Project Management Officer

As a Project Management Officer at GB Railfreight you will be responsible for overseeing the preparation and implementation of small-scale projects related to the business readiness for ERTMS. The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is a single European signalling and speed control system that ensures interoperability of the national railway systems, reducing the purchasing and maintenance costs of the signalling systems as well as increasing the speed of trains, the capacity of infrastructure and the level of safety in rail transport. Your primary objective will be to deliver operational management solutions for project and performance management, resource management and people development and to ensure that all business units are adequately prepared to embrace and leverage the benefits of ERTMS. This role requires previous experience in Project Management, ideally gained within the transport industry, exceptional stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to effectively manage change within the organisation.

Responsibilities

• Project Planning and Execution: Develop and execute project plans for business readiness initiatives, outlining project scope, objectives, deliverables, and timelines. Coordinate and manage project activities, ensuring adherence to milestones and deadlines. Oversee project progress, ensuring risks, opportunities and issues are identified and acted upon and that appropriate mitigation strategies are implemented. Ensure that business and project management processes are followed within your team, supporting with the implementation of Business / Project Management best practices and enabling a culture of continuous improvement. Maintaining a credible resource and financial plan. Assuring that internal resourcing and external engineering service supplier activities are launched in line with the plan and managed in accordance with our policy and processes. Proactively managing the collation & reporting of key performance indicators to ensure that the business management data is readily available for effective performance management. Providing guidance and mentoring to our engineering community on business and project management.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate closely with business unit leaders and key stakeholders to understand their requirements, concerns, and challenges related to ERTMS adoption and maintaining robust integrated plans with all stakeholders involved. Foster effective communication channels, ensuring stakeholders are informed and engaged throughout the readiness process. Address stakeholder feedback and concerns, promoting a positive and collaborative approach to change management.
• Change Management: Assess the impact of ERTMS on business processes, systems, and personnel within each business unit, identifying potential areas of resistance or disruption working closely with the Business Change Manager. Assist the Business change manager in develop and implement change management strategies and plans to mitigate resistance and facilitate smooth transitions. Provide guidance and support to business units, ensuring readiness activities align with overall ERTMS implementation goals.
• Training and Documentation: Collaborate with subject matter experts to develop training programs and materials for business unit employees, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills for ERTMS adoption. Organise and conduct training sessions, workshops, and webinars to increase awareness and understanding of ERTMS. Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation, including standard operating procedures, user guides, and reference materials, to support business units during and after implementation.
• Reporting and Evaluation: Maintain accurate project documentation, including project plans, progress reports, risk assessments, and change requests. Prepare regular status reports for management, highlighting project achievements, challenges, and recommended actions. Evaluate the effectiveness of readiness activities, identify areas for improvement, and implement corrective actions as necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or a related field. A master's degree or professional certifications in project management are advantageous.
• Proven experience (3+ years) in Project Management, focusing on business readiness or change management projects within the transport industry or construction.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, risk management, and stakeholder management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Experience in change management, including assessing impacts, addressing resistance, and fostering a culture of readiness and adoption.
• Ability to develop and deliver training programs, workshops, and presentations to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency in project management tools and software for planning, tracking, and reporting project progress.
• Previous experience with managing budgets, planning, contracts management and risk management.
• Familiarity with ERTMS or similar rail traffic management systems is preferred but not mandatory.

Our Values

• Professionalism: Safety and security is paramount in our business, and we feel that this embodies the foundation of a high achieving safety culture.
• Support: We look after our people and they in turn are encouraged to look after each other.
• Communication: The transparency of our business is valued by our colleagues and customers.
• Trust and Empowerment: We believe that openness and honesty make for the best relationship because it leads to trust and confidence.
• Enjoyment: Taking pleasure in coming to work at GBRf is actively encouraged right from the top.

At GB Railfreight we recognise that having a more diverse range of people leads to greater innovation. We want to create a diverse workforce and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds with the aim to have a workforce representative of wider society. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace in line with our values.