Head of Operations - Train Service Delivery

East West Rail Company; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent railway infrastructure company in Milton Keynes is seeking a Head of Operations - Train Service Delivery to lead operational strategies and manage compliance for future rail services. This role requires extensive experience in railway operations and strong stakeholder management skills. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to operational excellence, with a focus on integrating project requirements effectively and ensuring railway safety and performance standards are met. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

Benefits

Competitive base salary

Up to 12% employer’s pension contribution

36 days holiday a year

Life assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Access to a range of benefits on the Perkbox platform

Flexible working opportunities

Qualifications

• Member or Fellow of Chartered Institution of Railway Operators, or equivalent.
• Extensive experience in the rail industry managing operational requirements.
• Proven track record of integrating operational needs into large-scale works.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational strategy for railway effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
• Develop actionable project requirements based on stakeholder input.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Knowledge of railway operations

Operational requirement management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in rail operations, rail engineering, project management or related field

Job description

Head of Operations - Train Service Delivery

Application Deadline: 12 October 2025

Department: Railway Operations

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Milton Keynes

Reporting To: Railway Operations Director

Description

A little bit about us: East West Rail is an infrastructure programme linking communities between Oxford and Cambridge. The area is currently let down by a lack of transport choices, and we have a once in a generation opportunity to fix that – improving prosperity for people and places along the way.

East West Railway Company (that’s us) was created by the Department for Transport (DfT) to oversee the delivery of East West Rail from construction through to wheels in motion, making sure the railway comes together in the right way.

At East West Railway Company, we’re committed to building an inclusive railway for all. We believe that to do that, we must nurture a diverse team that represents the UK communities that we impact. Our approach is simple – to create an environment where everyone is welcome and able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications of all backgrounds and experiences.

Role Summary: This role will lead in defining how the railway will be operated, so that it delivers the required benefits to customers and DfT/GBR. The role acts as a critical liaison between the capital works programme and the future train and infrastructure operators, ensuring that design and delivery decisions are informed by operational requirements. Provides the operational leadership to ensure successful entry into service. This role will leverage deep industry knowledge and collaborate with subject matter experts to represent the needs of the future railway operator throughout the project lifecycle.

Function: Role will act as the Voice of the Operator, which will provide a senior operational voice and operational guiding mind to EWR Co during the design of the railway. The Voice of the Operator is a champion of the operational excellence for a future reliable passenger railway. It ensures operational and maintenance basics are in place throughout the design and EWR delivers an operable and maintainable railway scheme. Accountable for representing the future operator(s) and maintainer(s) of the railway to design a neutral railway that could be operated efficiently and effectively, within budgeted constraints.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership inside EWR and across the wider rail industry to create an EWR operational concept which delivers a railway in line with sponsor requirements.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the infrastructure manager and train operating company’s needs, and translate these into actionable project requirements.
• Represent the future Train Operator until the future operator is appointed by the Department for Transport and/or GBR
• Build and own the relationship, as the Operations Team representative, with CS1/KO1 Operator following CS1/KO1 Entry into Service to gather and disseminate lessons learned and insights from existing CS1/KO1 operations.
• Liaise with Great British Railways (GBR) and the Department for Transport (DfT) regarding future EWR operational arrangements.
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops and meetings to gather input from various operational stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and organisational standards related to integrating with the wider rail network.
• Serve as the operational representative in project design and delivery meetings, ensuring that all decisions support delivery of the operational concept and achieve compliance with industry standards.
• Responsible for the Entry into Service programme schedule and ensuring this is fully integrated and approved.
• Lead the integration of Accessibility in railway design (duties discharged through the Accessibility Manager)
• Integrate business customer requirements into Operational Delivery plans
• Monitor project progress to ensure alignment with operational goals and adjust plans as necessary.
• Lead on assuring that the proposed design can deliver the required capability and functionality to deliver the operations concept.
• Act as Information Access Officer (IAO) for Operational Service Delivery documents in the EWR IMS SharePoint.
• Prepare detailed reports and presentations for senior management and stakeholders, outlining operational considerations and impacts.
• Lead risk assessments to identify potential operational challenges and develop mitigation strategies to ensure seamless project delivery.
• Responsible for managing and supporting direct reports including: coaching and developing team members to drive individual growth and operational excellence. Leading continuous improvement, through regular performance management and ensuring compliance with organisation policies and updating relevant systems.
• Take responsibility of your own and others’ health and safety by adopting and working to the EWR Co Health and Safety principles.
• Demonstrates a cost-conscious mindset, keeping taxpayers’ money at the forefront of decisions.
• Shows a commitment to innovation by proactively seeking creative solutions to challenges and opportunities.
• Act as a role model for EWR Co’s vision and behaviours, working in ways that are aligned with EWR Co’s Ways of Working, as well as encouraging and supporting others to do so too.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential:

• Member or Fellow of Chartered Institution of Railway Operators, or equivalent
• Extensive experience in the rail industry and managing operational requirements.
• Proven track record of successfully integrating operational needs into large-scale capital works programmes.
• Understanding of commercial risk (OPEX vs CAPEX) and operational risk (performance, safety, driveability, signalling transitions, etc)
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with diverse teams and external partners.
• In-depth knowledge of railway operations, standards, and regulatory requirements.

Desirable:

• Bachelor's degree in rail operations, rail engineering, project management, or a related field
• Professional certifications such as PMP or similar, and/or relevant working experience.

Benefits

What we offer:

• Competitive base salary
• Up to 12% employer’s pension contribution
• 36 days holiday a year (including bank holidays) + up to 2 days to buy
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a range of benefits on the Perkbox platform
• On-the-spot and annual awards
• Advanced learning and development programmes
• Great work-life balance and flexible working opportunities
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Exceptional IT tools