Head of Legal (RSG)

About DFTO

DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027 - and deliver improvements in the here and now by unifying and integrating train operations under common public ownership. DFTO has over 23,000 employees, runs over 6,000 services a day and delivers over 450 million customer journeys across its networks every year. This accounts for 26% of total UK passenger journeys and 30% of passenger miles. Major improvements are being delivered by DFTO train operators (TOCs) that are already under public ownership - these are LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE), Southeast, South Western Railway (SWR) and c2c.

Primary Purpose of Job

Provide authoritative, strategic advice to the business on complex and high profile, high risk, business critical matters, as a principal legal adviser. Influence organizational strategy and policy development, support executive decision making and provide leadership and mentoring to legal professionals.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver proactive and strategic legal advice and recommendations on a variety of complex, high value, high risk and significant and/or material matters to enable the DFTO group’s strategic, commercial and regulatory objectives to be met in line with key milestones and within agreed budget.
• Direct on a diverse range of high value and high-profile projects for the organisation, advising and supporting the executive and senior leaders on legal matters to successfully deliver business projects and avoid or mitigate the potential for significant reputational damage and financial and regulatory consequences.
• Establish, develop, and maintain appropriate relationships with key stakeholders across DFTO, senior government officers, regulators and the industry to facilitate the delivery of desired outputs and to assist with navigating the legal aspects of the work of the role in a timely manner.
• Lead high profile, and often contentious negotiations, and strategic discussions with a range of stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Exercise strong influencing and persuasion skills to achieve optimal outcomes, resolve conflicts, and protect the organisation’s interests.
• Mentor, supervise, support and manage Lead and Senior Legal Counsel, Legal Counsel and other developing members of the Legal team in their provision of all agreed legal support across the function, building capability and expertise in the function.
• Lead, or provide thought leadership to, group-wide legal strategic initiatives and policy development, influencing the strategic direction and effectiveness of the organisation.
• Draft and review complex legal documentation, correspondence and contracts for matters of a high profile and high-risk nature, protecting the organisation’s interests and achieving legal and regulatory compliance.
• Provide oversight and quality assurance on work prepared by Senior Legal Counsel and Legal Counsel, offering guidance and feedback to maintain consistency, accuracy and best practice standards.
• Prepare specialist reports and recommendations for executive leadership and governance committees, presenting complex legal issues in clear, concise, and actionable terms and enabling informed decision-making at the highest level.
• Maintain expert legal knowledge and professional competency by staying up to date with changes in legislation, case law, and regulatory requirements affecting criminal matters in the rail industry.
• Actively encourage and support the team to do the same, fostering a culture of continuous learning and compliance.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the organisation’s overall legal strategy.
• Provide thought leadership and specialist insight to shape policies, frameworks, and strategic initiatives that enhance the effectiveness and resilience of the legal function and align with business objectives.
• Lead the team within the DFTO Legal and Compliance directorate responsible for providing high quality legal support to functions which have recently transferred into DFTO from the DfT or other areas of the industry, or are transferring into DFTO during 2026, particularly in areas of policy, rolling stock and fares and ticketing reform.
• Work closely with the Government Legal Department and external lawyers in order to maintain legal support for DFTO during a period of significant change.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Technical Qualifications

• Solicitor admitted to practice in England & Wales with at least 10 years PQE with a reputable law firm/in house organisation.
• Extensive expertise in public law, with a proven track record of providing high-level legal advice in complex matters.
• Strategic and innovative legal thinking, with the ability to navigate the role of lawyers in Government and the broader public sector, and to provide guidance that aligns with organisational objectives and policy considerations.
• In-depth knowledge and practical experience of public procurement law, public law, and competition law, with the ability to apply this expertise to complex, high-stakes scenarios.
• Proven experience operating at a managerial level within a public sector environment, demonstrating an understanding of organisational structures, decision-making processes, and stakeholder management.
• Proven ability to shape and influence legal strategy and contribute to organisational policy development.
• Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership and boards on strategic legal matters.
• Strong track record of leading and developing legal professionals, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Exceptional negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to manage contentious discussions and align competing priorities.
• Advanced analytical skills and ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable advice for senior stakeholders.
• Highly effective stakeholder management skills, with experience building relationships at the most senior levels internally and externally (including regulators and government bodies).
• Ability to manage multiple high-profile matters simultaneously, exercising sound judgment under pressure.
• Educated to degree level or higher.

Vacancy Details

• Duration: 2 year Fixed Term contract/secondment
• Reports to: Group General Counsel
• Location: London Waterloo
• Salary: up to £140,093
• Closing date: 30/01/2026

DFTO Benefits

• Annual Leave: Starting at 25 days and rising to an additional day per year of service completed within the first 5 completed years up to a maximum of 5 additional (30 days)
• DC Pension Scheme: 10% Employer contribution, 5% Employee contribution
• Opportunities to learn and network across the wider industry

If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact jason.blakemore@dftoperator.co.uk. Please do not email any CVs to us, your application must be made by clicking the 'Apply' button.