Level 1 Project Manager

Railpen; Tees Valley; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus plan

Railways Pension Scheme

Life Assurance

Hybrid and flexible working

Maternity leave

Paternity leave

Job summary

Railpen in London or Darlington is seeking a Project Manager (Level 1) to help deliver change initiatives within our Change & Transformation portfolio. You will support planning, governance, reporting, risk & issue management and stakeholder coordination across teams.

You’ll also have opportunities to lead defined workstreams or lower‑complexity projects under appropriate oversight while developing your capability through coaching and hands‑on experience.

Qualifications

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience maintaining project plans, milestones, actions, RAID logs and documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to coordinate meetings, workshops and follow-up actions.
• Ability to identify and escalate risks, issues and dependencies.
• Structured, logical planning and time management.
• Collaborative across business, technology and third‑party teams.
• Willingness to learn and develop PM knowledge and delivery methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Support Project Managers with planning, governance, reporting and project controls across projects and smaller change initiatives.
• Produce and maintain accurate project documentation, including plans, RAID logs, status reports, actions, decisions and governance materials.
• Coordinate stakeholder input, meetings, workshops and follow-up actions to support effective delivery and decision-making.
• Track milestones, dependencies and progress, taking ownership of assigned actions and following them through to completion.
• Identify and monitor risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies and potential delivery concerns, escalating them appropriately.
• Coordinate delivery activities across business, technology and third-party stakeholders to support project objectives.
• Lead defined workstreams or lower-complexity projects within agreed scope, tolerances and oversight arrangements.
• Develop your Project Management capability through coaching, feedback, hands-on experience and participation in the wider Project Management community.

Skills

Organisational skills

Documentation management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Meeting coordination

Risk & issue management

Planning & scheduling

Cross-functional collaboration

Learning mindset

Job description

Project Manager

London or Darlington, with hybrid working arrangements.

About The Role

At Railpen, we’re committed to helping secure our members’ future through responsible investment and continuous improvement. As Project Manager (Level 1), you’ll support the successful delivery of change initiatives across our Change & Transformation portfolio, ensuring change follows governance and is progressed in a controlled and coordinated way

Working alongside experienced Project Managers and colleagues across the business and technology teams, you’ll support planning, governance, reporting, risk & issue management and stakeholder coordination. You’ll also have opportunities to lead defined workstreams or lower‑complexity projects with appropriate oversight, developing your capability through coaching, feedback and hands‑on experience.

To learn more about Railpen including our values, culture and purpose, visit our careers page here.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Supporting Project Managers with planning, governance, reporting and project controls across projects and smaller change initiatives.
• Producing and maintaining accurate project documentation, including plans, RAID logs, status reports, actions, decisions and governance materials.
• Coordinating stakeholder input, meetings, workshops and follow‑up actions to support effective delivery and decision‑making.
• Tracking milestones, dependencies and progress, taking ownership of assigned actions and following them through to completion.
• Identifying and monitoring risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies and potential delivery concerns, escalating them appropriately.
• Coordinating delivery activities across business, technology and third‑party stakeholders to support project objectives.
• Leading defined workstreams or lower‑complexity projects within agreed scope, tolerances and oversight arrangements.
• Developing your Project Management capability through coaching, feedback, hands‑on experience and participation in the wider Project Management community.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an organised and motivated individual who wants to develop their career in Project Management. You’ll communicate clearly, build positive relationships and take a structured and proactive approach to your work. You’ll be comfortable managing competing priorities, taking ownership of agreed actions and raising risks or concerns early, while being open to feedback and keen to develop your capability.

Essential

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Experience of, or the ability to, maintain project plans, milestones, actions, RAID logs and supporting documentation accurately and consistently.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear project updates, reports and governance materials.
• Good interpersonal and relationship‑building skills, with the confidence to engage constructively with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Ability to coordinate meetings, workshops, stakeholder activities and follow‑up actions.
• Ability to identify and appropriately escalated risks, issues, dependencies and delivery concerns.
• A structured and logical approach to planning, organising and managing work.
• Ability to work collaboratively across business, technology and third‑party teams.
• A willingness to learn and develop Project Management knowledge, tools, techniques and delivery methodologies.

Desirable

• An awareness of Project Management tools, techniques and delivery methodologies, or a willingness to develop this knowledge.
• Exposure to change, transformation or project delivery within a regulated or corporate environment.
• Experience coordinating activities across business, technology or third‑party teams.
• An interest in pensions, investments or financial services.

Why is this role exciting now?

This is an opportunity to build your Project Management career within a supportive C&T environment. You’ll gain experience across a diverse portfolio of change, learn from experienced colleagues and develop your capability through coaching and hands‑on delivery. As your confidence grows, you’ll have opportunities to take greater ownership and lead defined workstreams or lower‑complexity projects.

What You’ll Get In Return

• A competitive salary (depending on experience) plus generous annual bonus plan
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• We provide membership of the Railways Pension Scheme, a Defined Benefit arrangement under which you get a pension for life and a lump sum when you retire, based on your length of service and pay
• 4x Life Assurance cover
• We support hybrid and flexible working along with very generous family leave including 12 months full pay maternity leave and 6 months full pay paternity leave

Inclusion at Railpen

At Railpen, diversity, equity and inclusion are core to who we are.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and able to thrive. Our mission to secure a better future for our members is strengthened by the different perspectives and experiences our people bring.

We are transparent about our gender pay gap and are actively committed to addressing it through fair and inclusive recruitment, progression and reward practices.

We respect and support individuals’ pronouns and encourage colleagues to share them if they feel comfortable to do so.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, neurodiversity, or any other protected characteristic. If you need adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know.