Senior Consultant (Strategy, Funding, Appraisal)

SYSTRA UK & Ireland; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

SYSTRA UK & Ireland is seeking a Senior Consultant to join their Strategy Funding and Appraisal Team. This role involves leading high-profile projects, managing proposals, and mentoring junior staff while ensuring client satisfaction.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in business case development, proficiency in appraisal tools like TUBA and PDFH, and project management experience in transport-related environments. The position offers the chance to contribute to significant transport projects across the UK.

Qualifications

• Strong track record in developing business cases across various transport modes.
• Project management experience in a client-facing environment.
• Chartered Transport Planning professional status is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support successful delivery of projects for Strategy Funding and Appraisal.
• Take ownership of proposals and manage delivery within budget.
• Mentor junior colleagues and guide their development.
• Prepare business cases and ensure compliance with guidance.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships.

Skills

Team player

Confident communicator

Presentation skills

Written skills

Numerical skills

Understanding of appraisal tools

Education

Degree in a relevant subject

Tools

TUBA

COBALT

AMAT

PDFH

MOIRA

Job description

Around the world, SYSTRA’s specialists plan, design, integrate, test, commission, project manage and deliver mass transit and mobility solutions that are relied on by more than 50 million people every day.

For more than 60 years, the Group has been committed to helping cities and regions contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their transport infrastructure with sustainability, accessibility and innovation at the heart of our designs. With over 10,300 colleagues globally and around 1000 in the UK & Ireland we are growing significantly and seeking out the very best talent to join the SYSTRA signature team and be part of leading the way in infrastructure design.

Context

The Senior Consultant will support the Strategy Funding and Appraisal (SFA) Team and Rail Advisory Team within SYSTRA's Consultancy Business.

This role will play a key part in shaping our business by leading and contributing to high-profile projects across strategy, business case development, funding, appraisal and rail advisory. You will combine strong technical expertise with project leadership, client engagement and business development, helping to deliver high-quality outcomes for clients while supporting the growth of our people and our business.

This role offers the opportunity to work on complex and meaningful transport projects, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and make a visible contribution to innovative and sustainable transport solutions.

Missions / Main Duties

• Proactively support the successful delivery of projects of varying scale, primarily for the Strategy Funding and Appraisal and Rail teams, while also contributing to work for other SYSTRA teams and clients where needed. Manage a range of work packages and projects, ensuring strong client satisfaction, effective financial performance and achievement of project targets.
• You will take ownership of the delivery of small to medium value proposals, ensuring clear scope, acceptance criteria and invoicing milestones. You will also contribute to, and where appropriate oversee, large proposals. Alongside this, you will ensure that complex technical tasks are delivered to a high standard, on time and within budget.
• A key part of the role will involve guiding and mentoring junior colleagues, supporting both their technical and professional development.
• Take responsibility for substantial elements of SYSTRA reports and present technical and project information clearly to clients and colleagues to support project delivery, learning and business growth.
• Contribute directly to the preparation of business cases and option appraisals for transport projects and programmes, taking ownership of the end‑to‑end development of strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management dimensions. You will ensure compliance with relevant guidance, including HMT Green Book, DfT TAG and applicable local requirements.
• The role also includes undertaking rail appraisal work and rail demand and revenue forecasting using PDFH methodologies. Experience with MOIRA is desirable, though not essential.
• Help define appraisal strategies, select the appropriate tools and models, and establish assurance approaches. This includes overseeing demand, revenue and benefits modelling, cost estimation, risk and optimism bias, distributional and environmental appraisal, and value-for-money assessments, as well as supporting assurance reviews and peer reviews.
• Lead or contribute to Pre‑SOC studies, including corridor and town centre strategies, optioneering and longlisting exercises. Work closely with internal multidisciplinary teams, including transport modelling, design and consultation specialists, to deliver high‑quality feasibility studies.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships across government departments, combined authorities, local councils, operators and developers. Identify and initiate sales opportunities within Strategy Funding and Appraisal and rail market areas, share market insight with colleagues, and contribute to SYSTRA’s profile through thought leadership activities such as articles, conference presentations and policy insight.
• There is an expectation to maintain an up‑to‑date record of your skills and experience in the SYSTRA CV system, continue your professional development and maintain membership of relevant professional institutions.
• Demonstrate behaviours aligned with SYSTRA’s behavioural framework by actively fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, respect, and empowerment, contributing to an environment where all colleagues can thrive, achieve, and grow together.
• Manage day‑to‑day relationships with clients and, where relevant, third‑party contractors and other stakeholders, helping to ensure smooth and successful project delivery. Keep line managers, project managers and project directors appropriately informed on project matters and your own activities, while maintaining effective communication with clients on specific tasks and deliverables.
• As a project manager, collaborate proactively with the wider project team, project director and client to drive progress, manage issues and deliver successful outcomes.
• Take ownership of financial responsibilities across projects and assignments, ensuring sound commercial management and a strong focus on performance. This includes supporting the delivery of gross revenue, net revenue and gross margin targets for the projects and work packages you manage.
• Contribute to achieving high levels of client satisfaction by delivering quality outputs and maintaining a responsive, professional and solutions‑focused approach.

Profile / Skills

• We are looking for candidates who are strong team players, confident communicators and capable of building credibility with both clients and colleagues.
• You will bring excellent presentation, written and numerical skills, along with the ability to manage your own time effectively and support others in doing the same.
• Strong understanding of appraisal tools such as TUBA, COBALT and AMAT.
• Knowledge of rail demand forecasting methodologies including PDFH and MOIRA.
• You will have a strong track record in developing business cases across a range of transport modes, with rail business case experience being particularly desirable.
• Candidates should also have project management experience in a client‑facing environment and hold a degree in a relevant subject.
• Chartered Transport Planning professional status would be advantageous.