Strategic Planner

Hitachi Rail Limited; Ashford; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Annual performance bonus

Pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Group Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Hitachi Rail Limited is seeking an experienced Strategic Planner to lead maintenance planning, forecasting, modelling and data governance across Operations, Projects and Procurement. You will drive long-term maintenance strategies, optimize resources and provide insights for bid submissions and operational delivery.

Join a global leader in rail technology and work across multiple UK locations to influence cross-functional decisions and ensure plans are robust, aligned and achievable within a

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in engineering or maintenance planning within a complex operational environment.
• Advanced MS Excel skills including complex modelling and dynamic arrays.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking with ability to turn data into actionable plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and maintenance of planning tools and long-term maintenance strategies.
• Identify opportunities to optimise labour, materials and maintenance intervals.
• Develop scenario-based models to support bids and operational delivery.
• Collaborate across Projects, Operations and Procurement to ensure robust plans.

Skills

Engineering exp

Maintenance planning

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Excel modelling

Communication skills

HNC/HND

Education

HNC/HND or equiv

Tools

Power BI

SAP

Job description

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there's something for everyone to get stuck into. And that's where you come in.

Job Description

We're looking for an experienced Strategic Planner to provide specialist expertise across maintenance planning, forecasting, modelling and data governance.

This is a key role supporting the development and continuous improvement of our maintenance planning frameworks, ensuring plans are strategically aligned, operationally achievable and commercially robust.

Working across Operations, Projects, Procurement and Data & Systems teams, you'll use your engineering knowledge and analytical expertise to develop long-term maintenance strategies, optimise resources and capacity, and provide the modelling and insight needed to support operational delivery and competitive bid submissions.

As a subject matter expert, you'll also play an important role in influencing cross-functional decisions and ensuring planning data and maintenance strategies are accurate, controlled and fit for purpose.

This role can be based from any of our UK locations.

What You'll Be Doing

Planning & Forecasting

You'll lead the development and maintenance of key planning tools, including:

• Integrated Heavy Maintenance Plans
• Integrated Light Maintenance Plans
• Generator Unit Forecasts
• Pantograph Forecasts
• Long-term maintenance strategies
• Depot capacity plans

You'll validate heavy maintenance schedules against technical and contractual requirements and ensure planning outputs support both current operations and future opportunities.

Strategic Planning & Optimisation

Working closely with Operations Delivery and other key teams, you'll:

• Develop and implement heavy maintenance strategies across current and future fleets.
• Identify opportunities to optimise labour, materials, maintenance intervals and locations.
• Develop scenario-based planning models to support competitive and deliverable bid submissions.
• Identify and quantify risks relating to areas such as material availability, resource constraints and depot capacity.
• Support maintenance optimisation through scope alignment, interval extension and network/location efficiencies.
• Work collaboratively across Projects, Operations and Procurement to ensure plans are robust, aligned and deliverable.

Data, Systems & Governance

You'll work with Data and Systems teams to:

• Support effective validation, control and governance of planning data within Maintenance Management Systems.
• Maintain the integrity and traceability of asset tracking information.
• Support transactional accuracy and reliable maintenance histories.
• Use accurate planning data to support effective business decision-making.

Materials & Asset Planning

You'll develop, maintain and continuously improve Bills of Materials, ensuring they effectively support maintenance planning and operational delivery.

Stakeholder Engagement & Continuous Improvement

A key part of the role will be building strong relationships across the business and with external partners.

You'll:

• Work collaboratively with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the delivery of strategic planning and operational objectives.
• Identify opportunities to continuously improve planning processes and approaches.
• Support the introduction and adoption of new tools, techniques and skills as business requirements evolve.
• Share expertise and insight to support effective cross-functional decision-making.

About You

You'll have a strong combination of engineering or maintenance planning experience, analytical capability and stakeholder management skills.

Essential Requirements

We're looking for someone with:

• Demonstrable experience in engineering or maintenance planning within a complex operational environment.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex modelling and dynamic array functionality.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking capabilities, with the ability to interpret complex datasets and turn them into clear, actionable plans and reports.
• Hands-on engineering experience, with the ability to support the development and implementation of fleet improvement strategies.
• Proven ability to influence and engage stakeholders across different disciplines and organisational levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and take ownership of activities.
• A collaborative approach and strong stakeholder engagement skills.
• HNC/HND or relevant equivalent experience.

Desirable experience

It would also be beneficial if you have:

• Experience using Power BI or equivalent data visualisation tools.
• Working knowledge of enterprise and ERP systems, such as SAP.
• A broader understanding of maintenance management systems and associated data structures.

What will help you succeed

You'll be naturally analytical, comfortable working with complex datasets and able to see the bigger picture behind the numbers.

You'll combine strong attention to detail with a practical understanding of engineering and maintenance environments, using data and operational insight to develop plans that are both ambitious and achievable.

Most importantly, you'll be comfortable working across multiple teams, challenging assumptions constructively and turning complex operational requirements into clear, robust and actionable maintenance plans.

What We Offer

We value the importance of all of our employees, if you would like to join our fantastic organisation you could be entitled to:

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday
• Potential opportunity for annual performance related bonus
• Pension scheme with contributions up to 9%
• Private medical insurance
• Personal Accident insurance
• Group Income protection
• Group Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme

We also offer additional perks for you to choose from within a flexible plan that will meet your specific needs and lifestyle.

Closing date for applications is 25th October 2026.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.