre-employment vetting.


Closing date: 22nd October 2025, late applications will not be accepted. We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.



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