Thameslink Growth Corridor Director

GTR Railway; City Of London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd. is seeking a senior leader to shape the Thameslink Growth Corridor strategy and oversee the long‑term development of the network.

You will sit in the integrated leadership team, coordinating with government, regulators, and industry partners to align investment, capacity and customer outcomes with financial sustainability. You will translate ambition into credible, costed plans and lead major transformation programmes across a complex railway system.

Responsibilities

• Set and lead the transformational strategy for the Thameslink Growth Corridor, ensuring we are ready to respond to future passenger demand and maximise the opportunities created by greater integration.
• Lead strategic planning and business development across the integrated railway, translating long-term ambition into credible, costed, and deliverable plans.
• Identify future investment, customer, and revenue opportunities, including opportunities to attract funding beyond direct government funding, developing compelling business cases and value propositions.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure strategic plans are fully costed and support the delivery of sustainable reductions in net subsidy.
• Lead the design and implementation of major transformation programmes, using systems thinking to manage complex interdependencies, risks, and benefits.
• Build strongrelationships across GTR, Network Rail, government, regulators, and industry partners, creating alignment around shared strategic priorities.
• Lead, develop and inspire the Strategy & Transformation team, creating a collaborative and high-performing culture through a period of significant industry change.

Job description

Shape the future of one of Britain's most important railway corridors.

Britain's largest railway is about to get even bigger. Huge investment is planned at Gatwick and Luton Airports and Universal United Kingdom Resort (opening in 2031).

As ThameslinkGrowth Corridor Director, you will sit at the heart of our integrated leadership team, setting the strategic direction for the business while leading the long-term development of the Thameslink growth Corridor.

With asignificant passenger growth expected across the corridor, the role will consider how the railway responds: from infrastructure and rolling stock capacity through the customer outcomes, commercial opportunities and the way track and train work together. You will turn that ambition into a clear, deliverable, and financially sustainable strategy coordinating this agenda across our railway and other partners.

Working across ourIntegrated Railway, GBR Division and Network and with government, regulators, and the wider industry, you will identify opportunities to unlock investment, improve capacity, performance and customer outcomes, and reduce net subsidy through a genuinely whole-system approach.

Alongside theGrowth Corridor remit, you will lead our Strategy & Transformation Directorate, bringing together strategic planning, business development, and innovation.

What you'll be doing

Youwill act as a strategic adviser to the Managing Director and Executive Leadership Team, providing insight and direction on organisational performance, growth opportunities, transformation, and the future development of the railway.

• Set and lead the transformational strategy for the Thameslink Growth Corridor, ensuring we are ready to respond to future passenger demand and maximise the opportunities created by greater integration.
• Lead strategic planning and business development across the integrated railway, translating long-term ambition into credible, costed, and deliverable plans.
• Identify future investment, customer, and revenue opportunities, including opportunities to attract funding beyond direct government funding, developing compelling business cases and value propositions.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure strategic plans are fully costed and support the delivery of sustainable reductions in net subsidy.
• Lead the design and implementation of major transformation programmes, using systems thinking to manage complex interdependencies, risks, and benefits.
• Build strongrelationships across GTR, Network Rail, government, regulators, and industry partners, creating alignment around shared strategic priorities.
• Lead, develop and inspire the Strategy & Transformation team, creating a collaborative and high-performing culture through a period of significant industry change.

About you

This is a senior leadership role requiring someonecomfortable operating across strategy, transformation, commercial thinking, and complex stakeholder environments.

Youwill bring significant experience of developing and delivering strategy within a large and complex organisation, alongside a strong record of leading major programmes or organisational transformation.

• Strong executive leadershipcapability and the credibility to influence at the highest levels.
• Experience of developing business cases, investment propositions and strategies that translate into tangible outcomes.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience of complex, high-value commercial or contracting environments.
• Experience establishing effective programme governance and successfully delivering complex change.
• The ability to build collaborative relationships across organisational boundaries and bring together stakeholders with different priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and credibly.

Experience within rail, transport, infrastructure or another complex, regulated and asset-intensive environment would be advantageous. More important is your ability to understand complex systems, work across organisational boundaries and turn long-term strategic ambition into practical delivery.

The opportunity

The railway is entering a period of fundamental change. Greater integration between track and train creates an opportunity to think differently about how we plan, invest, and operate, as well as how we deliver better outcomes for passengers, taxpayers, and the communities we serve.

This rolewill be central to that journey. You will have the opportunity to influence both the immediate transformation of our business and the long-term development of the Thameslink corridor, working at executive level across an increasingly integrated railway.

