Sponsor (6-month fixed term contract)

East West Rail Company; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Up to 12% employer pension

36 days annual leave

Volunteer days

Family-friendly policies

Life assurance (4x salary)

Employee Assistance Programme

Perkbox access

Recognition programme

Advanced learning and development

Job summary

East West Railway Company seeks a Sponsor on a 6-month fixed-term contract to shape the project direction, drive value, and engage with industry, communities and stakeholders across government bodies and rail partners.

Reporting to the Head of Sponsorship, you will coordinate governance for work packages, support the Portfolio and Programme Sponsor, and collaborate with the Department for Transport, Network Rail and other key partners to deliver outcomes for the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge

Qualifications

• Sponsorship and / or project management experience on a major programme or portfolio (desirable)
• Ability to distil complex technical and commercial issues into clear messages for diverse audiences
• Experience developing options and influencing decisions
• Railway experience and liaison with government desirable
• Comfortable in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Commitment to inclusivity and diversity

Responsibilities

• Inform policy development and scope to ensure value creation and benefits realisation through governance
• Act as Accountable sponsor in PACE for specific work packages
• Support the Programme Sponsor in delivering the wider portfolio
• Guide project teams on programme scope and manage scope change
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to deliver outcomes
• Integrate projects across workstreams and identify opportunities to improve performance
• Lead monitoring and evaluation of benefits
• Identify, pursue and negotiate commercial and funding opportunities
• Coordinate with Network Rail, DfT, and other industry stakeholders to ensure robust interfaces with the national rail network

Skills

Sponsorship management

Stakeholder communication

Option development

Regulatory liaison

Adaptability

Diversity and inclusion

Job description

Sponsor (6-month fixed term contract)

Application Deadline: 18 October 2026

Department: Strategy, Sponsorship and External Affairs

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Milton Keynes

Reporting To: Head of Sponsorship

Description

East West Rail is a nationally significant railway project which aims to deliver much-needed transport connections for the vibrant communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. Together these communities contribute around £111 billion to the national economy each year.

EWR is one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects, which the government committed to delivering in full in the Autumn 2024 Budget, and again in the 2025 Spending Review as part of its ambition to unlock the potential of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor.

EWR is being championed by the Government as a key driver to economic growth leading to a potential £78 Billion boost to the UK economy: supporting new towns, housing, and regeneration.

Role Summary

This role is fundamental in helping shape the direction of the project to drive value and enable transformational growth in the region, strengthening advocacy for it among industry, key stakeholders and communities. The role will report to a Programme Sponsor and is both internal and external facing, working closely with the Department for Transport, Network Rail, industry stakeholders and others, as the portfolio requires.

What you'll be doing

• Informing development of policies and scope, considering wider strategies and outcomes, to ensure value creation and benefits realisation, successfully taking these through the appropriate governance
• Assuming the role of Accountable sponsor in PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment) for specific work packages
• Supporting the Programme Sponsor in their development and delivery of the wider portfolio for which they are accountable
• Working closely with, and guiding, project teams on the programme scope, supporting the management of scope change and maintaining alignment with the Sponsor's Requirements, benefits, scope and programme
• Building, maintaining and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders to deliver high performance against our Outcomes
• Supporting integration of projects within workstreams and across the business, managing competing requirements and identifying opportunities to improve our performance
• Leading on the monitoring and evaluation of benefits
• Identifying, pursuing and negotiating commercial and funding opportunities with third parties;
• Working with Network Rail, DfT, DfT Operator and other key industry stakeholders to ensure that infrastructure and operating interfaces between EWR and the national rail network are resilient, high-performing and have sufficient capacity to achieve EWR's outcomes, recognising that EWR is part of the wider system.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

• Sponsorship and / or project management, with experience on a major programme or portfolio desirable (but not imperative)
• Ability to communicate and distil complex technical and commercial issues into clear messages to a range of audiences and stakeholders
• Experience of developing options and influencing decisions
• Railway experience and previous liaison with government desirable
• Comfortable working in a dynamic and fast paced environment
• Socially aware, with the desire to promote inclusivity and diversity.

This role will be offered as a 6-month fixed term contract, with the possibility of extension.

Benefits

• Competitive salary that reflects your skills and experience
• Up to 12% employer pension contribution to support your future
• 36 days annual leave (including bank holidays) plus the option to buy up to 2 extra days
• 2 volunteering days, a chance for you to give back to the community
• Enhanced family-friendly policies to support you and your loved ones
• Life assurance (4x your annual salary) for peace of mind
• Employee Assistance Programme for confidential support when you need it
• Access to Perkbox for a wide range of discounts and wellbeing benefits
• Recognition programme, including on-the-spot and annual awards
• Advanced learning and development opportunities to help you grow.

Diversity and Inclusion

At East West Railway Company, we're committed to building an inclusive railway for all. We believe that to do that, we must nurture a diverse team that represents the UK communities that we impact. Our approach is simple - to create an environment where everyone is welcome and able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, encouraging applications from all backgrounds and experiences.