Sector Interface Lead

About DFT Operator

Join Our Team at 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 30,000 employees, runs over 11,000 services a day and delivers over 930 million customer journeys across its networks every year. 7,000 people joined the railway family in the last year

Major improvements are being delivered by DFTO train operators (TOCs) that are already under public ownership - these are LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE), southeastern, South Western Railway (SWR), c2c, Greater Anglia, WM Trains, GTR. and Chiltern.

We work closely with the DfT but operate independently with our own governance and leadership teams. Our priority is ensuring efficient, dependable rail services for everyone.

Primary Purpose of Job:

The Sector Interface Lead will shape and enable rail reform across DFTO’s landscape. Acting as the principal interface between DFTO, its subsidiaries, the rail reform portfolio and wider industry stakeholders, the role drives alignment between policy development, strategic objectives and operational delivery realities and will support the Head of Strategic Development as the ‘conscience of GBR’ ahead of its creation.

Working closely with the Head of Strategic Development, the postholder will lead the development of DFTO positions on rail reform, coordinate organisational input into the development of Great British Railways (GBR), and provide expert advice to senior leaders on the implications of reform activity. The role will drive collaboration across the sector, champion cultural change aligned to GBR principles, and support the successful transition from the current contractual framework to a future outcome-focused railway system.

Through effective leadership, influencing, coordination and stakeholder engagement, the Sector Interface Lead will help DFTO and its subsidiaries create a coherent organisational response to the development of Great British Railways and support the delivery of a more integrated, efficient and customer-focused railway system.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Rail Reform

• Support the Group Head of Strategic Development in shaping and delivering a vision for Great British Railways that meets Government ambitions while reflecting the practical operational realities of today's railway.
• Lead DFTO's participation in the rail reform programmes, using influence and leadership so that organisational and subsidiary perspectives are effectively represented and reflected within wider reform initiatives.
• Develop, maintain and communicate DFTO strategic positions on rail reform, driving organisational alignment and clear understanding across the business.
• Translate emerging policy and strategic developments into practical delivery plans, programmes and initiatives with measurable outcomes.

Sector Interface and Stakeholder Management

• Act as the principal interface between DFTO, its subsidiaries and rail reform bodies, driving effective two-way communication and engagement, and acting as a trusted advisor.
• Coordinate and consolidate inputs from across DFTO and subsidiary organisations, presenting coherent and evidence-based positions into rail reform governance structures.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with key industry stakeholders, including Office of Rail & Road (ORR), Transport Focus, Rail Delivery Group (RDG), Network Rail, Rail Safety & Standards Board (RSSB), government departments and sponsoring authorities and DFTO subsidiary organisations.
• Represent DFTO within industry forums, working groups and strategic discussions relating to rail reform and the future operating model of the railway.

Policy Development and Strategic Planning

• Lead the development of DFTO policy positions relating to the design and implementation of Great British Railways and wider sector reform.
• Maintain a comprehensive and accessible knowledge repository covering reform policies, proposals, decisions and organisational positions.
• Manage DFTO's contribution to the development of the Long Term Rail Strategy and Long Term Rail Plan, driving alignment with wider organisational objectives and sector priorities.
• Provide strategic analysis, insight and recommendations to support decision making across DFTO leadership teams.

Transformation and Organisational Change

• Provide subject matter expertise on the transition from the current contractually driven railway framework towards a future outcomes-focused GBR management system.
• Lead the development of the system of achieving outcomes that will replace the current contractual architecture.
• Contribute to the development and execution of transition plans, identifying risks, dependencies and opportunities associated with implementation.
• Promote and embed GBR principles, behaviours and ways of working across DFTO and its subsidiaries.
• Champion culture change initiatives that encourage collaboration, whole-system thinking and a customer-focused railway.

Executive Support and Advisory Responsibilities

• As part of DFTO’s Rail Reform team, act as a trusted adviser to the DFTO Chief Executive Officer, Executive Team, Board and senior management on rail reform developments and sector change.
• Provide clear and coherent oversight of reform activity and change programmes affecting DFTO and subsidiary organisations.
• Prepare high-quality strategic briefings, papers and recommendations for executive and board-level audiences.
• Drive effective communication and information flows so senior stakeholders remain informed of emerging policy, strategy and reform developments that may impact organisational objectives or delivery priorities.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Technical Qualifications:

Essential criteria

• Significant experience in the rail industry, transport sector, government policy, strategy, transformation or organisational change environments.
• Strong understanding of rail reform, industry structures, governance arrangements and the future development of Great British Railways.
• Experience developing strategic policy positions and translating these into practical implementation plans.
• Proven ability to operate effectively with senior executives, boards, government officials and external stakeholders.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Demonstrable experience of leading cross-organisational collaboration and managing complex stakeholder relationships.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capability, with the ability to interpret emerging policy and industry developments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the production of executive-level reports and briefing materials.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of major organisational transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of government policy-making processes and public sector governance.
• Understanding of railway contracting, regulation and reform delivery mechanisms.
• Experience contributing to long-term transport or infrastructure strategy development.

Vacancy Details:

Duration: Fixed Term up to 31st March 2028 contract/secondmentLocation: We currently have officesin London Waterloo, Leeds, BirminghamSalary Banding : £88,395- £98,217
Closing date: 23rd March2026

DFTO Locations:

DFTO currently have office locations in London, Birmingham and Leeds and individuals can be based from any of the three locations. Whilst we do offer hybrid working there are sometimes demands to travel to the other office locations.

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

Additional Information…

Disclaimer: Candidates applying for this position on a secondment basis must inform their line manager prior to submitting their application. This is to ensure transparency and facilitate any necessary discussions regarding workload and responsibilities.

About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.

Contact:

If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact Dean.palmer@dftoperator.co.uk .

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