Performance Engagement Programme Manager

Description

To lead the design, delivery, and ongoing development of a high-impact performance engagement programme that embeds operational performance as a shared business priority across all functions and grades.

Act as the central point for driving awareness, ownership, and accountability for performance targets—ensuring every colleague understands their contribution to delivering reliable and punctual services. Working collaboratively with both internal stakeholders and external partners, the post holder will champion culture change, provide technical and behavioural guidance, and sustain momentum through regular engagement, consistent branding, and performance storytelling.

The role also includes monitoring impact, evolving materials, and ensuring the programme remains relevant, inclusive, and aligned with wider business objectives long after initial implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of a business-wide, two-year performance engagement and culture change programme, managing a small team to drive consistent, measurable impact.
• Own and sustain the campaign beyond launch, ensuring that materials remain relevant, refreshed, and continue to support long-term behavioural change across the business.
• Design and implement a tailored engagement strategy that translates operational performance targets into clear, actionable messages for all colleagues, regardless of role or location.
• Collaborate with Internal Communications to maximise existing communication channels while developing new and innovative platforms to support consistent performance messaging.
• Manage the programme budget, overseeing the production of campaign materials and merchandise. Develop business cases and funding bids as needed, aligning spend with business objectives and value for money.
• Engage with external stakeholders including Network Rail and interfacing TOCs to ensure alignment and understanding of WMT\’s performance ambitions and collaborative responsibilities.
• Work closely with Heads of Department to co-create engagement approaches that are relevant to their teams, recognising that a flexible, tailored method is more effective than a one-size-fits-all model.
• Coordinate with procurement, finance, and marketing to ensure all campaign materials are compliant with brand guidelines, follow procurement policy, and deliver impact within budget constraints.
• Embed wider business priorities (such as customer satisfaction, growth, and safety) into performance campaign messaging to ensure a joined-up narrative that supports the broader business plan.
• Leverage the Performance team as subject matter experts, incorporating lessons learned from past campaigns and drawing insights from best practice across the rail sector and beyond.
• Ensure all communications and outputs from the team consistently use the agreed visual identity and tone of voice for the campaign, in line with guidance from the marketing team.

Skills, knowledge & expertise

• Educated degree level in communications / marketing or related field to disseminate complex information across various audiences.
• Experience in engagement, communications and culture change programmes.
• Knowledge of rail operations and performance to understand conceptual theories on how to improve.
• Project Management skills and experience.
• Interpersonal skills, able to influence at all levels.
• Excellent levels of written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage a small team.
• Collaborative approach to work.
• Adaptable, proactive and works on own initiative.
• Manages risk and opportunity.
• Able to prioritise tasks in a busy environment and manage workload appropriately.

Job Benefits

• Salary – Up to £60,000 per annum + benefits
• Hybrid working – 2-3 days in Birmingham office
• Defined Benefit pension – one of the best in the UK
• Free travel on all our trains and those of other train companies within our parent group company – for you, your partner and any dependent children
• 75% off all other train company travel tickets
• Retail discounts
• Career development opportunities

About London Northwestern & West Midlands Railways

We are proud to operate two new railway brands for and to the Midlands, the North West and London.

In the Midlands the West Midlands Railway brand is a local railway placing Birmingham at the centre of its network. We run the majority of the local services, as well as direct trains to many of the surrounding towns and cities, including Redditch, Stratford-upon-Avon, Worcester, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Telford, and Northampton.

Our London Northwestern Railway brand serves the London to Liverpool route on the west coast, stopping at Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Northampton, with the West Midlands at its heart.

Both services are operated by West Midlands Trains Ltd, part of Transport UK.

Each business brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the franchise and it\’s our aim to give you the rail experience you deserve at the price you want to pay.