If you are an accomplishedstrategic leader who can combine ambitious long-term thinking with the commercial judgement and delivery focus needed to make change happen, we would like to hear from you.

“It was my brother’s suggestion to join the railway. He was already working in the industry and knew I had some university bills to pay off so told me to give it a go, get out of debt and see what I wanted to do next. After a while, it just felt like actually – this is exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m part of a great team and the on-board department as a whole are brilliant to work with. I feel at home here.”

Tonderai Matizha-Johnson
Area Operations Manager

“When I saw that GTR was advertising places for its apprenticeship scheme I looked into it straight away because I thought it was a great opportunity to learn whilst getting real life experience in a 9-5 job. I applied for a level three business administration apprenticeship and was thrilled to find out I had a place on the course! I was so excited that I didn’t even mind it was based 250 miles away from where I lived.”

“Working for GTR is very rewarding and fulfilling. You really feel like you're making a difference to customers, no matter what role you're in as at the end of the day they're the heart of our business. I’ve had lots of opportunities to explore other aspects of the business including supporting our station staff and gaining my Train Dispatch Licence which has been enriching for my experience here.”

“If you’ve always had an interest in rail, or maybe you’re just curious to find out what working in the railway might look like, GTR is the operator to go for. Not many companies do an official work experience program and this unique opportunity will give you a good grounding with varied activities to help you find the best place in the railway for you. It certainly did it for me.”

Nathaniel Owen
Station Manager

“I work as part of the Fleet Infrastructure team, which means ensuring our 18 Engineering locations operate safely and efficiently. We oversee all building and track maintenance works as well as various minor and major projects across the network.”

“I started in a small ticket office back in 1996 and have continued to work my way up ever since. A previous manager told me about a job he’d seen advertised for a trainer. ’d never considered a job in HR or mentoring before then, but he said I’d be perfect for it and I haven’t looked back since!”

Zoey Hudson
Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion

“Since April, I’ve helped to support our Kickstart Scheme. It’s been a really rewarding process to be part of because I know first‑hand how tough it can be to find work once you’re out of it.”

“I’m a Thameslink passenger host and team leader based at Luton station and I’m currently doing a Level 3 Supervisor apprenticeship so that I can improve my skills even further. I was hesitant to do the apprenticeship at first because of my age – I left school over 60 years ago without any qualifications! It’s been hard to get back into the routine of learning again.”

“It was my brother’s suggestion to join the railway. He was already working in the industry and knew I had some university bills to pay off so told me to give it a go, get out of debt and see what I wanted to do next. After a while, it just felt like actually – this is exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m part of a great team and the on‑board department as a whole are brilliant to work with. I feel at home here.”

Tonderai Matizha-Johnson
Area Operations Manager

“When I saw that GTR was advertising places for its apprenticeship scheme I looked into it straight away because I thought it was a great opportunity to learn whilst getting real life experience in a 9-5 job. I applied for a level three business administration apprenticeship and was thrilled to find out I had a place on the course! I was so excited that I didn’t even mind it was based 250 miles away from where I lived.”

“Working for GTR is very rewarding and fulfilling. You really feel like you're making a difference to customers, no matter what role you're in as at the end of the day they're the heart of our business. I’ve had lots of opportunities to explore other aspects of the business including supporting our station staff and gaining my Train Dispatch Licence which has been enriching for my experience here.”

“If you’ve always had an interest in rail, or maybe you’re just curious to find out what working in the railway might look like, GTR is the operator to go for. Not many companies do an official work experience program and this unique opportunity will give you a good grounding with varied activities to help you find the best place in the railway for you. It certainly did it for me.”

Nathaniel Owen
Station Manager

“I work as part of the Fleet Infrastructure team, which means ensuring our 18 Engineering locations operate safely and efficiently. We oversee all building and track maintenance works as well as various minor and major projects across the network.”

“I started in a small ticket office back in 1996 and have continued to work my way up ever since. A previous manager told me about a job he’d seen advertised for a trainer. ’d never considered a job in HR or mentoring before then, but he said I’d be perfect for it and I haven’t looked back since!”

Zoey Hudson
Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion

“Since April, I’ve helped to support our Kickstart Scheme. It’s been a really rewarding process to be part of because I know first‑hand how tough it can be to find work once you’re out of it.”

“I’m a Thameslink passenger host and team leader based at Luton station and I’m currently doing a Level 3 Supervisor apprenticeship so that I can improve my skills even further. I was hesitant to do the apprenticeship at first because of my age – I left school over 60 years ago without any qualifications! It’s been hard to get back into the routine of learning again.”