Head of NPR - High Speed Development

TfGM Greater Manchester (Piccadilly Place); Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

28 days holiday per annum

Flexible and hybrid working options

Free travel within Greater Manchester

Professional fees reimbursement

Employee wellbeing support

Job summary

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) seeks a Head of Northern Powerhouse Rail and High Speed Development to lead the strategic development of NR and high-speed rail priorities. Represent Greater Manchester with ministers and senior stakeholders, build investment support, and steer a complex programme of work in a devolved, high-profile environment.

You will shape strategies, business cases, funding submissions, and delivery priorities, collaborating with DfT, HM Treasury, and local

Qualifications

• Substantial strategic leadership experience in a complex, politically sensitive environment.
• Strong knowledge of transport and public policy.
• Experience developing transport solutions, business cases, funding propositions, and major programmes with public- and private-sector partners.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for TfGM’s work on Northern Powerhouse Rail and high-speed connectivity.
• Shape strategies, business cases, funding submissions and delivery priorities.
• Represent TfGM with senior stakeholders and ministers across organisational boundaries.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams and align partners around shared outcomes.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Public policy knowledge

Government relations

Presentation skills

Job description

Are you an exceptional strategic leader who can shape one of the North's most significant transport programmes?

We are looking for a Head of Northern Powerhouse Rail and High Speed Development to lead TfGM’s contribution to the strategic development of Northern Powerhouse Rail and associated high-speed rail priorities. This is a high-profile role at the intersection of transport, economic growth, devolution, government policy, and major public investment.

You will represent Greater Manchester’s interests with senior stakeholders across organisational boundaries and with ministers, build support for investment, and lead colleagues through a complex and evolving programme of work. This is a high-profile role, supporting a £45 billion commitment to rail investment in the North , as out by the Government.

Your Role

You will provide strategic leadership for TfGM’s work on Northern Powerhouse Rail and high-speed connectivity, helping to develop an integrated approach across rail, road, bus, and tram. You will shape strategies, business cases, funding submissions, and delivery priorities, working closely with the Department for Transport, HM Treasury, local authorities, transport partners, and other government bodies. You will provide clear, authoritative advice to senior leaders and elected members, represent TfGM through formal scrutiny and committee processes (including Select Committees), and represent Greater Manchester’s position when required. As a collegiate leader, you will bring multidisciplinary teams and partners together around a clear direction and shared outcomes.

Who are we?

Transport for Greater Manchester works to improve transport and support sustainable growth, opportunity, and quality of life across Greater Manchester.

What you’ll bring

What you do and how you do it is important whatever type of role you work in at TfGM and even small behaviours and actions can have a really big impact. At TfGM, our behaviours bring to life our values of Deliver, Care and Adapt.

You will bring substantial strategic leadership experience in a complex, politically sensitive environment, alongside strong knowledge of transport and public policy. You will have successfully developed transport solutions, business cases, funding propositions, and major programmes in partnership with public- and private-sector organisations. You will demonstrable credibility with elected members, government departments and Civil Service bodies, committees, and external stakeholders; and have excellent judgement, negotiation, written communication, and presentation skills. You will Deliver through disciplined programme and financial leadership, Care by building trust and bringing people with you, and Adapt by navigating scrutiny, ambiguity, and changing political and policy priorities.

What we can offer you

This role offers the opportunity to lead TfGM’s contribution to a nationally significant programme, influence decisions at the highest levels, and make a lasting contribution to Greater Manchester and the North. You will work with senior leaders, elected members, government departments, and transport partners, while leading talented multidisciplinary teams across a high-profile and evolving portfolio as the remit of devolution continues to expand under the new Government administration. The role provides considerable scope to shape strategy, build collaborative partnerships, and develop your experience of major investment, government engagement, public scrutiny, and organisational leadership.

Our benefits include:

• Local Government Defined Benefit Pension Scheme which includes life cover of 3x your salary and options to increase your pension contributions
• 28 days holiday per annum (plus bank holidays)
• Flexible and hybrid working options to promote and support a good work/life balance
• Free travel to work within Greater Manchester boundary on bus and rail or Metrolink
• Commitment to learning and personal development and upskilling with reimbursement of relevant professional fees.
• We promote good physical and mental health and can provide additional support to staff via our employee assistance programme when required

What’s next?

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success. Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment. If using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

TfGM is proud to be an equal opportunities employer that encourages and celebrates diversity. We want to recruit and retain a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and welcome individuals from all backgrounds by committing to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We will offer support and reasonable adjustments if required and we also have a Guaranteed Assessment Scheme which you can find out more information on here.

For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licensed sponsor.

Please note we may close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications.