Job Description

Location: York George Stephenson House (this role is also being advertised to be based at London)
Salary: 55,596 to 65,966 per annum
Role Type: Full time, Secondment/ FTC until May 2027
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. 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 .
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!
At Network rail you will also have a clear development path with access to training and additional qualifications.
In joining Network Rail, you're not only joining an organisation with a vital role to play for the country, but also a team of more than 40,000 people, and a business dedicated to being one of Britain's best employers.
Network Rail Benefits - In addition to the above, you can enjoy a fantastic range of employee benefits, such as:
28 days annual leave + bank holidays
75% discount on rail leisure travel for you and your family
75% subsidised Season Ticket for work travel (includes Underground)
A range of pension options
Annual Performance Related Pay package
Flexible and agile working arrangements
Healthcare package
Discounts on shopping
Discounted Gym memberships and much more.
For the full range of our fantastic benefits click
Brief Description
Step into a high?impact Senior HR Business Partner role at the heart of Eastern Routes Capital Programmes, where you'll shape business transformation and partner with senior leaders to deliver brilliant people outcomes and help us deliver projects. You'll use your exceptional HR expertise and change leadership skills to influence strategy, drive high?performance cultures and support complex, fast?moving programmes across a diverse portfolio of major renewals and enhancements. If you thrive on building credibility quickly, navigating complexity, and making a real difference to how large-scale programmes succeed, this is your opportunity to lead, challenge and shine.
About the role (External)
Key Accountabilities -
1. Working closely with the supported business area/s to develop, drive and implement the HR Strategy/People Plan to include; talent, succession planning and change management, in order to support the delivery of business objectives and drive a high performance culture.
2. Act as an integral member of the business leadership team, building strong relationships with senior business leaders and other relevant stakeholders. Coach, advise and challenging thinking in addition to co-development, design and execution of integrated medium to long term people initiatives to meet current and future business needs.
3. Act as a change agent; lead, support and contribute to change programmes, driving and championing the implementation of HR solutions within the supported business area, gaining acceptance from key stakeholders.
4. Proactively manage trade union relationships, working with the Employee Relations team, appropriate HR Business Partners and managers across the business.
5. Reinforce and support the ownership of people management by the business and line managers and the HR Business Partner model.
6. Influence the centres of expertise development of strategy and policy through sharing business/functional requirements and inputting into development and execution planning.
7. Work in collaboration with; Centres of Expertise, HR Shared Services, HR Direct and HR Business Partner teams to proactively identify and influence changes that improve HR service.
8. Liaise with HR Business Partners in other areas of the business in order to work collaboratively on cross business/geographical issues.
Essential
Demonstrates strong business/commercial approach and understanding of business needs.
Proven experience of working in partnership with senior business leaders in order to improve people management.
Passionate about customer service with ability to articulate previous achievements through business deliverables.
Knowledge and experience of implementing best practice HR solutions to drive a high performance culture.
Ability to establish professional credibility quickly.
Experience of coaching, influencing and building strong working relationships with senior business leaders.
Excellent communication skills and ability to negotiate and influence effectively with all levels of an organisation.
Experience of working with senior leaders to identify, develop and retain talent.
Excellent technical HR Knowledge - CIPD qualified or relevant experience to demonstrate level of competence.
Proven track record of operating in a complex working environment.
Broad experience of managing organisation change programmes e.g. TUPE, Organisation re-design, redundancy programmes, etc
Graduate calibre
Experience of working within a highly unionised environment (Essential for roles supporting Maintenance & Operations Functions).
Desired
MCIPD/post-graduate human resources qualification.
Understanding of project management principles and experience of managing complex projects to successful conclusion.
Experience of working within a unionised environment.
Key Leadership Capabilities
Influencing others
Creating solutions
Understanding others
Making things happen
Thinking flexibly
Customer focus
Please note: Applicants must provide proof of essential qualifications and/or competencies where required, or demonstrate active progress toward obtaining them, or evidence their applicable experience as a condition of employment.
How to apply (External)
Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor.
We are a employer! We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.
We are here to support you through every step of the recruitment process and to enable you to perform to the best of your ability. If you require any adjustments or modifications please contact Mark Holt (Resourcing Business Partner) at mark.holt@networkrail.co.uk. You can also visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available.
We positively embrace flexible working, recognising that employees may wish to balance work with their family and home life.
Network Rail Benefits -
Network Rail is required to comply with UK Government standards when carrying out pre-employment checks for all new starters; this includes a basic criminal record check. In addition to the basic criminal record check, in accordance with the UK Government we are also required to verify your identity, right to work in the UK and previous three years employment history.
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. . Please ensure you have the appropriate Right to Work status when applying for this role."
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 be able to demonstrate your to safety and awareness of our .
Network Rail can offer you a rewarding career with competitive pay and excellent including a choice of contributory pension schemes, a generous annual leave package, a bonus scheme and an annual 75% subsidy on season tickets costing up to 3,333 (to a maximum amount of 2,500). You will also be entitled to 28 days annual leave
Salary: 55,596 to 65,966 per annum.
*Employees will be entitled to a 75% discount off leisure travel, this includes off peak and super off peak tickets*
***Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. Further details will be shared with you as part of your formal offer.****
Please note, this is a Fixed-term contract opportunity until May 2027.
Closing date 6th February 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.

Skills Required