Senior Project Engineer [Digital/ IM]

Network Rail; Manchester, York and North Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Private Healthcare

28 days annual leave (buy/sell)

75% rail travel discount

Pension options

Discounts via My Benefits platform

Flexible working up to 40% from home

Job summary

Network Rail is seeking a senior role to lead and enhance the NPR Digital Engineering Management function, ensuring consistent practices across portfolios in line with national standards. You will focus on GIS, asset tagging, data security, and automation of reporting within the NPR environment.

The role supports flexible working up to 40% from home and requires coordinating with multiple stakeholders to deliver value for the UK taxpayer and customers.

Qualifications

• Experience in railway data management or similar infrastructure context.
• Knowledge of GIS tools and data governance.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Engage with NR Route Services and NPR digital teams as the NPR contact.
• Approve processes, procedures and systems for information management.
• Monitor adoption of information management across projects.
• Support GIS tools visibility for design data and hazard information.
• Develop asset tagging tools and training to compare costs and lifecycle data.
• Advance data security and digital environment standards.
• Automate performance statistics from ProjectWise into reporting tools.

Skills

Data management

Information management

GIS

SharePoint

PowerApps

Python scripting

ProjectWise

Education

Degree in engineering/IT or related field

Member of a professional institution

Tools

SharePoint

PowerApps

Python

ProjectWise

Job description

Who We Are

Join Network Rail ! Where People and Connections Matter

At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team- you're part of something that matters to millions.

We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway.

We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. To discover more about our ED&I commitments. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.

About The Role

Following the UK Government's policy announcement on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), Network Rail is growing its team to develop this multi-billion-pound rail investment, which will improve rail connectivity in the North of England.

Northern Powerhouse Rail spans from Liverpool, through Manchester and on to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, and builds on the benefits planned from the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme.

This job is one of several exciting opportunities to join the growing NPR team in this early stage of development. You will be part of the challenge and innovation required to drive efficiency and value for money for the UK taxpayer. It is important that our product is an affordable and sustainable railway that brings our passengers and freight users more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway.

We recognise that flexibility is necessary for helping our people excel, both professionally and personally. At Network Rail we have a flexible working policy which allows up to 40% of our working hours, to be completed from home. Alongside this, most of our team benefit from some form of individual working arrangement including reduced or compressed hours, to balance business and individual needs. We recognise the importance of flexibility in attracting and retaining great people to work on NPR and are very happy to consider proposals to meet individual needs.

This role can be based from Manchester or York.

Job Purpose

The role is responsible for leading and further improving the Digital Engineering Management function, including its processes, procedures, and supporting systems, for Northern Powerhouse Rail, to ensure a consistent approach across the portfolio in compliance with national standards and processes as defined within NR/L2/ADG/003, NR/L2/INI/EDT/CP0091, and other related standards. Specific areas of focus include GIS, Asset Tagging, Data Security for the NPR Digital Environment, ProjectWise (automation), and development of digital tools for business management and reporting.

Key Accountabilities

• Engage with NR Route Services and other NR digital teams as the key contact for NPR
• Approve processes, procedures and systems to maintain effective information management and document control.
• Monitor adoption of information management and document control processes within programme and project teams.
• Supporting the continued oversight and/or development of GIS tools so that our internal teams and suppliers can view project design data, including models, hazard information, stakeholder mapping, etc, on the same platform for all component programmes, in line with the NPR Programme Information Requirements.
• Promoting and delivering the continued development of asset tagging options to help provide our suppliers with the appropriate specifications, tools, and training to make asset tagging a worthwhile reality, aiding our ability to compare capital costs, lifecycle costs, and carbon costs, whilst providing a platform fit for future expansion into areas such as design-to-cost, construction, construction assurance, and as-built data for handover to asset management and maintenance.
• Continuing to promote valuable solutions for our data and digital environment that meet the latest standards and capabilities in terms of security.
• Continuing to develop the automation of performance statistics from our Common Data Environment (ProjectWise) into conventional applications for measurement and reporting, taking into account the nuances of workflows and being capable of producing and amending Python scripts, etc.
• Driving the development of registers and trackers used for our assurance activities to improve the automation of reporting from conventional tools such as Lists and Excel, reducing errors associated with manual handling. Develop these tools so that, as a management team, we can focus more on insights and action, and less on data handling.

Essential Criteria

• Experience within Network Rail, rail infrastructure, projects and regulated rail environment or similar.
• Member of a relevant professional institution and/or educated to degree level.
• Appropiate knowledge of digital tools, and software required for the development of SharePoint, PowerApps, web design etc.
• The ability to manage teams, and interfaces across multiple stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working on complex multi-disciplinary rail programmes or portfolio, particularly the early stages (e.g. PACE Stages ES2 Feasibility / ES3 Option Selection).
• Experience of working with Asset Management/Maintenance as well as Major projects
• Familiarity with Ellipse, ARM, PPS, or other NR systems
• Professional qualification in engineering or project management (e.g., BSc (Hons), MSc IMechE, PRINCE2, MAPM)

Please note: Applicants must provide proof of essential qualifications and/or competencies where required, or demonstrate active progress toward obtaining them, or evidence their applicable experience as a condition of employment.

Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor.

We are a Disability Confident Leader employer! We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

We are here to support you through every step of the recruitment process and to enable you to perform to the best of your ability. If you require any adjustments or modifications please contact Mark Holt (Resourcing Business Partner) at [e-mail]. You can also visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available.

We positively embrace flexible working, recognising that employees may wish to balance work with their family and home life.

Network Rail can offer you a rewarding career with competitive pay and excellent benefits including a choice of contributory pension schemes, a generous annual leave package, a bonus scheme and an annual 75% subsidy on season tickets costing up to £3,333 (to a maximum amount of £2,500). You will also be entitled to 28 days annual leave.

Salary: £55,595 to £67,813 per annum.

• Employees will be entitled to a 75% discount off leisure travel, this includes off peak and super off peak tickets*
• Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. Further details will be shared with you as part of your formal offer.****

Closing date: 16th November 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.

What's In It For You

• 28-day annual leave with the option to buy and sell days
• Choice of pension schemes
• 75% discount of leisure travel for you and your family
• Private Healthcare
• 5 days paid volunteer or carers leave
• Up to 75% subsidised Rail and Underground travel
• Gym Pass -access to gyms across UK
• My Benefits platform- giving national and local retail discount

Our aim is to ensure your candidate experience is as positive as possible. If you require reasonable adjustments at any point, simply let us know and we'll do our best to assist you.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Your Experience And Skills

The Ideal Candidate:

• Significant experience within railway industry data management, or comparable infrastructure projects or a related operational environment.
• Expert knowledge of data management, computer science and innovative digital tools including but not limited to digital twins and artificial intelligence.
• Experience in the safe introduction of new infrastructure, systems or operational changes.
• Strong operational risk management capability, including hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation development.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use operational data, modelling outputs and performance information to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to present complex data and information issues clearly and credibly to senior stakeholders, project teams and governance forums.
• Proven stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships across multiple disciplines, organisations and industry partners.
• Experience of testing, commissioning, and introduction into use of innovative digital solutions
• Demonstrable experience of developing simple
• A proactive, resilient and solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to challenge constructively, influence outcomes and drive continuous improvement.
• Membership of a relevant professional institution and qualifications in railway operations, safety, engineering or a related discipline. NEBOSH or an equivalent health and safety qualification would be advantageous.