Operating Plan Programme Manager

FirstGroup plc; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free travel on TfL network

Season ticket discounts

European rail discounts

First Xclusives benefits portal

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

First Rail London is recruiting for a senior role to lead strategic, system-wide reviews across key routes, coordinating stakeholders from operations, engineering, fleet and planning to challenge assumptions and drive measurable improvements in reliability and resilience.

You will analyse long-term performance, timetable design and infrastructure constraints to deliver practical operating plans and a single view of performance drivers across the network.

Qualifications

• Experience in railway operations, performance, timetable planning or operational strategy.
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management and report writing skills.
• Ability to challenge existing assumptions and develop practical, evidence-based solutions.

Responsibilities

• Conduct end-to-end reviews of key lines of route to assess whether current operating plans remain fit for purpose.
• Bring together operational, engineering, infrastructure, fleet and planning stakeholders to develop a single view of performance drivers.
• Identify systemic issues that cannot be resolved through conventional performance management activity alone.
• Develop a shared understanding of constraints, dependencies and opportunities across the railway system.
• Analyse long-term performance trends and recurring causes of delay and disruption.
• Assess the contribution of timetable design, infrastructure constraints, resource models and operational processes to performance outcomes.
• Challenge assumptions regarding current operating arrangements and identify areas where accepted practices may no longer support future performance requirements.
• Highlight areas of organisational "TEPID OIL" where historic constraints and workarounds have become normalised.
• Evaluate alternative approaches to stabling, fleet deployment, depot structures and driver resource models.
• Assess infrastructure requirements and dependencies needed to support improved performance outcomes.
• Develop recommendations for future operating plans that deliver measurable improvements in reliability and resilience.

Skills

Railway operations

Performance analysis

Timetable planning

Operational strategy

Job description

Who are we

First Rail London (FRL) is the train operating company responsible for running the London Overground network under a concession agreement with Transport for London (TfL). The concession began in May 2026.

FirstRail London is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and one of the largest bus operators in the UK. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job

The role will provide the capacity and focus required to undertake strategic whole-system reviews of key lines of route, bringing together stakeholders across the railway to challenge historic assumptions, identify systemic constraints and develop future operating plans capable of delivering fundamental improvements in performance, resilience and operational efficiency.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Conduct end-to-end reviews of key lines of route to assess whether current operating plans remain fit for purpose.
• Bring together operational, engineering, infrastructure, fleet and planning stakeholders to develop a single view of performance drivers.
• Identify systemic issues that cannot be resolved through conventional performance management activity alone.
• Develop a shared understanding of constraints, dependencies and opportunities across the railway system.
• Analyse long-term performance trends and recurring causes of delay and disruption.
• Assess the contribution of timetable design, infrastructure constraints, resource models and operational processes to performance outcomes.
• Challenge assumptions regarding current operating arrangements and identify areas where accepted practices may no longer support future performance requirements.
• Highlight areas of organisational "TEPID OIL" where historic constraints and workarounds have become normalised.
• Evaluate alternative approaches to stabling, fleet deployment, depot structures and driver resource models.
• Assess infrastructure requirements and dependencies needed to support improved performance outcomes.
• Develop recommendations for future operating plans that deliver measurable improvements in reliability and resilience.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

• Experience in railway operations, performance, timetable planning or operational strategy.
• Strong understanding of the factors that influence railway performance, resilience and operational efficiency.
• Experience undertaking operational reviews, performance analysis or strategic assessments.
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management and report writing skills.
• Ability to challenge existing assumptions and develop practical, evidence-based solutions.

Desirable:

• Experience of timetable development, operating plan reviews or service specification changes.
• Knowledge of Network Rail planning, engineering access and infrastructure management processes.
• Experience developing business cases and long-term strategic plans.
• Experience using performance modelling, simulation or operational planning tools.

About the location

Redman Place, Stratford - travel across the London Overground Network will be required on an adhoc basis

The Reward

• Free Travel for you and a nominated person at your address on TfL Network - this alone is worth a potential total of £5,200 per annum
• 75% discount off season tickets and leisure travel on other Train Operating Companies
• Discounts on European rail services after 1 year of service
• First Xclusives – a benefits portal offering a wide range of benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24hr helpline, covering a multitude of subjects

We all belong at First Rail London.FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/