Rail Services Graduate - Change Management

arriva; Crewe; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Graduate development programme

Mentoring by senior leaders

Job summary

Arriva, based at the Crewe depot, offers a two-year Rail Services Graduate programme focused on change management and project delivery. You will learn to lead how large-scale initiatives are planned, implemented and embedded, while developing stakeholder engagement and business-improvement skills.

Location is Crewe with travel to York, Leeds and Derby. The role operates on a hybrid basis, requiring at least three days per week at a depot or Arriva workplace.

Qualifications

• Degree in any field with 2:1 preferred
• Right to work in the UK
• Availability to join in September 2027
• Willingness to travel across the UK

Responsibilities

• Support change management and project delivery
• Engage with stakeholders to drive business improvement
• Learn and apply change management principles in real projects
• Contribute to Arriva's graduate network and development programme

Skills

Curious and proactive

Strong communication

Analytical thinking

Collaborative

Education

Bachelor's degree (2:1 preferred)

Job description

Every day, millions of people rely on transport to access the people, places and opportunities that matter most. At Arriva, we're shaping the future of passenger transport and investing in the people who will help lead it.

We are one of Europe's leading passenger transport partners, helping people get to work, education, healthcare, family and the moments that matter. Operating across 11 countries, with around 35,000 colleagues and more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys each year, we're a business with the scale to make a difference and the ambition to keep moving forward.

Through our Graduate Programme, we're looking for talented graduates who are curious, motivated to learn and ready to grow their careers with us.

If you're ready to make an impact, we'd love to hear from you.

The Graduate Opportunity

As a Rail Services Graduate specialising in Change Management, you'll play a key role in helping deliver transformation across Arriva's rail operations. Working alongside experienced colleagues, you'll support projects that improve the way we work, helping teams adapt to change and deliver better outcomes for customers and the business.

During the programme, you'll gain experience in areas such as change management, project delivery, stakeholder engagement and business improvement. You'll learn how large-scale initiatives are planned, implemented and embedded, developing the skills needed to lead and support change in a complex and fast-moving environment.

Location: This role is based at our Crewe depot and will require travel to York, Leeds and Derby. The role operates on a hybrid basis, with a minimum of three days per week at the depot or another Arriva workplace.

What We're Looking For:

We're not expecting you to have all the answers. We're looking for graduates with curiosity, drive and the confidence to keep learning. People who take ownership, build positive relationships and want to make a meaningful contribution from day one.

What matters most is your potential. We're looking for people who are eager to learn, motivated to grow and ready to develop their Arriva Graduate EDGE.

About You:

• Are curious, proactive and eager to learn
• Enjoy solving problems and thinking creatively
• Have strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Can analyse information and use evidence to support decisions
• Enjoy working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders
• Are interested in change management, project delivery and business improvement
• Are comfortable listening to different perspectives and helping people adapt to change
• Are organised and able to manage competing priorities

The Graduate Programme

Alongside your role, you'll be part of our two-year graduate development programme, benefiting from structured learning, mentoring, exposure to senior leaders and a connected graduate network across Arriva.

The breadth of experience gained throughout the programme will help you build the skills and confidence needed to lead and support change in a complex operational environment.

You may also have opportunities to undertake relevant learning or professional development in areas such as project management, change management, stakeholder engagement and business transformation.

Eligibility Requirements

• To be on track to achieve, or have already achieved, a degree (2:1 preferred, with strong 2:2 applications considered)
• The right to work in the UK permanently
• Availability to join the programme in September 2027
• Willingness to travel where required in the UK

If you have any questions about the role or the application process, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Early Careers team at [e-mail]. We're always happy to help.

The closing date for applications is close of play Friday 27 November 2026. We'd encourage you to apply at your earliest convenience, as we review applications as they are received and may close this opportunity early.