Head of Strategic Planning, Business Case and Benefits

Can you lead complex policy, strategic planning and business case delivery, communicating clearly and driving outcomes across teams in a fast‑paced, evolving environment? Do you thrive leading teams through uncertainty, balancing priorities, and influencing senior stakeholders to deliver high‑quality, cross‑government programmes and strategic outcomes? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Head of HS2 Strategic Planning, Benefits and Business Case ensures the HS2 programme, which is the government’s biggest infrastructure scheme, delivers its benefits of economic growth, capacity, and connectivity. As HS2 undergoes a major reset—establishing a new baseline, updating the commercial strategy, and strengthening capability—the post holder will help shape a renewed strategic case. They will lead an updated business case aligned with the HS2 delivery strategy and new government requirements, while building alignment across the Major Rail Projects Group and wider department.

The Benefits and Business Case Team sits within the Major Rail Projects Group in the Department for Transport and is a collaborative, high‑performing team. It works across the department to support the Plan for Change, Government Missions, and wider priorities, partnering closely with HS2 Ltd and across government to deliver the high‑speed rail vision at the lowest reasonable cost. This is a demanding role requiring someone who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, leads through uncertainty, and works collaboratively across policy, delivery, and analytical disciplines. The post holder will champion HS2 and other major rail projects across government, while identifying strategic opportunities to maximise programme benefits.

Benefits

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary.
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work‑life balance.

We are looking for a strong enthusiastic leader; motivated, resilient and adaptable, with strong analytical and problem‑solving skills and able to communicate complex ideas clearly to colleagues at all levels. You will need to be able to balance and prioritise your workload, shifting between activities to support wider team and Group priorities. You will be confident working independently and leading teams through uncertainty, to ensure the timely delivery of priorities and products, including the HS2 Business case.

Responsibilities

• Leading strategic planning across MRPG to ensure delivery of programme benefits, including providing oversight and integration across the Reset programme, Phase 1 delivery, Euston, future infrastructure and NPR.
• Leading work to maximise the benefits of HS2, including developing and delivering a collaborative cross‑government engagement strategy, leading relationships with key departments including MHCLG, HMT and NISTA.
• Promote activities which will help drive delivery of benefits, making sure these are prioritised within the Department and HS2 Ltd.
• Sponsoring benefits management within HS2 Ltd, producing an updated benefits strategy to align benefits with the HS2 reset, as well as ensuring processes are in place to track benefits data, and develop an approach to measuring the impact of the programme’s wider benefits, such as on economic growth.
• Being a champion for good benefits realisation across Major Rail Projects Group and sharing lessons across the department and wider Government.
• Leading the planning, coordination and delivery of an update of the business case for HS2, following the 5 cases model.
• Manage the delivery of the finance, economic, management and commercial cases, working through others to ensure delivery of a high‑quality product.
• Guide the business case through cross‑government and internal approvals, ensuring accurate and assurance.
• Leading the development and delivery of the strategic narrative and strategic case for HS2, making sure there is a compelling narrative for the scheme within the update to the business case.
• Working with stakeholders across DfT and Government to align with wider government priorities, such as the Plan for Change and Government Missions and identifying how cross Government policies can help support the aims and objectives of HS2.
• Leading other ad hoc, cross‑cutting strategic projects as required.
• Be part of the Senior Leadership Team of Policy and Benefits Directorate, contributing to people leadership in areas such as performance and talent management.
• Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.