Deputy Managing Director, Eastern

Network Rail; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A national railway operator is seeking a Deputy Regional Managing Director for the Eastern region. This role involves leading strategies to enhance passenger experience and overseeing major programs while ensuring safety and operational excellence. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership capabilities, experience in stakeholder management, and a background in managing safety-critical businesses. The position requires frequent travel across the region with flexibility for location based in London King's Cross or York.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable previous experience of successful leadership of a large, safety-critical business.
• Proven experience of managing customer and contractual relationships at all levels of an organization.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to maintain credibility across various levels.

Responsibilities

• Direct and lead passenger experience strategy for the region.
• Work collaboratively to deliver strategies that meet Control Period commitments.
• Lead and direct stakeholder relationships with industry partners.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Interpersonal skills

Change management

Job description

Overview

As Deputy Regional Managing Director for the Eastern region, you will play a pivotal role in delivering a safer, more reliable, and integrated railway to Network Rail's Eastern region. The Eastern region spans from the Scottish Borders down the East Coast to London King's Cross, encompassing more than 6,000 miles of track, served by 16 train operators, and moving in excess of one million tonnes of freight each week. It manages three major stations—London King's Cross, Liverpool Street, and Leeds—handling 221 million journeys annually and relies on the expertise of over 9,500 colleagues working collectively to keep passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently. The role involves extensive travel across the Eastern region and can be based at either London King’s Cross Station or our York office. You will report directly to the Eastern Regional Managing Director and lead a team of six direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Direct and lead on passenger experience strategy for the region; benchmarking activities across other regions and the wider industry to deliver best practice.
• Work collaboratively with the Regional Managing Director to deliver strategies that meet or exceed Control Period commitments and Balanced Scorecard objectives set by Network Rail Board.
• On behalf of the executive leadership team, lead and direct a portfolio of major programmes for the short, medium and long term, working in conjunction with government, customers and stakeholders.
• Lead and direct strategic stakeholder relationships with industry partners, including ORR and RDG, to drive synergies in the delivery of the major programme strategy.
• As part of the successful delivery of the portfolio of major programmes, develop a detailed understanding of existing and prospective customer requirements, business drivers, philosophy and long-term plans.
• Lead on cross regional benchmarking to develop whole industry best practice to drive continuous improvement across regions and routes.
• Provide executive influence and input to the successful management of the region, contributing to financial viability, stability and effective commercial relationships with customers and suppliers.
• Contribute to the delivery of a safer and more reliable railway for passengers and freight users in bringing track and train together to consider whole system risks.
• Role model world class safety leadership and promote safety and environmental excellence, enhancing safety culture and driving safety improvements across delivery and direct the management of safety across the business.
• Provide clear vision and direction, empowering and developing people to successfully achieve both the business and broader company objectives. Promote collaborative working with Trades Unions and employee representatives to deliver a fair culture and the required change agenda.
• Demonstrable previous experience of successful leadership of a large, safety critical, regulated, P&L business.
• Proven experience of managing customer and contractual relationships at all levels of an organisation and across industry, proactively building a network of collaborative relationships which deliver results.
• Commercially astute with high emotional intelligence and an ability to influence and negotiate with customers and suppliers in a complex commercial and regulatory environment.
• Proven track record of customer relationship management, and deep understanding of customer delivery ethos.
• A proven change agent capable of energising and engaging the organisation with appropriate energy and pace to drive a culture of operational excellence.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, possessing the ability to interact and maintain credibility with people at all levels across the business and industry stakeholders.
• Politically astute with proven excellent influencing and communication skills.