Rail Planner

Randstad Cpe London; Swindon; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Final-salary pension scheme

Enhanced parental pay

Ongoing training and development

Life assurance

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Heavy Haul Rail, the UK’s next-generation rail freight partner, seeks a Rail Planner to shape planning and delivery across our network. You will help create safer, more efficient services and support British industry while reducing emissions.

You will develop robust train plans, coordinate with Network Rail, and ensure timetables and resources meet changing customer needs. A proactive, collaborative approach is essential.

Qualifications

• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and perform under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to improvement.
• Commercial awareness and a customer-focused mindset.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver robust train plans that keep operations running safely and efficiently.
• Work with Network Rail and industry stakeholders to improve capacity and schedule structures.
• Produce resource plans including locomotives, wagons and crew diagrams.
• Collaborate with customers to deliver weekly train plans meeting operational and commercial needs.
• Promote safety culture and ensure HS&E procedure compliance.
• Support disruption situations with planning expertise to maintain service delivery.

Skills

Attention to detail

Multi-priority management

Problem solving

Commercial awareness

Communication

Collaboration

Accountability

Flexibility

Job description

Join our team: Rail Planner

Together, we move what matters

We are at the start of something powerful. Heavy Haul Rail was created with a simple but transformative belief: the UK deserves a smarter, cleaner, more resilient freight future. And we have the opportunity to build it.

Every role in this business carries purpose. Whether you work in operational delivery, driving trains, engineering, or business support, the work you do contributes directly to reducing emissions, easing road congestion, strengthening supply chains and powering British industry. This is meaningful work, with real impact.

Who we are

Previously operating as Freightliner’s Heavy Haul business, we are now an independent company following CMA CGM Group’s acquisition of Freightliner UK’s Intermodal Logistics business in January 2026.

Heavy Haul Rail is the UK’s next-generation rail freight partner built for a sector ready to evolve. We believe it’s time to move differently. Congested roads, rising emissions, fragile supply chains. These aren’t just logistical challenges; they’re environmental and economic wake-up calls. We’re here to lead the modal shift, helping businesses transition from road to rail with confidence, clarity and measurable impact.

We move 17 million tonnes of freight a year for customers in the industrial, energy and construction markets. The company operates 95 locomotives and over 1,000 wagons. Heavy Haul Rail’s team of 950 supports customer deliveries to over 100 locations across the UK, running 250 trains per week.

Heavy Haul Rail also supports the renewal and maintenance of the rail infrastructure and supports passenger train operators and rolling stock companies, including the provision of drivers and route conducting services.

But none of this happens without our people. We are looking for a Rail Planner to join our team and help shape the future of rail freight planning and delivery.

What You’ll Do

As a Rail Planner, you will play a vital role in developing and delivering robust train plans that keep our operations running safely, efficiently and in line with customer requirements. Working with colleagues across the business and industry partners, you will ensure our services make the best possible use of network capacity while delivering outstanding customer service.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and processing planning bids with Network Rail, including PDNS submissions and Working Timetable (WTT) applications.
• Creating, timing and submitting timetable amendments to align services with changing customer requirements.
• Producing effective resource plans including locomotive, wagon, driver and ground staff diagrams.
• Working closely with customers to deliver weekly train plans that meet operational and commercial needs.
• Negotiating and agreeing Engineering Access Statements and Train Planning Rules.
• Collaborating with Network Rail and industry stakeholders to develop new timetable structures and improve network capacity.
• Supporting new business opportunities through timetable design, resource planning and capacity studies.
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance planning efficiency and operational performance.
• Supporting operational teams during disruption or emergency situations, using your planning expertise to help maintain service delivery.
• Promoting a strong safety culture and ensuring compliance with all relevant HS&E procedures and industry requirements.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking someone who enjoys solving complex challenges, thrives in a fast-paced environment and takes pride in delivering high-quality work.

You will bring:

• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive and innovative approach to continuous improvement.
• Commercial awareness and a customer-focused mindset.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage with internal and external stakeholders.
• A collaborative approach and a desire to contribute to wider business success.
• High standards of personal accountability, integrity and professionalism.
• Flexibility, enthusiasm and a drive to achieve results.

Your Behaviours

Successful candidates will:

• Live and demonstrate Heavy Haul Rail's values every day.
• Take ownership of objectives and pursue them with energy and determination.
• Use initiative to identify opportunities and implement improvements.
• Embrace challenges and take a practical, hands-on approach to delivering results.
• Build positive working relationships through trust, collaboration and respect.
• Act with integrity and transparency, supporting strong governance and decision-making.
• Bring curiosity, innovation and a passion for excellence to everything they do.

This post is subject to standard pre-employment checks including employment references, medical & D&A screening, and successful DBS background checks.

Why Join Us?

Here, you're not one small part of a big machine. You're a key contributor with national significance and real-world impact. We want our colleagues to feel proud of the work they do, connected to our mission and empowered to shape the future of this business. As part of Heavy Haul Rail, you can expect:

• Purpose that matters. Your work contributes to a cleaner, more efficient freight industry.
• Opportunity to shape what's next. We're new, agile and ready to do things differently; your ideas help build our future.
• A team that moves forward together. Collaboration, respect and shared ambition define how we work.
• A commitment to excellence. We deliver with pride, precision and professionalism.
• Room to grow. Your development fuels our momentum.

Our Perks and Benefits

Our people are our most important asset. We strive to empower our employees, ensuring they are trained and competent, fit for work, always informed, and completely engaged in our culture that places safety and wellbeing firmly at the heart of everything we do.

We are looking for committed and reliable individuals who possess the knowledge, skills and experience needed for their role. In return, we can offer considerable career progression and a rewarding career in an award-winning team, alongside:

• Competitive pay
• Fantastic final-salary pension scheme after an initial qualifying period
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Opportunities for ongoing training and development
• Access to the company's life assurance scheme
• A flexible range of benefits designed to support your work and home life, from health treatment reimbursement to discounts on new cars.

Shaping tomorrow. Starting today

The future we want to build won't happen on its own; we have to move it forward, together. Heavy Haul Rail has the purpose, the ambition and the opportunity to reshape how Britain moves. Whatever our roles, we are collaborators, creators and custodians of a better future. This journey starts with what we choose to do today, tomorrow and every day after that.

Our values are:

• Make Every Mile Matter: We act with intention and responsibility, knowing our work shapes a cleaner, stronger future for the UK.
• Build Boldly: We use our entrepreneurial spirit to challenge legacy thinking and design better ways forward, for our customers, our industry and each other.
• We Move as One: We collaborate with trust, respect and shared momentum, because progress is a team sport.
• Deliver with Certainty: We stand behind our work. We're reliable, precise and accountable in everything we do.
• Fuelling the Future: We invest in our people and our potential, championing learning, curiosity and continuous improvement