Strategic Planner

Network Rail; Swindon; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Privileged staff travel

Rail season ticket subsidy

GWR discounts

Healthcare benefits

Pension schemes

Hybrid/flexible working

Reserves leave for Armed Forces

PROUD recognition program

Job summary

Network Rail is seeking a Strategic Planner for the Western route. The role involves working with internal and external stakeholders to identify and develop improvement strategies and to shape future railway services.

You will develop route plans, analyse capacity, and advise on train service specifications to support the SAP and broader Route Strategy. You will collaborate with sponsors of major renewals, prepare route plan reports, and help translate strategic benefits into deliverable

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Rail Industry and Network Rail's contractual commitments to customers and suppliers.
• Analytical skills and numeracy.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Commercial and financial awareness, including understanding economic trade-off analysis.
• Knowledge of rail industry and commercial framework.
• Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do; safe behaviour is required.

Responsibilities

• Facilitation of cross-functional input to the development of route plans.
• Develop route plans for specified simple routes and contribute to development route plans for more complex routes.
• Undertake analysis work for capacity studies and develop train service specifications.
• Work with the Senior Route Planner to undertake business appraisal of complex projects and route strategies; specify demand forecasts.
• Work with sponsors of major asset renewal and enhancement schemes to develop aligned strategies.
• Prepare reports on route plans, CRR and Business plans.
• Assist with the Route's input to the Business Plan, including presentation of Route Plan material.
• Identify the needs and priorities of stakeholders and liaise with internal and external parties.

Skills

Rail industry knowledge

Analytical skills

Numeracy

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Knowledge of contracts

Job description

At Network Rail, we're part of a large family serving millions of passengers and freight users throughout the UK every day. Our service impacts millions of people and we strive to become more efficient as we enhance, maintain and operate our network. Now is a fantastic time and join our team in Wales and Western region as we finalise the reforms to our maintenance organisation which will deliver:

• A safer and more reliable and punctual service for passengers and employees - quicker fault fixes by more agile multi-disciplined response teams.


• Individual rostering - enabling us to send the right number or people to fix a fault.


• Multi-skilling - investing in the knowledge and skills of our people so they are better equipped to fix the most common faults themselves.


• Accelerated and improved technology deployment - we have a raft of labour and life-saving technology ready to be rolled out.

Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organisation where people matter. When your part of our team, you matter to us and you matter to millions. Watch our video to find out more!

About our people and the recruitment process

We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We look for opportunities to offer great opportunities to learn and grow through personal and professional development. And, if you make the grade then you can look forward to a rewarding and fulfilling career with a company that joined the top 50 in the Glassdoor's 2021 Best Places to Work.

This role is at the heart of working with customers and stakeholders to plan for the future of our railway so that it continues to deliver what our passengers, freight users, and communities need.

As Strategic Planner for your dedicated section of Western route you will have the opportunity to work with a diverse and motivated group of internal and external stakeholders to identify and develop improvement strategies.

You will have the opportunity to get involved in new stations aspirations and potential service improvements, helping to advise on which and how to progress. You will also get to grapple with the big challenges, including decarbonisation, helping to set out how our railway can support the society we want to live in the short, middle, and long term.

You will come to develop an excellent understanding of the areas we serve through your ability to build productive relationships across the board. You will be a key contact for influential external stakeholders including Subnational Transport Bodies and other strategic transport planning partners, helping them achieve their goals.

You will be supported by a welcoming and inclusive strategic planning team, and you will work closely with colleagues across teams to make sure that the strategic benefits you identify are translated into deliverable outcomes.

You will find opportunities to grow both within the strategic planning team and in the wider route and railway, and you will find that the breadth the role brings stands you in good stead for your next move.

This is a fascinating and critical time for strategic rail planning, and you will have a real opportunity to shape the system for decades to come.

Your Main Responsibilities will be to

• Facilitation of cross-functional input to the development of route plans.


• Develop route plans for specified simple routes and contribute to development route plans for more complex routes, both from internal perspective (i.e. Operating Route / Area) and external perspective (i.e. by strategic route), based on needs and priorities of stakeholders to make sure that they are being met (e.g. regulatory outputs and customer commitments).


• Undertake analysis work for capacity studies, and develop train service specifications for assessment by the Strategic Access Planning Unit (SAP).


• Work with the Senior Route Planner to undertake business appraisal of complex projects and route strategies. Identify industry benefits of rail capacity changes, journey time improvements etc.Specify and obtain demand forecasts.


• Work with sponsors of major asset renewal and enhancement schemes to develop in alignment with Route Strategies and the Capacity Utilisation study and develop, where appropriate, combined renewals and enhancement strategies.


• Prepare reports on route plans, customer reasonable requirements (CRR) and Business plans.


• Assist with the Route's input to the Business Plan, in particular the presentation of Route Plan material.


• Assist in identifying the needs and priorities of stakeholders and monitor to ensure that they are being met. Participate in liaison with internal and external parties.

Pay and Rewards

Salary: This rol e is a Band 4B £35,582 to £43,400per a nnum.

Location: Flexible across Swindon Western House, Reading Apex, Bristol Temple Point, or London Enterprise House, depending on the successful candidate's preference.

As a Network Rail employee, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits!

• Privileged staff travel - Leisure travel discount of 75% on all leisure travel and includes family members.


• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train.


• GWR ticket alliance, Heavily discounted all day passes for you and up to 3 friends and family to use across the GWR network (48 passes per year)


• Benefits package including healthcare offers, a cycle to work scheme, discounted healthcare club membership, and a discounted offers and benefits including childcare, healthcare and online shopping site.


• A range of Pension schemes to choose from


• Effectively manage wo rk-life balance with a 35hrsper week contract,hybrid working, flexible working, flexible leave,and enhanced family friendly support.


• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community.


• In Wales and Western region, you will have the opportunity to join PROUD, our reward and recognition scheme where you can say thanks and recognise colleagues across the region who have demonstrated outstanding values and behaviours.

More about the role and your application

Closing date: 4th November 2026 . Late applications will not be accepted. This vacancy is also being advertised externally.

This role requires working in the office for a least 60% of the working week

We want to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity. Therefore, should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please do let us know by including within your application.

Your experience and skills

You will ideally have

• Knowledge of Rail Industry and Network Rail¿s contractual commitments to customers and suppliers


• Analytical skills and numeracy


• Good interpersonal and communication skills


• Commercial and financial awareness, including understanding economic trade-off analysis


• Knowledge of rail industry and commercial framework


• Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail.You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety within your application.

What could set you apart

• Good knowledge of the customers and assets of the route


• Knowledge of estimating techniques, risk analysis and economic models and tools


• Knowledge of project development and delivery processes


• Knowledge of Network Rail¿s sponsorship and Investment processes and procedures

Not sure if you meet all the requirements? Let us decide. Some of these criteria may be learnt in role. Therefore, if you do not meet all the criteria, please submit your application. We will screen your application against these criteria to assess the best match.

Key Information

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Full Time

Location:

Swindon Western House, Swindon

Geographical Area:

South West England

Closing Date:

04-NOV-2026

Job Category:

Engineering and Asset Management

Function:

Organisation:

EB Head of Strategic Planning, Indirect (112618) G5